Ancient Rome

Roman Military

Roman Military• The army was organized into legions. • Each legion has 5000 men. • Each legion has its own leader, its own banner,

and its own number. Each also had its own nickname.

• Each legion was broken into several fighting groups known as cohorts of about 480 men.

Roman Military• Cohorts were then divided into centuries.• If a soldier was brave, clever and fought well

he could become a centurion in charge of 80 ordinary soldiers called legionaries. Each troop of about 80 legionaries was called a century. There were 59 centuries in a legion and about 30 legions in the Roman army. There were also other soldiers called auxiliaries who included the cavalry. The centuries were divided into contubernium of eight men sharing one tent.

• To show the differences in ranks centurions carried a special stick to show who they were. They used the stick to beat any soldier who disobeyed an order. The important centurions also wore special armour, which emphasized their rank.

Roman Military

• Eight men = One Contubernium• Ten Contubernium = One Century (80 men)• Two centuries = One Maniple (160 men)• Six Centuries = One Cohort (480 men)• Ten Cohorts = A legion (6000 men)

Roman Military• A legionary's uniform included a

rectangular shield, a short sword, a dagger, a metal jacket, a belt, a helmet, a kilt, a shirt, and hobnailed sandals. The legion wore special hob-nailed sandals.

• Their hobnailed sandals were designed to make a loud noise as they marched. They were also accompanied by trumpets and other noise makers. Add the many colorful banners waving above their heads, and you can probably understand why an approaching legion was an impressive sight and sound.  

Roman Military• Gaius Marius changed the military from

having farmers as soldiers to having a standing army.

• Roman soldiers had to be tough. They were expected to march 20 miles a day wearing armour. They were also expected to carry their own shield, some food and camping equipment. They were called Marius’ Mules.

• Soldiers were also trained to fight together. They marched into battle in a flexible line with their shields next to each other. If the enemy shot arrows at them the soldiers in the rows behind the front line would lift their shields over their heads like a roof to protect them. This was called a testudo, which means tortoise.

Roman Military• The Roman Army was made up of men from all

over the Empire, no women were allowed to join. These men were professional soldiers whose only job was to fight and defend Rome. (Standing Army)

• Initially only property owners such as farmers could serve in the army, but from the 1st century B.C.onwards anybody could join.

• Each legionary served for 25 years. After serving in the ranks, they serves as a verteranus (a reserve soldier). If they lived through their service, they could retire. They were given land and a pension (gratuity: fixed sum of money) so that they live comfortably. The land they were given was located in the provinces. This was very clever of Rome. It gave their retired military men a place to call home that they would defend. This system placed loyal military men all over the provinces. 

The Republic Fails• Rome needed tax money. The government

needed to pay the legions, and build roads, sewers, aqueducts, and arenas. They needed to pay for the welfare program put in place to help feed the growing number of poor in Rome. To get this tax money, Rome used tax farmers. Tax farmers were Romans who paid a flat fee to the Roman Republic for the privilege of collecting taxes from a territory. To recoup their investment, tax farmers levied a tax against every citizen in their territory. Tax collectors expected to make a profit. Their business was the business of tax collection. That was understood. Under this system, there were many abuses, as the government could not control how each tax farmer runs their individual business. There were no rules. A tax collector could charge one person almost nothing, and charge another person a great deal of tax, knowing that person could not pay. If you did not pay the taxes you owed, you could be sold into slavery. Tax collectors were powerful people under the Republic. 

The Republic Fails

• Under the Republic, elected officials used their positions to get rich. To get elected, some people were buying votes. The poor were quite happy to sell their votes to the highest bidder. Under this system, many people were elected to office who were poor governors. Graft and corruption were rampant. Rome suffered from this. Rome had bad government. 

The Republic Fails

• Under the Republic, Rome did not have a police force. Rome's streets were not safe for citizens after dark. Crime was everywhere. Wealthy Romans hired guards to protect themselves and their families. Some build private armies. During elections especially, these private armies often clashed and fought in the streets. The government recognized this problem, but they could not put a police force in place because they did not have enough money to pay them. 

First Triumvirate

• Political alliance between Julius Caesar, Pompey & Crassus. The rule of three men.

• Caesar was a great military leader, who also was famous amongst the masses as he spent a lot of money in their behalf. He organized spectacular public games and gave gifts of food.

• Crassus was a military hero and the richest man in Rome

• Pompey was a military hero.

