258–259 Roy Rainford/Robert Harding/Getty Images

The
R
ise of Rome
Ruins of the Forum in Rome, Italy

500 B.C. 300 B.C. 100 B.C. A.D. 100

451 B.C. 267 B.C. 27 B.C. A.D. 96
Romans Rome controls Octavian Rule of the
adopt the most of Italy becomes Rome’s Good Emperors
Twelve Tables first emperor begins
 Chapter Overview Visit
ca.hss.glencoe.com for a
preview of Chapter 9.

Rome’s Beginnings
Physical geography plays a role in how civilizations develop and
decline. The civilization of Rome began on a river in Italy.
Surrounded by hills, its location in central Italy helped it become
an economic and military power.

The Roman Republic

Systems of order, such as law and government, contribute to stable
societies. Rome was a republic that developed written laws and a
strong government. This helped Rome survive wars and expand
into the Mediterranean.

The Fall of the Republic

All civilizations depend upon leadership for survival. As Rome’s
territory grew, generals in the army gained political power.
Eventually, they seized power and turned the republic into the
Roman Empire.

The Early Empire

Civilizations with strong economies prosper and grow. Augustus and
many of his successors helped improve Rome’s economy. As Rome
prospered, its empire grew larger and wealthier.

View the Chapter 9 video in the Glencoe Video Program.

Know-Want-Learn Make this foldable to help you organize what you know, what
you want to know, and what you learn about the rise of Rome.

Step 1 Fold four sheets of paper Step 3 Place the folded papers one Reading and Writing
in half from top to bottom. on top of the other. Staple the four Before reading the
sections together and label the top chapter, write under the
four tabs: Rome’s Beginnings, The tabs of your foldable
Roman Republic, The Fall of the what you already know
Republic, and The Early Empire. about the beginning of
Rome, the rise and fall of
Rome’s its republic, and the
Step 2 On each folded paper, make a Staple here.
Beginnings early Roman Empire.
cut 1 inch from the side on the top flap. Also write one question
you have on each tab. As
Cut 1 inch from you read, summarize
the edge through the what you learn under
top flap only. each tab.

417
 Making Inferences

When you make inferences, you draw conclusions that are not
directly stated in the text. This means you “read between the
lines.” You interpret clues and details in the text and draw upon
your prior knowledge and experience. Authors rely on a reader's
ability to infer because all the details are not always given. Read
this paragraph about Roman law from Section 2.

In many lands, people at the top of society

often had special privileges and did not have
to obey the same laws or use the same courts
as people lower down. In some places, peo-
ple at the bottom of society did not have any
legal rights at all.
— from page 431

Use this Think-Through chart to help you make inferences.

Text Question Inferences

people at the Who were they? Rich landowners,
top of society nobility, aristocracy?
special What kind of Right to own
privileges privileges? land?
Right to vote?
people at the Who were they? Poor farmers,
ake
m e t i m es you m bottom of artisans, enslaved
S o ing
es by us society peoples, non-
inferenc ing skills, military people,
ad
other re e stioning
and women?
a s q u
such
ng.
predicti

418
 Read the excerpt below about the five “good emperors” and pay
attention to highlighted words as you make inferences. Read to Write
Read the first
paragraph of Section 4
under the label The
Emperor Augustus.
Write down inferences
They presided over nearly
about what kind of
a century of prosperity, person you think
from A.D. 96 to A.D. 180. Augustus was. Then
Agriculture flourished, read the biography of
Augustus on page 447
trade increased, and the to see if your
standard of living rose. inferences were
During this time, the correct.
emperor came to over-
shadow the Senate more
than ever before. The five
“good emperors” did not
abuse their power, how-
ever. They were among
the most devoted and
capable rulers in Rome’s
history.
—from page
448
Roman coins

Create your own Think-Through chart to help you make further

inferences about the “good emperors.” You might want to use a chart
similar to the one on the previous page, with the same labels: Text,
Questions, and Inferences. Read the rest of page 448 to see if your
inferences were correct.

Inferring can help you understand an

author’s point of view. With a partner,
read the excerpt from Cicero’s speech
on page 440. Discuss what inferences
you both made.

