The Etruscans were a people or a large tribe of the Etruria. They lived norh of the Tiber river and were descendants of people along Troy before the Greeks fought the Trojan war. They spoke an Indo-European language and had adopted Greek writing. They started to expand through northern Italy and southern Italy during the 6th century B.C. In the 7th century B.C. they then put a royal family in charge of Rome. Rome was not powerful enough to fight or reject them so they let it be. The name of the royal family was the Tarquins. After getting Rome in their power they conquered the Latin League who were the Latins who lived south of Rome. The rule of the Tarquins lasted a 100 years and then the Romans turned against the Etruscans. They defeated them and then made an alliance with the Latin League. Rome and the Latin League fought hard and quickly got control of most of the Etruscan territory. Then they conquered southern Italy.
When the Etruscans were driven out in 509 B.C. the Roman Senate started. The Roman Senate was built by 300 Patricians. They made laws or passed them and decided whether to go to war or not. The Patricians were richer people and didn't really care about the Plebians. The Plebians wanted their say, but they were not listened to. After some time all the Plebians headed out of Rome as a mob. The Patricians were greatly affected for the Plebians did all the work, formed the bulk of the army and were the ones who kept Rome flowing in riches. The Patricians told them they would allow them back and give them say. The Plebians would get to elect 2 Tribunes who could veto any law that did not appeal to Plebians. |