• Caesar held the positions of consul and general

Julius Caesar• Julius Caesar was a great general and an

important leader in ancient Rome. During his lifetime, he had held just about every important title in the Roman Republic including consul, tribune of the people, high commander of the army, and high priest (Pontifex Maximus)

• In Gaul, he wrote Commentaries on the Gallic Wars, which made him known as a great military leader

• While Caesar was fighting in Gaul, Crassus was fighting in Persia and was killed. Pompey ruled Rome almost as a dictator.

• He suggested new laws, most of which were approved by the Senate. He reorganized the army. He improved the way the provinces were governed. The Romans even named a month after him, the month of July for Julius Caesar.

Julius Caesar

• Julius Caesar told the people that he could solve Rome's problems. Certainly, the Republic had problems. Crime was everywhere. Taxes were outrageous. People were hungry. Many were out of work. It was easier to use slaves to do work than hire Roman people. The people were angry that their government had not been able to solve the many problems facing the Republic.

Julius Caesar

• As Julius Caesar became more powerful, and more popular with the people, leaders in the Senate began to worry. They were afraid that Julius Caesar wanted to take over the government and rule Rome as a king. The leaders of ancient Rome had vowed that the Roman people would never be ruled by a king again. That promise went back over 500 years in time, to when the Roman Republic first began.

Julius Caesar

• Caesar was ordered to disband his army and resign. Instead we crossed the Rubicon River and entered Italy.

• One of the laws of the original Twelve Tables was that no general could enter the city with his army. Julius Caesar ignored this law.  In 49 BCE, he entered Rome with the Roman Legion, and took over the government.  The poor people of Rome, who made up the bulk of the population, were glad. The people called him "father of the homeland“.  The Senate was furious. 

• Pompey managed to escape to Egypt where he was murdered, thus ending the 1st triumvirate.

Julius Caesar• Caesar defeated the republican forces.

Pompey, their leader, fled to Egypt where he was assassinated. Caesar followed him and became involved with the Egyptian queen, Cleopatra.

• Caesar was now master of Rome and made himself consul and dictator.

• He used his power to carry out much-needed reform, relieving debt, enlarging the senate, building the Forum and revising the calendar.

• Strong leaderStrong leader• improved livesimproved lives• made laws to help the poormade laws to help the poor• created new jobscreated new jobs• gave citizenship to more peoplegave citizenship to more people

Julius Caesar

• Dictatorship was always regarded a temporary position but in 44 BC, Caesar took it for life. His success and ambition alienated the strongly republican senators. A group of these, led by Cassius and Brutus, assassinated Caesar on the Ides (15) of March 44 BCE.

Spartacus - Gladiator & Slave • Spartacus was born a freeman. He joined the army,

but he ran away. When he was caught, he was sold into slavery to work as a gladiator.  Some gladiators were freemen. But most, like Spartacus, were slaves, who had been sold to a gladiator school. When these men were not fighting, they were locked up in the gladiator school, to make sure they did not escape.

  • One day, in 73 BCE, Spartacus did just that - he

escaped. Around 70 other gladiators escaped with him. They armed themselves with knives from the cook's shop. They found a wagon full of gladiator weapons. They stole those, too. They camped on Mount Vesuvius.  Rome sent an army of 3000 soldiers to capture the runaway slaves. Spartacus attacked from the rear. The Roman army was defeated. Rome tried again. This time they sent 6000 men. Spartacus won that battle as well. 

Spartacus - Gladiator & Slave • When other slaves first heard that Spartacus had

escaped, some ran away and joined Spartacus. But when Spartacus and his men defeated the Roman army, many slaves ran away to join him. The people knew Spartacus. He was a gladiator. He was famous. Rome's slaves felt if they could reach Spartacus, Spartacus would keep them safe. In a very short amount of time, Spartacus and his followers had swelled from 70 to over 100,000 people.  

• Rome was terrified. The wealthy Roman way of life was dependant upon slaves. That is one reason so many poor Roman citizens were out of work. Slave labor was free. About 1/3 of the people in the Roman Empire were slaves. Wealthy citizens could not allow this revolt to succeed, not if they wanted to keep their lifestyle. 

Spartacus - Gladiator & Slave

• Catching Spartacus was not easy. Spartacus and his followers spent their first winter with plenty of good food that they stole from the surrounding countryside. They prepared for battle. They made weapons. They drilled. The gladiators taught others how to fight like a gladiator. 