419
 Rome’s
Beginnings
Looking Back, Looking Ahead Meeting People
In previous chapters, you learned Romulus (RAHM • yuh • luhs)
History about the civilization of ancient Remus (REE • muhs)
Social Science Greece. Greek ways did not die with Aeneas (ih • NEE • uhs)
Standards the end of Greece’s freedom. They Latins (LA • tuhnz)
WH6.7 Students were adopted and spread widely by
analyze the geographic, Etruscans (ih • TRUHS • kuhnz)
another civilization, Rome.
political, economic, Tarquins (TAHR • kwihnz)
religious, and social
structures during the Focusing on the
development of Rome.
• Geography played an important role Content Vocabulary
in the rise of Roman civilization. republic (rih • PUH • blihk)
(page 421) legion (LEE • juhn)
• The Romans created a republic and
conquered Italy. By treating people
Academic Vocabulary
isolate (EYE • suh • LAYT)
fairly, they built Rome from a small
city into a great power. capacity (kuh • PA • suh • tee)
(page 423) chapter (CHAP • tuhr)
status (STA • tuhs)
Locating Places
Sicily (SIH • suh • lee) Reading Strategy
Apennines (A • puh • NYNZ) Summarizing Information Use a
Latium (LAY • shee • uhm) diagram to show how the Etruscans
Tiber River (TY • buhr) affected the development of Rome.
Etruria (ih • TRUR • ee • uh)
Etruscans

650 B.C. 450 B.C. 250 B.C.

ITALY
c. 650 B.C. 509 B.C. 267 B.C.
Rome Etruscans rule Rome becomes Rome controls
Rome a republic most of Italy

Sicily
AFRICA

420 CHAPTER 9 • The Rise of Rome

 WH6.7.1 Identify the location and describe the rise of the Roman Republic, including the importance of such mythical and historical
figures as Aeneas, Romulus and Remus, Cincinnatus, Julius Caesar, and Cicero.

The Origins of Rome Italy 500 B.C.

Geography played an important role in
the rise of Roman civilization.
PS
Reading Connection If you were founding a new AL
45°N Po R.
city, what natural features would influence your choice

Ad Se
of a building site? As you read this section, think about

ria a
the choices that the early Romans made. N ETRURIA KEY

tic
W Carthaginians

Tib
E
Etruscans

er R.
Italy is in an important location in the S
Greeks

APE
middle of the Mediterranean region. It is a Corsica
Latins
long, narrow peninsula with a distinctive LATIUM

NN
Rome N

I
shape: it looks like a high-heeled boot ES
extending into the sea. The heel points CA
Sardinia Tyrrhenian M
toward Greece and the toe toward the Sea

PA
NI
0 100 mi. 40°N
island of Sicily (SIH • suh • lee). Across the top

A
0 100 km
of the boot are the Alps, high mountains Azimuthal Equidistant projection

that separate Italy from European lands to Ionian

Sea
the north. Another mountain range, the Me
dit
err Sicily
Apennines (A • puh • NYNZ), runs all the way Carthage anea Strait of
down the boot from north to south. nS Messina
AFRICA ea
The landscape of Italy is similar to that 10°E 15°E

of Greece, but the Apennines are not as

rugged as Greece’s mountains. They can be
crossed much more easily. As a result, the
people who settled in Italy were not split up 1. Place Which civilization do you think
most influenced the Latins who settled
into small, isolated communities as the
Rome? Explain your answer.
Greeks were. In addition, Italy had better 2. Location How was Rome’s location
farmland than Greece. Its mountain slopes advantageous for the Latins’ conquest of
level off to large flat plains that are ideal for Italy?
growing crops. With more capacity to pro- Find NGS online map resources @
www.nationalgeographic.com/maps
duce food, Italy could support more people
than Greece could.
Historians know little about the first peo-
ple to live in Italy. There is evidence, how- Where Was Rome Located? Geography
ever, that groups from the north slipped played a major part in the location of
through Italy’s mountain passes between Rome. The site chosen for Rome was
about 1500 B.C. and 1000 B.C. Attracted by the about 15 miles (24 km) up the Tiber River
mild climate and rich soil, a small but steady (TY • buhr) from the Mediterranean Sea. The
stream of newcomers settled in the hills and Tiber River gave the Romans a source of
on the plains. One group of Latin-speaking water and a way to get to the rest of the
people built the city of Rome on the plain of Mediterranean world. At the same time,
Latium (LAY • shee • uhm) in central Italy. They Rome was far enough from the sea to
became known as Romans. escape raids by pirates.

