definitions and questions!

Republic- A political unit that is not ruled by a monarch and in which citizens have the right to vote for leaders. The word Republic came from the Latin Phrase res publica which means public affairs.

Gravitas- having weightiness or seriousness. Gravitas was a virtue that contained discipline strength and loyalty.

Pater Familias- Father of the family ,or the eldest male in the household. He was the leader of the household and had complete power. He controlled all property and could even sell family to slavery or kill them. He usually acted as the protector of the family though. He spoke for families at assemblies and in court.

Toga- It was an uncomfortable garment the Romans wore. It was cold to wear in winter and hot in the summer. 

Patrician- a small group of upper class families who dominated Rome. They claimed their ancestors were the fathers of Rome. They claimed that they had the authority to make laws.

Plebian- The common farmers, artisans, and merchants. They were free citizens with the right to vote. The had far less power than Patricians though.

Legion - A massive military unit consisting of 4000-6000 men. They had heavily armed infantry and the calvary

Century- One of the sixty smaller groups that the legion was divided into. This allowed the Roman legion to be more flexible and able to move around more than the Greek Phalanx. The Romans could flank and surround enemies with the Centuries.

Questions:

1. The geography of Rome helped Rome because of the many rivers and access to the Mediterranean which let them get goods in and out of the country easily.
2. The Latins, Greeks, and Etruscans were important part of the Roman development because the Latins were the first people to colonize the Roman regions and than came the Greeks, than finally the Etruscans.
3. The values of early Roman society were to be powerful and had great elegance at the same time.

4.  The women ran the house, when the father was the protector of the house. The wife advised her husband. They could not vote.

5. They all had to join the army before doing anything in the world!