The kingdom of Rome and the Roman Republic were entities that differed significantly from one another. The monarchical period lasted from 753 B. C. to 509 B. C (The History Guide, 2006). and was characterized by Rome’s political system and the scope of its state. A succession of 7 kings ruled Rome, the first one being Romulus, who was quoted to have been “literally raised by wolves” (Brooks, 2019, p. 137). The Roman Republic that came after lasted between 509 B. C. and 31 B. C (Brooks, 2019). It was characterized by expansionism and brutal wars with the Greeks, Egyptians, and Carthaginians (Brooks, 2019). In addition, it saw a transition from a hereditary monarchy to representative democracy, with the governing power concentrated in the Senate (Brooks, 2019).
The week 9 module material was about early Rome and the Roman Republic. We learned about how Rome rose to power from being just a small village to a city that controlled all of Italy and expanded beyond (National Geographic, 2018). During the upcoming weeks, we might learn about the transition of Rome from a Republic to an Empire. We would learn about various emperors that governed it and observe Rome’s growth to the height of its power.
What surprised me about the Romans was how dependent their very survival was on their military. From their starting days and well into the Republican Era, they were surrounded by belligerent neighbors who were not less violent than the Romans (The History Guide, 2009). Many of them would have loved to wipe the budding civilization off the map. It demonstrates how strength serves as a building block of any nation that wants to survive and leave a lasting legacy.
References
Brooks, C. (2019). Western civilization: A concise history – Volume 1. Portland Community College.
National Geographic. (2018). Ancient Rome 101 | National Geographic [Video]. Youtube. Web.
The History Guide. (2006). Lecture 10: Early Roman civilization, 753-509 BC. Web.
The History Guide. (2009). Lecture 11: Republican Rome, 509-31BC. Web.