CHAPTER 9 • The Rise of Rome 421

 boys were abandoned near the Tiber River.
Rescued by a wolf and raised by a shep-
The Aeneid herd, they decided to build a city in 753 B.C.
Two legends describe the beginning of Rome. The twins quarreled, however, and Remus
One says that after Troy was destroyed, made fun of the wall his brother was build-
Aeneas and the other Trojans went in search ing. In a fury, Romulus attacked Remus and
of another place to live. killed him. Romulus went on to become the
“Weeping, I drew away first king of Rome, the new city he named
from our old country. . . . after himself.
I took to the open sea,
The seeds of Rome are traced even far-
borne outward into exile
with my people, my son, ther back in the Aeneid, a famous epic by
my hearth gods, and the the Roman poet Virgil. The Aeneid is the
greater gods. . . . Now story of the Trojan hero Aeneas (ih • NEE •
making landfall under uhs). He and a band of followers are said
the southwind there, I to have sailed the Mediterranean Sea after
plotted out on that the Greeks captured Troy. After many
curved shore the walls
adventures, the Trojans landed at the
of a colony—though
fate opposed it—and I mouth of the Tiber. Through warfare and
devised the name then marriage to the local king’s daughter,
Aeneadae for the peo- Aeneas united the Trojans and some of the
Virgil ple, from my own.” Latins (LA • tuhnz) , the local people. He
—adapted from Virgil, Aeneid thus became the “father” of the Romans.
Historians are not sure how Rome
began. They think that Latins lived in the
What type of person do you think Aeneas
was to build a new city after having the area of Rome as early as 1000 B.C. They built
first one destroyed? huts on Rome’s hills, tended herds, and
grew crops. Sometime between 800 B.C. and
700 B.C., they decided to band together for
In addition, Rome was built on a series of protection. It was this community that
seven hills. The Romans did this on purpose. became known as Rome.
The hills were very steep, making it easy to
defend the city against enemy attack. Rome Early Influences After about 800 B.C., other
was also located at a place where people groups came to Italy. Two of these groups,
could easily cross the Tiber River. As a result, the Greeks and the Etruscans (ih • TRUHS •
Rome became a stopping place for people kuhnz), played a major role in shaping the
traveling north and south in western Italy framework of the Roman civilization.
and for merchant ships sailing in the Many Greeks came to southern Italy
Mediterranean. and Sicily between 750 B.C. and 550 B.C.,
when Greece was busily building overseas
How Did Rome Begin? Two different leg- colonies. From the Greeks, Romans learned
ends describe how Rome began. The tradi- to grow olives and grapes. They also
tional story is that twin brothers named adopted the Greek alphabet, and they
Romulus (RAHM • yuh • luhs) and Remus would eventually model their architecture,
(REE • muhs) founded the city. As babies, the sculpture, and literature after the Greeks.

422 CHAPTER 9 • The Rise of Rome

Francis Schroeder/SuperStock
 WH6.7.1 Identify the location and describe the rise of the Roman Republic, including the importance of such mythical and historical
figures as Aeneas, Romulus and Remus, Cincinnatus, Julius Caesar, and Cicero.

The Birth of a Republic

The Romans created a republic and
conquered Italy. By treating people fairly, they built
Rome from a small city into a great power.
Reading Connection Have you heard the phrase “win-
ning hearts and minds”? It means convincing people to
support you rather than just forcing them to obey. Read on
to learn how the Romans not only conquered other people
in Italy but also won their hearts and minds.

The Etruscans ruled Rome for more than

100 years. Under the Etruscans, Rome
became wealthy and powerful. However,
The Etruscans used a variety of metals,
the ruling family, called the Tarquins
including copper, lead, iron, and tin to make
beautiful jewelry like the piece shown above. (TAHR • kwihnz), grew more and more cruel.
Finally, in 509 B.C., the Romans rebelled.
Rome’s early growth was influenced most, They overthrew the Tarquins and set up a
however, by the Etruscans. The Etruscans lived republic (rih • PUH • blihk). A republic is a form
north of Rome in Etruria (ih • TRUR • ee • uh). of government in which the leader is not a
After 650 B.C., they moved south and took con- king or queen but someone put in office by
trol of Rome and most of Latium. citizens with the right to vote. In a republic,
The Etruscans were skilled metalwork- the citizens have the power. The rise of the
ers who became rich from mining and Roman Republic marked the beginning of a
trade. They forced enslaved people to do new chapter in Rome’s history.
the heaviest work and made their own lives
comfortable. Their tomb paintings show
men and women feasting, dancing, and
playing music and sports. Some murals also
show bloody battle scenes, revealing the
Etruscans’ military achievements.
The Etruscans changed Rome from a vil-
lage of straw-roofed huts into a city of
wood and brick buildings. They laid out
streets, temples, and public buildings
around a central square. Etruscans also
exposed the Romans to a new style of dress,
featuring short cloaks and togas—loose
garments draped over one shoulder. More
importantly, the Etruscan army would
serve as a model for the mighty army the
Romans eventually assembled. Etruscan murals often showed lively scenes
of daily life, such as religious ceremonies or
Explain How did geography people enjoying music and feasts. How did
help the Romans prosper? the Etruscans become wealthy?