• Spartacus and his followers were hunted for two years. They defeated every effort to capture them. When Rome finally caught up with him, they killed Spartacus and everyone with him.  

• The ruler of the family was the oldest male. That could be the father, the grandfather, or perhaps even an uncle. His title was pater familias. The pater familias led religious ceremonies, taught his sons how to farm, and made all the important decisions. This word was law as far as his family was concerned. He owned the property, and had total authority, the power of life and death, over every member of his household. 

• Even when his children became adults, he was still the boss. But, he was also responsible for the actions of any member of his household. He could order a child or an adult out of his house. If anyone in his household committed a crime, he could be punished for something his family did. It was not against the law for the head of the house to put a sick baby out to die or to sell members of his family into slavery.

• A women had no legal protection. She was not a citizen of Rome. Her job was to take care of the house and to have children.  Mothers who could read and write taught their children how to read and write. She taught her girls how to cook and sew and care for a family. But women could leave the home to shop or see a play or visit a temple. Women who could afford it used slaves to shop and cook. Wealthy women could leave the house, but spent a large part of their day on personal grooming - styling their hair, and dressing ornately.

• Children were trained to obey their elders and be loyal citizens. You couldn’t talk back. If you talked back, you could find yourself out the door. You could try to go to a friend’s house, but the odds were good that they would not take you in. 

• Some families kept slaves. Slaves were

treated well, in most cases, because they were property. They had food to eat, jobs to do, and clothes to wear. But they were not free to look for a better family. They were slaves. They were owned.

Education• Rome as a Kingdom: In early Roman

days, kids did not go to school. A Roman boy's education took place at home. If his father could read and write, he taught his son to do the same. The father instructed his sons in Roman law, history, customs, and physical training, to prepare for war. Reverence for the gods, respect for law, obedience to authority, and truthfulness were the most important lessons to be taught. 

• Girls were taught by their mother. Girls learned to spin, weave, and sew. The rich had tutors for the children, but mostly, the kids were taught at home.   

Education• Rome as a Republic: About 200 BCE, the Romans

borrowed some of the ancient Greek system of education. Although they did not add many subjects, they did begin sending their boys, and some of their girls, with their father's permission, to school, outside their home, at age 6 or 7.

• The goal of education in ancient Rome was to be an effective speaker. The school day began before sunrise, as did all work in Rome. Kids brought candles to use until daybreak. There was a rest for lunch and the afternoon siesta, and then back to school until late afternoon. No one knows how long the school year actually was; it probably varied from school to school. However, one thing was fixed. School began each year on the 24th of March!

• The children studied reading, writing, and counting. They read scrolls and books. They wrote on boards covered with wax, and used pebbles to do math problems. They were taught Roman numerals, and recited lessons they had memorized. At age 12 or 13, the boys of the upper classes attended "grammar" school, where they studied Latin, Greek, grammar, and literature. At age 16, some boys went on to study public speaking at the rhetoric school, to prepare for a life as an orator.

Clothing

• The very early Romans wore a toga. It looked like a white sheet 9 yards long. Togas were arranged very carefully, in a stylish way. Togas fell out of style rather early. (The toga was inconvenient, and people felt the cold when they wore it.) To get anyone to wear them, even very early emperors had to legislate the wearing of togas by at least senators. Eventually, the emperors gave up. The Romans switched to comfortable tunics, which looked like long tee-shirts. They were far more practical. Tunics were made of cool linen, for summer wear, and warm wool, for winter wear. Sometimes, they worn trouser like affairs.

Clothing

• Roman Men: Rings were the only jewelry worn by Roman citizen men, and good manners dictated only one ring. Of course, some men did not follow "good taste", and wore as many as sixteen rings. Hairstyles and beards varied with the times. In early Roman times, men wore long hair and full beards. For a while, they were clean-shaven with short hair. About 1c CE, they had started to style their hair, and wear beards again. 

Clothing

• Roman Women: Women enjoyed gazing at themselves in mirrors of highly polished metal (not glass). The ancient Roman women loved ornate necklaces, pins, earrings, bracelets and friendship rings. Pearls were favorites. Women often dyed their hair, usually golden-red. They used false hairpieces to make their hair thicker or longer. Sometimes, Roman women wore their hair up, in carefully arranged styles, held with jeweled hairpins. Sometimes they wore it down, curled in ringlets. Parasols were used, or women might carry fans made of peacock feathers, wood or stretched linen. Women's street shoes were made of leather, like a man's. In the house, most Romans (men and women) wore sandals. Women's sandals were brightly colored. Some were even decorated with pearls.

Clothing• BULLA: Children wore a special

locket around their neck, given to them at birth, called a bulla. It contained an amulet as a protection against evil and was worn on a chain, cord, or strap. Girls wore their bulla until the eve of their wedding day, when their bulla was set aside with other childhood things, like her toys. Boys wore their bulla until they day they became a citizen. Boys bullas were put aside and carefully saved. A boy's bulla could be wore by the owner again, if he won special honors. For example, if he became a successful general, and won the honor of triumph, he would wear his bulla in ceremonial parades, to protect him from the evil jealously of men or gods.

Language

• Romance Language = A language that developed in an area that had been part of the Roman Empire, such as French, Spanish and Italian

• Vernacular = Everyday language of the people

Ennius

• He attempted to provide a year-by-year account of Rome’s developing power.

• This account was called the Annales

• It was in verse to make easier to remember

Cicero• Cicero was a famous Roman statesman.

He was born six years before Julius Caesar. They were in politics at the same time. Cicero was from a wealthy family. He was educated as a lawyer. He served in the Senate. He served as elected Consul, the highest position in government under the Republic. He was a wonderful speaker. When Cicero spoke, people listened. 

• Cicero said about government, "In a kingdom, only the king has many rights. Kings can be wise and just. But rule by one person can easily become tyranny." 

Cicero• When Julius Caesar entered the city of

Rome with his army, and declared himself dictator, Cicero said: "I see no reason for ... being alarmed except the fact that, once departure has been made from the law, everything is uncertain; and nothing can be guaranteed as to the future which depends upon another man's will, not to say caprice. When Caesar declared himself dictator for life, his action was in direction violation of the principals of a constitutional republic." 

• The day Julius Caesar was assassinated, Cicero was there. But he was not one of Julius Caesar's attackers.

Cicero• Cicero lived at time when Rome was changing

from a constitutional republic to a dictatorship, ruled by emperors. Cicero fought in the way he knew best, with words and speeches, about the importance of keeping a constitutional government. His words did not fall on dead ears, but the Senate had lost nearly all its power.  

• As the transition continued, and Rome became ruled by an all-powerful emperor, Cicero had to flee Rome. He ran for his life. But he was captured by the emperor's forces, and killed.  

• His legacy of writings tell us a great deal about ancient Roman government and daily life. Cicero's words are still powerful today, just as they were two thousand years ago. 

• In the 500 years Rome was an Empire, there were over 140 different emperors!Some emperors were good. Some emperors were bad. Some were just plain crazy. 

Second Triumvirate

• Alliance between Octavian (Caesar’s adopted son), Marc Antony & Lepidus

• They divided up the republic:– Octavian took the West– Antony took the East– Lepidus took Africa

• Octavian attacked Antony in the Battle of Actium. Antony had befriended Cleopatra, who Rome did not trust

• Antony & Cleopatra fled and committed suicide.

Augustus• Caesar’s grand-nephew, Octavian, became dictator in 27 B.C. He changed

his name to Augustus, meaning respected one or revered one.

• Augustus was the first true emperor of Rome. He was given the title Princeps, which means 1st citizen or first amongst equals. The Augustan period is known as the Principate.

• Under the leadership of Augustus, the following things were accomplished:Under the leadership of Augustus, the following things were accomplished:– laws were passed giving citizens more rights– Romans were the first people to take a census

(a count of the country’s people) - A professional army, divided into large groups

called legions, was established– Roads were built– New government buildings (basilicas), temples, libraries, and public

- baths were built.– The aqueduct system (a system to carry water from place to place) was

constructed.– Created a group of firefighters known as vigils, who were freed slaves

An Ancient Roman Epic - The Aeneid

• The heroic deeds of Prince Aeneas are wonderfully told in the ancient story of the Aeneid, written by the great Roman poet, Virgil (official poet of the Emperor Augustus). It was written around 30 BCE. 

• The story takes place in the years between the fall of Troy and the founding of Rome by Romulus and Remus, twin sons of the war god Mars. It tells what happened to the survivors of the city of Troy. It was written, in part, to justify Rome's right to expand her empire.

Horace

• Was a poet who used his gifts to applaud the benefits of peace, Augustan rule and the Roman supremacy.

