THE ROMAN REPUBLIC

GENERALIZATION:
 The growth of Rome from a small city-state into a great empire during the period of the Roman Republic is one of the most amazing success stories in all history.  In some ways, it is surprising that Rome even managed to survive during this period.  On the other hand, close examination shows that Roman success in the days of the Republic was no accident.  Comment.
POTENTIAL ID'S:
VIRTUS, PIETAS, GRAVITAS, FASCES, CONSULS, PATRICIANS, PLEBIANS, STRUGGLE OF ORDERS, TWELVE TABLES, SECESSIO, LEX HORTENSIA, TRIBUNES, CAMILLUS, GAULS, FIRST PUNIC WAR, SECOND PUNIC WAR, HANNIBAL, FABIUS MAXIMUS, THIRD PUNIC WAR

I.  Intro.
II.  Roman character, emphasis on "virtus"
III.  Roman constitution
 A.  Roman govt. under kings
  1.  Basis of royal power (imperium)
  2.  Limitations on royal power
   a.  tribal assembly
   b.  senate
  3.  Patron/client relationships
 B.  Changes made during early republic
  1.  Consuls
  2.  Pontifex maximus
  3.  Praetors, Quaestors, Aediles
  4.  Role of senate
 C.  Struggle of orders
  1.  Patrician/Plebians differences
  2.  Secessio
  3.  Tribunes (470)
  4.  Decemviri/Twelve Tables (451-450)
  5.  Right to Inter-marriage (444)
  6.  Right to hold offices
  7.  Lex Hortensia (287)
IV.  Conflicts with immediate neighbors (500-300 B.C.)
   A.  Etruscans/Latins
   B.  Mountain peoples: Sabines/Aequi/Volsci
   C.  Keys to success
V.  Wider conflicts throughout Italian peninsula (300-264)
   A.  Samnite wars
   B.  Italian Greeks
VI.  Conflicts with Carthage and Macedon (264-146)
    See also  Hannibal Barca and the Punic Wars, a very impressive collection of information, timelines, links, etc.

   A.  First Punic War (264-241)
   B.  Second Punic War/First Macedonian War (218-201)
   C.  Third Punic War (149-146)
   D.  Second Macedonian War (197)
   E.  Third Macedonian War (171-168)
   F.  Fourth Macedonian War (149-146)