From its legendary foundation C 753 B.C. and throughout the sixth century B.C.

Rome was
little more than an insignificant hill town in South Etruria. It was under Etruscan domination
' and ruled by Etruscan Kings, aided by a form of popular assembly. Towards the close of the
sixth century B.C. etruscan supremacy began to decline and fall. The declaration and de-
velopment of a constitutionalrepublic and civil service are indicative of Roman charac-
teristics; they were great organizers, thrifty, patient farmer-soldiers, dutiful to authority and
the Jaw and concerned with efficiency and justice.
The Romans began to conquer peoples outside ltaly. The prolonged and often desperate
wars had a deleterious effect on the Roman personality and on constitutional government.
The economic and social dislocations led to the drift of refugees and the dispossessed to
Rome, procuding social unbalance and class strife which with the acquisition of territories
and the beginning of Empire overwhelmed and broke the system of government devised for
a city state. These troubles are further aggravated by the problems of maintaining large
standing armies serving for a long campaigne in distant territories-a citizen soldiefY had to
be transformed into a professional army, ttle reform and control of which was exasperated
ineffective republican government end gave rise to a succession of military dictatorships of
which Julius Caesar is the most famous.

The social life of the Romans is clearly revealed in their architecture. There were ther-
mae for bathing and games, circuses for races, amphitheatres for gladiatorial contests,
theatres for drama, basilicas .for lawsuits, state Temples for religion and the apartment
house or the "DOMUS" for family life, while the forum was everywhere the centre of public
life and national commerce. Amidst all this diversity of pursuits, one constant trait runs
through all Roman life, the capacity for obedience which was ttle basis alike to society and
the state. The "Patria -Potestas" or supreme power of the father, was the foundation stone
of family life, and out of their obedience to authority, whether to the head of the household,
or to censors in the state, the Romans developed their capacity as lawmakers. Based on
slavery, and aristocratic in origin, the Roman system lacked a strong middle class. Roman
women were held in high respect, family life was protected and the temple of vesta. The
most sacred spot in Rome, has recorded for all time. The sacredness attached by the
Romans to their family hearth.