• He wrote Odes.

• Augustus, the first Roman emperor, ruled for 45 years. It was during the reign of Augustus that people got used to being ruled by one leader. Rome went on to greatness under the Empire, but the Roman Republic was no more.

• For 45 years, Rome was at peace. This period is the beginning of the Pax Romana, or Roman Peace. The phrase "Roman Peace" is a bit misleading. The Romans continued to expand their empire during this period. They did not always do so peacefully. Things were not always peaceful in the city of Rome. Rome did not always have the best leadership. Some emperors were very cruel. Some were insane. But the empire continued to be stable. For around 200 years, the Roman Empire was united.

• The Romans were great builders. Many of their incredible buildings and engineering projects were constructed during this period of relative peace. Culture and literature flourished. Much of Greek culture was adopted during this period.

Emperors• Caligula = Declared himself a god and tried to have

his horse made a senator

• Claudius = Became an excellent ruler following Caligula’s death and was chosen by the Praetorian Guard (A special palace guard who policed Rome.)

• Vespasian = Changed the system of hereditary succession to the throne. As the emperor before him, Nero, had no heirs.

• Marcus Aurelius = Had a humanitarian approach to government, which helped unify the empire.

• Theodosius = Last Roman Emperor

Nero• There are many stories and legends about Emperor

Nero. Most are not very pleasant. Nero was not the first insane emperor in office. But he was certainly one of the most famous. 

• Nero did not go insane all at once. Rather, he went insane slowly. As time went on, his behavior became more and more odd, and then more and more murderous. He murdered his own mother and wife and poisoned Caligula’s son.

• It was rumored that he started the great fire in Rome. He blamed the Christians and ordered many of them to be tied to poles and set on fire to light his party.

• He spent most of his time staging plays and musical events.

• The leaders of Rome in the Senate wanted to do something about it, but they were afraid. It was not until Nero ordered some of the members of the Senate to kill themselves that they finally took action. The Senate ordered Nero's immediate execution. When Nero heard about it, he killed himself.

Trajan & Hadrian

• Trajan was the first Roman emperor who was not from Italy. He was Spanish. He was a great conqueror. Under his rule, the empire grew and covered more geography than at any other time.

Hadrian was Trajan’s adopted son.• He consolidated the Empire by taking

making many trips across the empire. • His famous monuments are:

– Villa at Tivoli– Hadrian’s wall– The Pantheon

Villa at Tivoli

Hadrian’s wall

The Grand Pantheon

• The Grand Pantheon was a temple first built in the very early days of the Roman Empire. It was dedicated to all the Roman gods. The Romans used concrete (an ancient Roman invention) to build the dome of the Pantheon, which even today is still one of the largest single-span domes in the world. The construction of this building greatly influenced western architecture. 

Pantheon

The Baths

• The Public Baths were extremely popular. Roman women and men tried to visit the baths at least once every day. The baths had hot and cold pools, towels, slaves to wait on you, steam rooms, saunas, exercise rooms, and hair cutting salons. They had reading rooms and libraries, as among the freeborn, who had the right to frequent baths, the majority could read.  They even had stores, selling all kinds of things, and people who sold fast food. The baths were arranged rather like a very large mall, with bathing pools.

• The baths were packed. The people loved them. At one time, there were as many as 900 public baths in ancient Rome. Small ones held about 300 people, and the big ones held 1500 people or more! Some Roman hospitals even had their own bathhouses. A trip to the bath was a very important part of ancient Roman daily life.

Thermae (Baths)

Aqueducts

• a system to carry water from place to place

Improvements under the Empire• Many things changed. Although the Senate

met and argued, and had advisory power, the real power was now in the hands of an all-powerful emperor. The Roman people would never have accepted a king. However, they seemed to have no problem accepting the leadership of a dictator, who called himself an emperor. Under Augustus, the first Roman emperor, the people got used to being ruled by one leader.

• Other changes included:   

• Establishment of Public Health Programs: The government created new public health programs. One program distributed free bread to workmen on their way to work in the morning. 

Improvements under the Empire• Reduction in Crime: Under the empire, the

Roman legionnaires policed Rome's streets. They worked in small groups. They could quickly band together in large groups as necessary. Their hob-nailed sandals made quite a loud sound on Rome's cobblestone streets. When criminals heard the legionaries approaching, they typically scattered. The legionaries were armed and well trained.

