2.+450+BCE+to+175+BCE

[|Gauls Sack Rome]

Searching for new land to settle, the Senones, a tribe of Gaul, camped outside of a town called Clusium. The senones began negotiating land rights, while the people of Clusium felt threatened. The people of Clusium called for help from Rome, who had recently gotten military influence over Etruria, due to past wars. Rome was weakened by recent wars and sent three ambassadors to negotiate the situation with the Senones. The negotiations with the Senones failed, and the Clusians sent a military force to get the Senones off their land.

The battle took place around 387 BC. The two tribes were very close in numbers. During the battle, one ambassador killed one of the Gallic leaders, resulting in the Senones leaving the battlefield to discuss the problem. For the Romans people called flanks, poor citizens, were commanded to be at the front of the army. All Romans were to supply their own equipment, meaning the flanks were poorly protected. Once the Gauls attacked it was soon found that the flanks were not positioned correctly and the Roman centre were soon surrounded and slaughtered. The Romans that remained fled back to Rome and barricaded themselves on Capitoline Hill. The Gauls tried a frontal assault and failed, then loosing many lives.

Brennus, the leader of the Gauls, decided it would be best to end the fighting. Brennus negotiated with the Romans and decided he would give Rome one thousand pounds of gold. It was later discovered that Brennus used heavier weights then traditionally used for weighing gold. This made another battle take place, Camillus,the leader of the Roman army, hoped to win this battle. The battle took place in the alleyways and narrow streets, making it very difficult to fight, both armies left the city and awaited one last night before the final battle. Just as Camillus had hoped, the Romans won the battle.

The Twelve Tables 450 B.C.

In 455 B.C. a commission ten men were chosen to write up a Code Of Law for the Roman people. The Twelve Tables are the oldest surviving pieces of Roman literature. The first commission of men only had come up with enough laws to fill up ten tablets. The plebeians, which are the common people of early Rome, found the ten unsatisfactory, so another commission of ten men was chosen, and they added two more tablets to the other ten. These became known as The Twelve Tables of Law. Finally, five years later, the tablets were released around the Roman kingdom. The original tablets were said to have been carved into bronze. None know for sure about this claim because the bronze tablets no longer exist. They were said to have been destroyed by the Gauls when they sacked and burned Rome in 387 B.C. On each of the tablets is written a law or a rule, much like the Ten Commandments, but these rules were made by men. The tablets were sent out to towns so all knew what they were and could follow them. TABLE I Procedure: for courts and trials- If one calls another to court, the one called MUST go. If an agreement is not met between the two, they must present the case in the Forum before noon. TABLE II Trials Continued- If one is ill during the proceedings, they must end. The person who seeks the ill ones testimony must wail at his doorway every third day that person is absent. TABLE III Debt- Given 30 days to pay debt TABLE IV Rights of fathers (paterfamilias) over the family- A deformed child must be put to death TABLE V Legal guardianship and inheritance laws- When a person dies without heirs to his estate, the nearest male kinsman shall inherit his properties. If he has no kinsmen, his clansmen inherit. If he goes mad, the same rules apply. TABLE VI Acquisition and possession- When a man makes a deal and announces it orally, it must be obeyed TABLE VII Land rights- A man may drive his team of beasts wherever he likes upon unpaved roads TABLE VIII Torts and delicts (Laws of injury)- Any man who causes another pain or effects his work must pay retribution. TABLE IX Public law- Any man who has accepted a bribe or treason must be put to death, but an acquitted man may not be. TABLE X Sacred law- No dead man may be cremated in the city. TABLE XI Supplement I- Marriages between the upper and lower classes are forbidden TABLE XII Supplement II- One who has brought a false claim either must pay double the penalty or death.

Via Appia

Roads before the Via Appia were usually made up of dirt or gravel. Some roads would have the sides raised to insure safety. There were many problems with the dirt and gravel roads. The roads would be tough to drive on when there was rain. It was much easier for people driving in chariots to loose control on dirt or gravel roads. Also, many of the roads used in this time period were strictly for kings and their armies.

Via Appia is the first and most important of the great roads built by the Ancient Romans. Via Appia is said to be the backbone of road systems, this great road was built in 312 BC. Via Appia is also known as "Regina Viarum." It was built by the censor Appius Claudius Caecus, and was then named after him. Via Appia is known for the outstanding feats of engineering, bridges, viaducts, galleries, and straight course across expanses of water, swamps, and mountains. Via Appia was paved with close-fitting slabs of basalt, to make the road much more safe in any weather.

