AP World HistoryRoman Republic and Empire

Presentation Outline1) Geography of ancient Rome and Italy2) Origins3) Republican Government4) Military5) Expansion6) From Republic to Empire7) Geography of the Roman Empire8) Decline and collapse of the Roman Empire

1) Geography of the Roman Republic• The Etruscans were the first

people to settle in ancient Italy between 900 and 500 B.C.E• The Romans arrived later to the

South of the Etruscans and had originally come from other areas of the Mediterranean

• The map shows the proximity of Italy to Greece and the Mediterranean world and how the Romans arrived in Italy

2) Origins of the Roman Republic• Romulus and Remus• Latin princess was Vestal virgin• