Home Region:  Southern Europe (Europe)

Early Roman Republic

509 BCE 264 BCE
EQ 2020  it_roman_rep_1 / ItRomER
Preceding Entity: Add one more here.
716 BCE 509 BCE Roman Kingdom (it_roman_k)    [continuity]

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.
264 BCE 133 BCE Middle Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_2)    [continuity]

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  General Description  
The last of the Roman kings, the tyrannical Lucius Tarquinius Superbus (’the Arrogant’), was expelled by a revolt of some of the leading Roman aristocrats in 509 BCE. Vowing never again to allow a single person to amass so much authority, the revolutionaries established in place of the monarchy a republican system of governance, featuring a senate composed of aristocratic men and a series of elected political and military officials. The Roman Republic was a remarkably stable and successful polity, lasting from 509 BCE until it was transformed into an imperial state under Augustus in 31 BCE (though the exact date is debated, as this was not a formal transformation). We divide the Republic into an early (509-264 BCE), a middle (264-133 BCE), and a late (133-31 BCE) period. The early period is notable for the establishment of the governing institutions of the new Republic, a lingering tension between the wealthy, senatorial elites and poorer members of society (the ’plebeians’), and the establishment of Rome as the preeminent power in the Western Mediterranean.
In 390 BCE, just over a century after the establishment of the Republic, Rome suffered a near-fatal defeat at the hands of Gallic tribes, who invaded Italy from southern France and breached the city walls. Rome quickly recovered, however, and throughout the 4th and 3rd centuries BCE proceeded to conquer all of their neighbours in Italy, notably the larger and more populous Sabine, Etruscan, Samnite, and Graeco-Italian peoples. [1] Over the course of this dramatic expansion, Rome established colonies of Roman citizens throughout Italy and gained access to important sources of natural wealth in the process. [2] The rise of Rome in the west eventually caught the attention of other Mediterranean powers, notably the Punic peoples of North Africa. Indeed, the central narrative of the Middle Republic period is the continued expansion of Roman hegemony into the eastern Mediterranean.
Population and political organization
Rome during the Republican period possessed no written constitution, but was governed largely through the power and prestige of the Senate, with a clear respect for precedent and for maintaining Rome’s traditions. [3] A primary goal of the early Republic was to establish clear checks on the power of any single ruler - the military office of chief commander was in fact split between two generals (consuls), while the chief priestly and legislative posts were split among different people (individuals were restricted from holding multiple offices at once) - and popular assemblies voted on new laws. The first codification of Roman law was laid down in this period (mid-4th century BCE) in the form of the Twelve Tables, a series of legal proclamations establishing certain penalties and procedures for enforcing ritual and customary practices. [4]
Consuls were drawn from the senatorial elite - Rome’s wealthy aristocratic families - until 367 BCE, when plebeians were first entitled to stand for this prestigious office. [5] This change followed a period known as the ’Conflict of the Orders’, a time which poses intractable problems for historians because most sources date from after 367 BCE. [6] The conflict essentially pitted Rome’s wealthy elite, who enjoyed nearly all of the prestige and power of political office as well as controlling most of the city’s agricultural land, against the poorer members of society (plebeians), mainly small-scale or tenant farmers who had contributed to Roman territorial expansion by serving as soldiers during the wars of the early Republic. [7] Early on in the Republican period, in 494 BCE, the plebeians essentially went on strike, refusing to march to war against a coalition of tribes from central Italy. [7] A settlement was reached when Rome’s aristocrats extended to the plebeians the right to vote for certain magistrates, known as the Tribunes of the Plebs (essentially the ’people’s magistrates’). This was an important office charged with looking after the needs of Rome’s poorer citizens, who held veto powers against decisions made in the Senate. Nevertheless, tensions between the aristocrats and the plebeians lingered throughout the 4th century BCE.
Romans of this period did not distinguish between what is today termed ’secular’ and ’sacred’ authority; although individual magistracies had distinct functions, the same person often held both religious and political offices over the course of their lifetime, as they were thought to be part of essentially the same sphere of governance. The Republic featured a substantial array of religious offices and institutions intended to determine the will of the gods or to please them through the proper performance of rituals and the maintenance of large public temples. [8] These public auspices were the basis of magisterial power in the Republic. [8] Auspices were sometimes taken by consuls and other officials, for example before important military engagements, [8] but were mainly managed by specialist elected priests and full-time priestesses (such as the Vestal Virgins) and other priestly offices supported by the state. [9]
As Rome defeated nearly all other powers in the region during this period, establishing colonies and turning many former enemies into new allies and confederates, the territory it claimed increased dramatically until it included nearly all of central and southern Italy. This amplified its agricultural wealth and access to other natural resources, leading to a period of economic and demographic expansion. Rome grew from around 100,000-200,000 people at the beginning of the period to perhaps as many as 1,000,000 by the start of the Middle Republic. [10]

[1]: (Cornell 1995) Tim J. Cornell. 1995. The Beginnings of Rome: Italy and Rome from the Bronze Age to the Punic Wars (c. 1000-264 BC). London: Routledge.

[2]: (Bispham 2006) Edward Bispham. 2006. ’Coloniam Deducere: How Roman Was Roman Colonization during the Middle Republic?’, in Greek and Roman Colonization: Origins, Ideologies and Interactions, edited by Guy Bradley, John-Paul Wilson, and Edward Bispham, 73-160. Swansea: Classical Press of Wales.

[3]: (Brennan 2004, 31) Corey T. Brennan. 2004. ’Power and Process under the Republican "Constitution"’, in The Cambridge Companion to the Roman Republic, edited by Harriet I. Flower, 31-65. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[4]: (Adkins and Adkins 1998, 46) Lesley Adkins and Roy A. Adkins. 1998. Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[5]: (Adkins and Adkins 1998, 42) Lesley Adkins and Roy A. Adkins. 1998. Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[6]: (Beck et al. 2011, 5) Hans Beck, Antonio Duplá, Martin Jehne and Francisco Pina Polo. 2011. ’The Republic and Its Highest Office: Some Introductory Remarks on the Roman Consulate’, in Consuls and Res Publica: Holding High Office in the Roman Republic, edited by Hans Beck, Antonio Duplá, Martin Jehne and Francisco Pina Polo, 1-16. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[7]: (Raaflaub 2005) Kurt A. Raaflaub. 2005. ’The Conflict of the Orders in Archaic Rome: A Comprehensive and Comparative Approach’, in Social Struggles in Archaic Rome, edited by Kurt A. Raaflaub, 1-46. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

[8]: (Brennan 2004, 37) Corey T. Brennan. 2004. ’Power and Process under the Republican "Constitution"’, in The Cambridge Companion to the Roman Republic, edited by Harriet I. Flower, 31-65. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[9]: (Culham 2004, 131) Phyllis Culham. 2004. ’Women in the Roman Republic, in The Cambridge Companion to the Roman Republic, edited by Harriet I. Flower, 139-59. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[10]: (Scheidel 2008) Walter Scheidel. 2008. ’Roman Population Size: The Logic of the Debate’, in People, Land, and Politics: Demographic Developments and the Transformation of Roman Italy, 300 BC-AD 14, edited by L. de Ligt and S. J. Northwood, 17-70. Leiden: Brill.

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.
Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

NGA Settlements:

Year Range Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1) was in:
 (509 BCE 265 BCE) Latium
Home NGA: Latium

General Variables
Identity and Location Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Utm Zone 33 T 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Original Name Roman Republic 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Capital 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Alternative Name Early Roman Republic 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Peak Years
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Duration
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Political and Cultural Relations Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Suprapolity Relations 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Supracultural Entity Latin States 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Succeeding Entity Middle Roman Republic 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Scale of Supracultural Interaction 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity continuity 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Succeeding Entity
264 BCE 133 BCE
Middle Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_2)   [continuity] 
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Preceding Entity
716 BCE 509 BCE
Roman Kingdom (it_roman_k)   [continuity] 
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Degree of Centralization unitary state 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Language Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Linguistic Family Indo-European 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Language 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Language 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Religion Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Religion Genus Roman State Religions 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Religion Family Republican Religions 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Alternate Religion Uncoded Undecided 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Social Complexity Variables
Social Scale Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Population of the Largest Settlement 500 BCE
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Population of the Largest Settlement 400 BCE
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Population of the Largest Settlement 300 BCE
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Polity Territory 500 BCE
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Polity Territory 400 BCE
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Polity Territory 300 BCE
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Polity Population 500 BCE
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Polity Population 400 BCE
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Polity Population 300 BCE
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Hierarchical Complexity Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Settlement Hierarchy 500 BCE
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Settlement Hierarchy 400 BCE
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Settlement Hierarchy 300 BCE
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Religious Level 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Military Level 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Administrative Level 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Professions Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
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Professional Soldier 500 BCE
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Professional Soldier 400 BCE
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Professional Soldier 400 BCE
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Professional Soldier 300 BCE
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Professional Soldier 300 BCE
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Professional Priesthood 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Professional Military Officer 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Specialized Government Building 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Merit Promotion 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Full Time Bureaucrat 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Examination System 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Law Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Professional Lawyer 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Professional Lawyer 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Judge 509 BCE  264 BCE
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509 BCE  264 BCE
Court 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Market 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Irrigation System 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Food Storage Site 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Drinking Water Supply System 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Road 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Port 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Canal 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Bridge 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Special-purpose Sites Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
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Mines or Quarry Present 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Information / Writing System Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Written Record 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Script 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing Present 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Nonwritten Record 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Non Phonetic Writing Absent 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Mnemonic Device 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
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Scientific Literature 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Sacred Text 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Religious Literature 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Practical Literature 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Philosophy 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Lists Tables and Classification 509 BCE  264 BCE
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History 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Fiction 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Calendar 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Information / Money Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Token 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Token 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Precious Metal 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Paper Currency 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Indigenous Coin 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Foreign Coin 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Article 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Information / Postal System Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Postal Station 509 BCE  264 BCE
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General Postal Service 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Courier 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Information / Measurement System Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
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Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)
Fortifications Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Wooden Palisade Present 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position Present 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Modern Fortification 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Moat Unknown 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Fortified Camp 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Earth Rampart Present 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Ditch Unknown 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Complex Fortification Unknown Suspected 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Long Wall absent 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Military use of Metals Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Steel 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Iron 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Copper 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Bronze 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Projectiles Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Tension Siege Engine 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Sling Siege Engine Unknown Suspected 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Sling 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Self Bow 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Javelin 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Handheld Firearm 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Crossbow 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Composite Bow 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Atlatl Absent 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Handheld weapons Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
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War Club 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Sword 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Spear 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Polearm Present 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Dagger Present 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Battle Axe 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Horse 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Elephant Absent 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Donkey Present 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Dog 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Camel Absent 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Armor Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
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Wood Bark Etc Present 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Shield 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Scaled Armor Unknown Suspected 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Plate Armor 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Limb Protection 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Leather Cloth 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Laminar Armor 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Helmet 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Chainmail 509 BCE 300 BCE
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Chainmail 299 BCE 264 BCE
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Breastplate 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Naval technology Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
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Specialized Military Vessel 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc Present 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service Unknown 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)
Religion Variables
Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain 509 BCE  264 BCE
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Human Sacrifice Early Roman Republic (it_roman_rep_1)
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Instability Data
Power Transitions