Early Republic

[Cassius Loginus]

I am reading about the first few kings of the republic. I am wondering where did Numa, Tullus Hostilius and successive kings brought the knowledge how to organise a State such as minting money, organising a Senate......from the Etruscans?

[M. Porcius Cato]

In addition to influences from Etruria, Southern Italy was colonized by Greeks who had a large and beneficial influence on Roman civilization (in the literal sense, city-ification).

[Cassius Loginus]

In addition to influences from Etruria, Southern Italy was colonized by Greeks who had a large and beneficial influence on Roman civilization (in the literal sense, city-ification).

 

 

What happened to the Greeks when Rome was starting to grow Cato?

[Primus Pilus]

In addition to influences from Etruria, Southern Italy was colonized by Greeks who had a large and beneficial influence on Roman civilization (in the literal sense, city-ification).

 

 

What happened to the Greeks when Rome was starting to grow Cato?

 

Forgive me for answering on behalf of Cato, but in the simplest terms, they were either conquered forcibly and/or absorbed into the citizenship as Rome pressed it's dominance of the Italian peninsula.

[ASCLEPIADES]

Salve!

I think there was a local system of city states on Latium Vetum beyond and before Etruscan and/or Greek influences, maybe even before Rome itself.

 

At least, there was an Alba Longa.

[Vibius Tiberius Costa]

The early Roman's probably were greatly influenced by the already booming and settled culture of the carthaginians/phoenicians they already had a senate by the times the kings were stripped of their power.

And theri is the semi-legend thing about Aeneas and Dido. Aeneas supposedly helped found Rome and Dido was his wife, she helped found Carthage.

 

vtc

[M. Porcius Cato]

The early Roman's probably were greatly influenced by the already booming and settled culture of the carthaginians/phoenicians they already had a senate by the times the kings were stripped of their power.

Evidence that the Roman senate was modeled on the Carthaginian? Seems unlikely to me given the vast differences.

 

And theri is the semi-legend thing about Aeneas and Dido. Aeneas supposedly helped found Rome and Dido was his wife, she helped found Carthage.

Whatever Dido may have thought, Aeneas was not her husband. And this is pure fantasy anyway--what the heck does it show about real Punic influences on Roman civilization?

[ASCLEPIADES]

The early Roman's probably were greatly influenced by the already booming and settled culture of the carthaginians/phoenicians they already had a senate by the times the kings were stripped of their power.

Evidence that the Roman senate was modeled on the Carthaginian? Seems unlikely to me given the vast differences.

 

A previous related thread.

[Vibius Tiberius Costa]

The early Roman's probably were greatly influenced by the already booming and settled culture of the carthaginians/phoenicians they already had a senate by the times the kings were stripped of their power.

Evidence that the Roman senate was modeled on the Carthaginian? Seems unlikely to me given the vast differences.

 

And theri is the semi-legend thing about Aeneas and Dido. Aeneas supposedly helped found Rome and Dido was his wife, she helped found Carthage.

Whatever Dido may have thought, Aeneas was not her husband. And this is pure fantasy anyway--what the heck does it show about real Punic influences on Roman civilization?

 

subtle slating eh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

notice my use of 'probably' and where did i say modelled in there

 

hgsytebuhcutnrj

 

vtc

[sullafelix]

I am reading about the first few kings of the republic. I am wondering where did Numa, Tullus Hostilius and successive kings brought the knowledge how to organise a State such as minting money, organising a Senate......from the Etruscans?

 

 

Actually Rome was quite late to mint money in comparison to the Greek South of Italy. Right a quick run down of Italy before the Romans, not all of this is exactly gospel I warn you.

 

Magna Graecia - Basically what we would think of as Southern Italy, sort of Naples downwards. Q a sophiscticated society that was a mixture of Oscan and Greek speaking peoples (it had once been Etruscan but they were swamped by Greeks). Extensive trading systems and coinage pretty early on, terriories include Campania, Lucania, Bruttium and Apulia principally

 

Samnium : In terms of the boot in the middle at the height of the ankle

 

Then there are some small but important peoples in the middle the Frentani, The Marsi, the Paeligni

 

As you go further North the area around Rome was called Latium and then you go further up into Etruria and the Sabine Territory.

 

Why the rundown? Well Italy was not unified before the Social war and so there was an enormous amount of variation across the penisula. However, the Etruscans are probably who Rome had to thank for many things o do with the form of governement, symbols like the Fasces (the axe in the bunch of rods) are etruscan for instance. Purple cothing as a symbol of power is Etrusan as well.Archaeologically speaking there were Villanovan huts on the Palatine hill. The villanovan culture was the forerunner of the Etruscan culture.

 

If you have access to a good library I suggest you check out Scullard's The Etruscan Cities and Rome or any decent history of early Rome. Its a good question tyou ask though, how does a new civilization arrange its government? In general though, we look with the benefit of hindsight at the points in history where new civilizations arise. Like the start of livy for the start of Rome etc, but in reality they are ususally splinter groups from something else or a continuation of something. Pre-Roman Italy is fascinating though when you look at it with an eye to what made the Romans the way they were.