they were already highly civilized people who came into Italy around 750 BC. They established a series of small city-states in the northern and central areas of the peninsula, rule over the native Italic people by the virtue of their superior weaponry, architecture (use of the arch) and organization. Etruscan kings ruled over Rome, (monarchy, one ruler)

republic system of governement in which officials are choosen by the people

patrician in ancient Rome, member of the landholding upper class

consul in ancient Rome, official from the patrician class who supervised the governement and commanded the armies    

plebeian of the common people of ancient Rome; lower class, including farmers, merchants, artisans, and traders    

dictator In ancient Rome, a political leader given absolute power to make laws and command the army for a (6) month times in state of emergency    

tribune in ancient Rome, an official elected by the plebeians to protect their interest    

legion A military unit of the ancient Roman army, made up of about 5,000 foot soldiers and a group of soldiers on horseback.    

imperialism domination by one country of political, economic, or cultural life of another country or region    

Gracchus Brothers two young plebeians, were among the first to attempt reform in ancient Rome; Tiberius, called on the state to distribute land to poor farmers.Gaius sought wider reforms, including the use of public funds to buy grain to feed the poor; this angered the senate which saw them as a threat to their power; they were killed in waves of street violence set off by senators and their hired tugs    

Roman general and dictator. Casear set out swith his army to make new conquests; Conquest of Gaul won (now it is France and Belgium); Pompey presuaded the senate to have Caesar disband his army and return to Rome; Caser instead went back to Rome with his army and defeated Prompey. Forced senate to make him dicator. He was murdered by a group of senators and his former friend Brutus who hoped to restore the normal running of the republic.

Man who joined forces with Marc Antony to defeat Caesar; they ended up battling for power; Octavian won and was called the "Exalted One"; Roman statesman who established the Roman Empire and became emperor in 27 BC

One of Rome's "good emperors" codified Roman Law, making it the same for all providences; built a wall across Britian to hold back attackers from the non-Roman north

Virgil Classical Roman poet, author of Aenied; tried to show that Rome's past was as heroic as Greece;    

satirize To make fun of- The roman poets satirised the Roman Society; Horace's used satirize    

Constantine Roman Emperor (4th century A.D.) who promoted tolerance to all religions in the Roman Empire and legalized Christianity    