GEOGRAPHY AND THE EARLY

SETTLEMENT OF ROME

SS.6.G.1.6&7 and SS.6.G.2.1,4&5

THE FOUNDING OF ROME? The Romans have a myth

about the founding of their city. Long ago, a princess gave birth

to twin sons named Romulus and Remus.

Her uncle, the king, was afraid the boys would grow up to take his throne, so he ordered them to be drowned in the Tiber River.

They were then found by a she-wolf who raised them as her own.

When they grew up, they established a city on the Tiber River.

Romulus later killed Remus.

THE EARLY ROMANS AND THEIR NEIGHBORS Roman culture was

greatly influenced by two of Rome’s neighbors, the Etruscans and the Greeks.

The Etruscans had dominated much of northern and central Italy, including Rome at one time.

Greek colonists established towns in southern Italy and on the island of Sicily.

THE INFLUENCE OF ETRUSCAN ENGINEERING Etruscan arches rested

on 2 pillars supported by wedge-shaped stones with a keystone in the center to hold the stones in place.

The cuniculus was a long, underground trench with vertical shafts connecting it to the ground above.

It was used for irrigation. The Romans adopted

both of these structures

THE INFLUENCE OF ETRUSCAN SPORTING EVENTS Romans adopted 2 bloody

Etruscan sporting events: chariot racing and slave fighting.

The Etruscan custom was to stage slave fights during funerals.

2 slaves of the dead master fought to the death.

After being congratulated, the winner was executed.

In Roman stadiums, thousands of slaves died fighting as gladiators.

THE INFLUENCE OF GREEK ARCHITECTURE The Greeks built marble

temples as homes for their gods.

The Romans used Greek designs in their own public buildings, but they learned to use concrete to make even larger structures such as the Pantheon, the Colosseum, and the Circus Maximus which could seat over 200,000 spectators!

THE INFLUENCE OF GREEK WRITING AND ART The Greek alphabet was

adopted and then changed by the Etruscans.

The Romans then borrowed and altered the Etruscan alphabet.

Like the Greeks, Roman sculptors became especially skilled in creating lifelike portraits.

Unlike the Greeks, who tended to only sculpt images of the gods, Romans also carved sculptures of their most respected generals.

THE INFLUENCE OF GREEK MYTHOLOGY The religion of the

Romans was a blend of many influences.

When the Romans encountered a similar god from another culture, they blended that god’s characteristics with those of their god.

The Romans adopted many of the Greek gods as their own, but they gave them Roman names.