Rome Questions

Vocab:

1. Republic-  a political unit that is not ruled by a monarch and in which citizens with the right to vote choose their leasers.
2. Gravitas-  weightiness or seriousness

3. Pater familias-   "father of the family"

4. Toga- outfits they wore, cloth wrapped around them, uncomfortable.

5. Patrician (class)-  specially privileged families

6. Plebeian-   common farmers, artisans, and merchants

Questions:

1. The geography is important because Rome is located midway between the alps and Italy's southern tip.  An ideal position to send out ships and armies in all directions. 

2. These groups were important to Rome's development
1. Latin's-  they wandered across the alps into Italy around 1000 B.C.  Rome began as a settlement of Latin shepherds.  Only a few trade goods from the outside world reached their country. 
2. Greeks-  settlers from Greece established 50 colonies on the coast of southern Italy and Sicily.  These active cities brought all of Italy, and Rome, closer with the Greek civilization
3. Etruscans- much more civilized than Latins,  they had a writing system, they had great cultural influence of Latins. 

3. Had an influence of Roman religious ideas, polytheists. Spirits that helped them with their everyday life, bringing food or helping with sickness.
4. Household belonged exclusively to one person, pater familias, or the father of the family, eldest man.  Women did not have any freedoms.

5. The Roman society was divided into classes. The soldiers in the army were superior, and played a very important role in society by protecting the people from enemies and attacks.