• Improvements for Women: Life was very different for women during the Empire than it was under the Republic. During the Empire, it was legal for women to own land, run businesses, free slaves, make wills, inherit wealth, and get a paid job. Women could even use the public baths. There were separate hours for men and women, but women were allowed inside. These were all new privileges. 

Improvements under the Empire• Public Theatre: Under the empire,

Rome built huge theatres. Plays were no longer performed only in the Forum. Admission was free.

• Free Spectacles: The government constructed other huge public buildings and improved open-air facilities. These were used to host  events called spectacles. Chariot racing was held in the Circus Maximus. The Colosseum hosted the gladiator games. Admission to spectacles was free.

Amphitheatres

• Amphi-theatres are "theatres in the round": amphi- means "around" in Greek.

• An amphitheatre is for action: it's a sports arena, where the spectators sit around the field. They need to see, but they don't really need to hear, so an amphitheatre can be

much larger.

The Colosseum• The Colosseum was a huge public entertainment center. The

Colosseum could seat 50,000 spectators. Some people were not lucky enough to have a seat in the Colosseum. If you didn't mind standing, the Colosseum could hold up to 70,000 spectators! This is where the ancient Romans gathered to watch bloody combat between gladiators, and battles between men and wild animals. This is where they threw people to the lions! To see men being killed was very entertaining to the ancient Romans. On occasion, they flooded the Colosseum with water, to hold naval battles. During the battles, many competitors died. 

• The ancient Romans were great builders. They built things to last. The Colosseum was built of concrete, faced with stone, as were most amphitheaters. It was built in the early days of the Roman Empire, around 70 CE. It was designed to host huge spectacles.  Anyone could attend the events in the Colosseum. Admission was free. 

Gladiators• Roman gladiators were trained in mortal combat, a

form of public entertainment in ancient Rome.

• The word gladiator comes from the Latin word gladius (sword).

• Wealthy or important Romans often asked for funeral games to be held in their honor.

• The popularity of the games grew and spread throughout the Roman empire. Eventually gladiatorial games became lavish public entertainments, especially after the Coliseum in Rome opened

• Roman gladiators were usually convicted criminals, slaves, or prisoners of war.

• Many gladiators came from the lands Rome had conquered.

Gladiators• Some gladiators who managed to survive the fierce

fighting became famous or even wealthy.

• Men of the very lowest social rank sometimes bound themselves to the owner of a gladiator troupe, enduring branding, chains, flogging, and brutality at the hands of their masters to become gladiators.

• Gladiators went through intense training and were taught complex moves so they could better entertain the audience.

• Gladiators were supposed to fight to the death, but if they fought extremely well the crowd could decide to spare both fighters. The crowd voted by showing thumbs up or thumbs down — although whether or not thumbs up meant “life” has not been verified. Sometimes gladiators won prize money.

• At a large event there could be hundreds of gladiators. In the Coliseum, the audience could be as large as 50,000 people.

Gladiators• After other entertainments in the morning,

such as hunting wild animals andthe execution of criminals, gladiators would enter the arena. They would approach the emperor and proclaim, Ave, Imperator, morituri te salutamus (Hail, Emperor, we who are about to die, salute you).

• As Christianity spread and the power of the Roman Empire declined, the appeal of the games diminished.

• In 326 C.E. Constantine began the process of abolishing gladiator games. In 400 C.E. Emperor Honorius banned gladiators forever.

Circus Maximus• The ancient Romans loved chariot racing. In early Roman times, young

nobles used to race their chariots around the 7 hills of Rome. People had to scatter to get out of the way. They stopped for no one.

• In the 6c BCE (about 2,500 years ago!), the ancient Romans built the Circus Maximus in the city of Rome. Basically, the Maximus was a race track. It was designed to race chariots. Women could attend the races. They could sit with men. That was very unusual.

• The original Circus Maximus was built out of wood. It burnt down a couple of times. During the Roman Empire, the Circus Maximus was rebuilt using marble and concrete (an ancient Roman invention!). 

• The Circus Maximus was not the only circus in the Roman Empire. The Romans built circuses, outdoor racetracks, all over the Empire. The Circus Maximus was the most well known race track. It could seat over 250,000 people! Admission was free. Anyone could attend the races, including Rome's poor. There were races every day. It was the height of success to race in the Circus Maximus. 