This road was created for any use. The Via Appia was not strictly for kings and their armies. This road was completely public and was toll-free, meaning anybody, no matter how rich or poor, could use this for easy and safe transportation. The Roman postal service, Cursus Publicus, used the Via Appia throughout all the deliveries. Via Appia was eventually abandoned for a long period of time, but has been worked on and kept in good condition since then.

Punic Wars 264-146 BC
First Punic War 264-241BC The first was starts in Sicily between Carthage and Greek colonies. Rome became involved when Messina asked for help. The conflict soon escalates into a clash between Rome and Carthage. Romans capture Messina quickly. Carthage attempted to siege the Romans with their navy, but the Romans quickly destroyed them. Then, in 261, Rome also captures Agrigentum. After 260, Rome is no longer only a land powering country. The war ended with no particular side winning. In 241, the Romans and Carthaginians signed a treaty which Carthage had to give up Sicily and pay for Rome’s war costs. Carthage soon rebelled, and Rome took over the island of Corsica.

Second Punic war 218-201 BC Carthage expanded its empire into Spain. Following this, Rome forced them to sign a treaty acknowledging they would now expand past Spain. In 221, 25 year old, Hannibal, assumed command over Carthaginian Spain. In 218, Hannibal marched north from Cartagena with an army of 32,000 infantry, 8,000 cavalry, and 37 elephants. He defeated all Roman armies, and within two months, he conquered all of northern Italy. Romans asked Quintus Fabius Maximus to become dictator. He was determined to avoid open warfare, but because of this the Romans removed him. In 216, the new generals had 80,000 soldiers face Hannibal, and they still lost. This was their biggest defeat ever. The King of Macedon allied with Hannibal and started a war with Rome in 215. In 204, the Carthaginians sue for peace with Rome; Hannibal is forced to retreat. He loses the war.

Third Punic war 149-146 BC In 150, the Carthaginians go to war with out Rome's permission. They were told to move inland where sea trade would have been impossible, but they refused. So, Rome declares war. Romans went from house to house killing people. The population reduced from 250,000 to 50,000. The remaining survivors were sold into slavery. The city burned for 17 days, and afterwards salt was scattered all around to make sure it was uninhabitable.

Circus Maximus
The circus maximus was built for **chariot racing.** It was the most __popular__ form of entertainment. It was first built in 530 by Tarquinius Priscus. It's located between Palatine and Aventine hills. It's a oblong shape that's 2,037 X 118 ft. It has a one mile circumference. It can hold up to **__250,000 people__**. A Euripus, or canal, surrounds the track. Fori are the rows of seats. The bottom ones are stone. The highest ones are wood. The starting gates, viewing stands, and private boxes, senators, politicans, and military personnel.

The spina is a brick barrier in the middle of the track for the whole length. It is 12 feet wide and four feet wide. At each end, there were three columns. In the middle of it, there is a 132 foot high obelisk which Emperor Augustus had had put there. At the very ends of the spina, there were 20 foot high cones that kept the spina from being damaged when the chariots turned corners. Each end also had anohter two columns. One on each end had a line of marble eggs. On the other two were dolphins. One egg and dolphine were removed after every lap to keep track.

Each chariot was either red, white, green, or blue colored. Red represented summer; white mean winter; green was spring, and blue stood for fall. Later, Emperor Domitian added the colors gold and purple. People laid bets just like they do now. Some people were so frantic the bets ended in death. Before the Greeks, palms were given to all victors. After the Greeks, the victors were crowned and recieved money as a prize.

[|Cornelia Gracchus] 185 B.C.

It was very rare for a woman to be held in such high respect in the Roman community, but Cornelia Gracchus was different. She was the daughter of Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus Major, who was the conqueror of Hannibal. She married Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus the elder, whom she was very fond of. She bore him twelve children, but only three made it to adulthood. Her husband passed away, and she was left to care of and educate her children. One of the Ptolemy’s (kings of Egypt) offered to take her and her family in, but she refused and continued to raise her children as a widow.

Aside from having a very famous father and husband, she is known for being just as famous on her own. She was credited with inspiring her children towards civic duty, and she ensured that they obtained necessary education so they could accomplish great deeds. Her sons Tiberius and Caius died while campaigning for the rights of the common people. Her other son Scipio Aemilianus was the destroyer of Carthage. Rome credited her with making her sons into model citizens who became great because of her teachings and care.

She bore the death of her two sons with great strength and courage. After their deaths, she moved to a place called Misenum, and she lived the same as she had always done before. Many Greeks and scholars visited her to pluck her mind for information and stories of her sons and father. All of Rome respected her so greatly that they erected a brass statue to honor her. At the bottom of the statue, was inscription that read, “Cornelia, the mother of the Gracchi!” She truly helped shape part of Rome's future almost indirectly with her courage and dedication.