Around 625 to 509 B.C., settlers drained marshes in the plain of Lantium to build what would be the center of all Roman activity, a marketplace called the Forum. Along with the Romans, there were also Etruscans and Greeks living in Italy. Thus, Roman culture and government was greatly affected by Etruscan and Greek culture. Around 500 B.C. Rome freed itself from the Etruscan king and established a republic as their government.

Rome’s government had two executives called consuls, who had complete control over military and civil matters. The senate was made

Although the wars with Carthage brought Rome many new territories, the fighting destroyed many farmlands. The wealthy citizens, however, had enriched themselves with the spoils of war. Two men, Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus, attempted to solve these problems. Tiberius became a tribune and proposed a bill that would allow the state to assign public land from the wealthy to the farmers. The bill passed and Tiberius decided to go for reelection. A group of senators feared him having too much power, so they provoked a riot in which Tiberius was killed. Gaius became tribune ten years later and proposed a number of measures to limit the prerogatives of the senate. However, Gaius weakened his standing with the people by proposing to offer citizenship to a large number of Italians. The Roman People were using the citizenship to protect themselves from their lands being confiscated. Like his brother, Gaius was murdered by a mob sent by the consul.

How Rome handled organizing the conquered communities was the key to their success. They established different degrees of privilege among the conquered nations. At the highest level, the conquered people would be treated as a Roman citizen with the protection of Rome. At another le

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