Pompeii •  Pompeii was an ancient

Roman city, buried by a volcanic eruption. 2000 years later, archaeologists uncovered the city.  The people in ancient Pompeii did not have a chance to escape. The city had been quickly buried by volcanic ash.  When archaeologists dug out the city, two thousand years later, they found petrified bread still in the ovens that had been baking that day. Archaeologists learned a great deal from the ruins of this ancient city because it had been so well preserved. 

Tacitus

• Rome’s Greatest Historian• He was financial minister, elected

Praetor, consulship• His major works were the Histories

and the Annals.• He set the standard for historical

research and writing for the rest of the Western Roman Empire.

• He believed that it was the historians job to get to the objective truth and not have bias.

Julia Domna

• She became a formidable empress

• After her husbands death, she unsuccessful supported her son, Geta, to become emperor.

• Although Geta was removed from office, she played an influential role in politics and administration of the empire.

• She was given the title of Mother of the Senate and of the Fatherland.

Slavery

• Rome slaves were 1/3 of the population

• Slaves were used in almost every aspect of human activity: builders, gladiators etc.

• Lowest order of slaves were the outside workers

• Highest order of slaves worked inside

• Manumission is when a slave can buy their own freedom or a deceased owner’s will frees them.

Diocletian

• Promoted to Emperor by his fellow soldiers in the Praetorian Guard.

• Divided the empire into 2 parts: East and West

The Roman Empire is Split into Two Pieces

• Because of the well-built Roman roads the success of the legionnaires and the leadership of Rome's more able emperors and generals, the Roman Empire grew to enormous proportions. It was huge!

• It covered most of Europe, most of North Africa, and some of Asia. That created problems. 

• One problem was that it was getting difficult to manage the empire effectively. Word went out from Rome, but the provinces did not always do what they were told. Rome seemed very far away to the people in the provinces. 

The Roman Empire is Split into Two Pieces

• Another big problem was that the provinces were putting a great financial strain on Rome. Taxes and trade goods from the provinces were pouring into Rome, but supplies to support the provinces were also pouring out. Money was needed to build new roads, to support the legionnaires, and to enable more growth. Rome needed more growth because they needed new regions to tax, to refill Rome's treasury.  

• When the old emperor died, the army selected General Diocletian to be the new emperor of Rome.  One of the first things Emperor Diocletian did was to put price controls in place to help stop inflation. He created a law that stated if you charged more than the price limit, you could be killed. The punishment for breaking any of his laws was quite severe. 

The Roman Empire is Split into Two Pieces

• After some thought, Emperor Diocletian decided the only thing to do with Rome was to split the empire in half. That way, it would be easier to manage. This created two Roman empires - the Western Roman Empire and the Eastern Roman Empire. Each side had a ruler in charge of it. But the ruler who was in charge of Rome was the senior ruler. 

• The Western Roman Empire (Europe/North Africa) included the city of Rome. 

• The Eastern Roman Empire (Turkey/parts of Asia) included the city of Byzantium.  

• Rather than rule Rome, Diocletian chose to rule the Eastern Roman Empire. He placed a good friend in charge of Rome. Before he left town, Emperor Diocletian moved a great deal of Rome's money over to the Eastern Roman Empire. He left Rome forever.

Constantine• Constantine: Constantine was the first

Christian Roman emperor. 

• He lived in the Eastern Roman Empire, and chose his capital to be the small town Byzantium, which he renamed Constantinople.

• The western side of the empire, which included the city of Rome, became less and less important to the Eastern Roman Empire. Byzantium was located in a perfect position to trade with the east and the west. Rather than send traded goods onto to Rome, Constantine kept most of the goods in his own half of the empire. As well, he pulled monies from Rome to support and build Constantinople.

Rise of Christianity• During the first century CE, a new religion took hold

in Rome. It was called Christianity. The followers of Christianity were called Christians. Christians believed in one god. They refused to worship the Roman gods. In ancient Rome, that was against the law. Christians were hunted as criminals.  

• In spite of persecution, Christians grew in numbers rapidly. Christians actively looked for converts. They told others about the benefits of being Christian. Christians came from every walk of life in ancient Rome, but Christianity had great appeal to Rome's poor.  

– Life After Death: Christianity promised life after death in heaven. In the Roman religion, only gods went to heaven. Emperors were considered gods. Everyone else went to the underworld. 

– Equality: Christianity promised equal opportunity. You had to be born into the nobility. You could join Christianity and be equally a Christian.

