The Etruscans were a rich and powerful ancient people. They lived in northern Italy and ruled the city of Rome. In 509 B.C.E., Romans rebelled against the Etruscan king and began the Roman Republic. This took place about 2,500 years ago. The first government was a representative democracy. Its citizens elected representatives. Citizens only were free, adult males. Their representatives made laws for Rome. The patricians were Rome's richest families and held all the power. Only they could be officials. The rest of the free citizens were called plebeians. Rome also had enslaved people.

Plebeians Get a Voice in Government

The Senate governed Rome. The plebeians had no power. After about 15 years, the plebeians protested. The Council of the Plebs was formed. It gave plebeians a voice in the government. Rome also formed new branches of government called assemblies.

Two consuls led Rome. They were elected for one year at a time.

For the next several hundred years, the Republic stood strong. It conquered territory and grew larger. Eventually, groups and families struggled for power. Civil wars broke out, and a general named Julius Caesar began gaining power.

Caesar Takes Power

The Senate became afraid of Caesar. They demanded he give up his army, but Caesar refused. Instead, he marched his army directly into Rome. Another civil war broke out, and Caesar won. He was named ruler for life. A group of senators feared Caesar would become a tyrant and keep all the power for himself. A group of senators killed him. A war broke out and his nephew Augustus won. Augustus became the first emperor of Rome.

For the next 500 years, there were many emperors.

Over time, Rome began colonies in North Africa. The empire conquered large amounts of territory in Europe. Eventually, Rome ruled most of Europe.

Empires Are Expensive

Rome grew wealthy and powerful. The empire was expensive to run, though. Foreigners attacked it over and over again. Rome began losing its riches and became weaker.

Diocletian became emperor in C.E. 284. He was from a poor family and became a soldier. He split the Roman Empire into a western half and an eastern half. A different emperor ruled each part. Diocletian thought that would solve Rome's problems. The two emperors started fighting each other.

Romulus Augustulus was the last of the western emperors. In C.E. 476, German tribes attacked Rome. It was defeated. Still, the eastern half lasted another thousand years. We know it as the Byzantine Empire. In C.E. 1453, it fell to the Ottomans, a group from Turkey.