CHAPTER 9 • The Rise of Rome 423

(t)file photo, (b)Scala/Art Resource, NY
 At the time Rome became a republic, it Why Was Rome So Strong? Rome was
was still a small city, surrounded by ene- able to conquer Italy because the Romans
mies. Over the next 200 years, the Romans were excellent soldiers. In the republic’s
fought war after war against their neigh- early days, every male citizen who owned
bors. In 338 B.C. they finally defeated the land had to serve in the army. Discipline
other Latins living nearby. Next they was harsh, and deserters were punished by
attacked the Etruscans and defeated them death. The tough discipline helped mold
in 284 B.C. By 267 B.C., the Romans had also Roman soldiers into fighters who did not
conquered the Greeks in southern Italy. give up easily. In addition, they were prac-
With this victory, the Romans became the tical problem solvers.
masters of almost all of Italy. For example, Roman armies at first
fought like Greek armies. Row upon row of
Roman Legionary soldiers marched shoulder to shoulder,
keeping their shields together and holding
long spears. Roman generals accurately
A soldier's armor was made of assessed that this way of fighting was slow
iron strips joined by leather ties.
and hard to control. They reorganized their
soldiers into smaller groups called legions
(LEE • juhnz). Each legion had about 6,000
men and was further divided into groups of
60 to 120 soldiers. These small groups could
quickly cut through enemy lines.
Roman soldiers, or legionaries, were
armed with a short sword called a gladius
and a spear called a pilum. Each unit also
carried its own standard—a tall pole
topped with a symbol. In battle, standards
helped keep units together because the sol-
diers could see them above the conflict.

The long iron Shrewd Rulers The Romans were not only
point on the good fighters but also smart planners. As
spear was made they expanded throughout Italy, they built
to bend after
the spear was Shields were permanent military settlements in the areas
thrown, made from they conquered. Then they built roads
sheets of wood
preventing an between these towns. These roads allowed
enemy from glued together
and covered troops to travel swiftly to any place in their
using it.
with leather or growing territory.
cloth. To rule their new conquests, the
Romans created the Roman Confederation.
At first, the Roman army was made up of ordi-
Under this system, Romans granted full
nary citizens. Later the army contained well-
trained professional soldiers and was one of the citizenship to some peoples, especially
best fighting forces in the world. What was a other Latins. They could vote and partici-
standard, and why did the army carry them? pate in the government, and they were

424 CHAPTER 9 • The Rise of Rome

Stock Montage
treated the same as other citizens under the
law. The Romans granted other peoples the
status of allies.
Allies were free to run their own local
affairs, but they had to pay taxes to the
republic and provide soldiers for the army.
The Romans made it clear that loyal allies
could improve their position and even
become Roman citizens.
With these policies, the Romans proved
themselves clever rulers. They were aware
that conquered peoples were more loyal to
the government if they were well treated.
Rome’s generosity paid off. As a result, the
republic grew stronger and more unified.
All the same, Rome was not afraid to
use force if necessary. If conquered peoples This mosaic, or picture made from bits of stone,
revolted against Roman rule, their resist- shows a group of Roman legionaries. How
ance was swiftly put down. many soldiers made up a legion?
Describe How did Rome
rule its new conquests?

Study Central Need help understanding

Rome’s beginnings? Visit ca.hss.glencoe.com and
click on Study Central.

What Did You Learn?

Reading Summary 1. Where did the Greeks live in 4. How did geogra-
Review the Italy, and how did they influ- phy affect the development of
• The Romans, a Latin-speaking ence Roman civilization? civilization in Greece and Italy?
CA CS3.
people, settled the region of 2. Describe the two legends that
Rome on the west side of Italy. tell of the founding of Rome. 5. Expository Writing Write a
The region’s geography, as well as Then describe how and when short essay discussing the rea-
Etruscan and Greek ideas, helped Rome was actually founded. sons Rome was so successful in
Rome grow. its conquest of Italy.
Critical Thinking CA 6WA2.2
3. Geography Skills Draw a
• In 509 B.C. the Romans overthrew diagram like the one below. List
Etruscan rule and established a 6. Making
examples of how geography Inferences After reading this
republic. By about 275 B.C .,
determined Rome’s location. section, what can you infer
Roman legions had conquered CA 6RC2.4 CA CS3.
most of Italy. about the reasons for Rome’s
Rome’s Location
success? CA 6RC2.0

CHAPTER 9 • The Rise of Rome 425

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