Rise of Christianity

• After nearly 300 years of persecution, in 313 CE, Emperor Constantine ruled that Christianity was legal and that Christians would no longer be persecuted for their beliefs. This does not mean that Rome finally had religious freedom. It meant only that it now legal to worship Roman gods or to be Christian. Every other religion was still illegal. The lack of religious freedom in ancient Rome contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire. 

Valens & The Barbarians• Valens tried to be a good emperor, but he inherited a

great many problems. By the time he took over, Rome was just about broke. Some of Rome's wealth had been spent in warfare. Some had been spent on the development of Constantinople, the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. And much had been wasted by the outlandish behavior of some of Rome's less able rulers. 

• Without money to use for repairs, the famous Roman roads started to fall into disrepair. Without good roads, fresh supplies of men and goods did not always reach the far ends of the empire. Nor were needed goods getting back to Rome. Barbarian tribes had always raided the Roman Empire. These days, barbarian raids on the provinces were becoming more successful.

• In ancient Rome, a barbarian was the name given to any people who lived outside the borders of the Roman Empire. You were also called a barbarian if you did not speak Latin.

Valens & The Barbarians• There were five main barbarian tribes in

Europe. Each wanted to conquer the famous Roman Empire. These tribes were the Huns, Franks, Vandals, Saxons, and Visigoths. They were all attacking various pieces of the Western Roman Empire at the same time. Forts and strongholds along the road were destroyed. There were few cities in the outlying regions of the empire, but those that existed were attacked.  

• Rather than try to defend against all the barbarian tribes who had turned their eyes on Rome, Emperor Valens tried to turn one barbarian tribe against another. Since the barbarian tribes rarely got along anyway, it was a smart thing to do. Valens went one step further. He believed that if he could get some of the barbarians working for him, he might be able to restore order.

Valens & The Barbarians

• Valens allowed a fierce and battle-strong barbarian tribe, the Visigoths (Goths), to settle in the Danube region of the Western Roman Empire. He promised these settlers that Rome would help with food and shelter, provided they helped by keeping order in their section of the empire. 

• When Valens did not keep his promises, the Visigoths rebelled. It was the beginning of the end of the Western Roman Empire. The Western Roman Empire finally fell in the year 476 CE.

Valens & The Barbarians

• When people say "Rome fell", they mean the Western Roman Empire. The Western Roman Empire, pictured to the right in dark gold, included the city of ancient Rome. The Western Roman Empire fell into the Dark Ages in 476 CE.

• The Eastern Roman Empire, pictured in green below, with its capital Constantinople, continued for another thousand years. 

Review of the Fall of Rome

• 476 AD: FALL OF ROME 

• Rome had quite a run. First a monarchy, then a republic, then an empire – all roads led to Rome for over 1200 years.

• In the Mediterranean, Rome was in charge.

• During the Imperial period, Rome had some wonderful emperors. Rome also suffered from a series of bad, corrupt and just plain crazy emperors.

• There were lots of reasons why Rome fell. 

Review of the Fall of RomeProblems towards the end of the Empire included• The empire was too large to govern effectively. • The army was not what it used to be. There was corruption in

the military - dishonest generals and non-Roman soldiers. • Civil wars broke out between different political groups. • Emperors were often selected by violence, or by birth, so the

head of government was not always a capable leader. • The increased use of slaves put many Romans out of work • The rich became lazy and showed little interest in trying to

solve Rome problems. • The poor were overtaxed and overworked. They were very

unhappy. • Prices increased, trade decreased. • The population was shrinking due to starvation and disease.

That made it difficult to manage farms and government effectively.

• The Empire starting shrinking. The Huns, Visigoths, Franks, Vandals, Saxons and other barbarian tribes overran the empire.

Review of the Fall of Rome• The ancient Romans tried to solve some of their

problems by splitting the Roman Empire in half, hoping that would make the empire easier to manage. Each side had an emperor, but the emperor in charge was the emperor of the western half, the half that included the city of Rome. 

• The Western Roman Empire did not do well. Instead of getting stronger, they became weaker. By 400 AD, it was pretty much over. The Huns, Franks, Vandals, Saxons, Visigoths – any of these barbarian tribes might have been the group that finally brought Rome down. They were all attacking various pieces of the Western Roman Empire. In 476 AD, the Visigoths sacked Rome. Europe entered the Dark Ages. 

• The eastern half of the Roman Empire received a new name – the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantine Empire did fine. It lasted for another 1000 years!