rome, rome, rome, rome, rome, rome, rome, rome

Today it was great because all of the grandparents were in our class, so it was nice. But we are talking about Rome so here are my notes:

Who settled Rome?
-Etruscans: came from the north-central part of the peninsula
-metal workers, artists, architects
-two foundation myths: Virgil's Aeneid (when Aeneid escapes from Troy) plus the story of Remus and Romulus.

Greeks: they had many colonies around the Mediterranean Sea

Romans borrowed ideas from them, such as:
-religious beliefs
-alphabet
-art
-military techniques and weapons

Latins:
-descendants of Indo-Europeans
-settled on the bank of the Tiber
-situated so trading ships - but not war fleets - could navigate as far as Rome, but no further
-commercial port, not susceptible to attack and built of seven hills(Palatine)

They drained the swamp:
-many streams flowed into the Tiber
-there was a marshy area called the Forum, between Palatine & Capitoline Hills
-Tarquin the Proud's grandfather built the Cloaca Maxima (largest ancient drain), which channeled water into the Tiber
-Urban legend says Washington DC was built on a swamp - but only about 2% was actually swampland - however, Constitution Avenue is located on what used to be called Tiber Creek

Lucius Tarquinias Superbus:
-the seventh and final king of Rome
-known as Tarquin the "Pride" (Arrogant)
-a true tyrant in the old and modern sense of the word
-Tarquin seized power like an old school tyrant
-the people's shock at this horrible behaviour and this horrible family made them NEVER want to be subject to rule of kings - lasted for centuries.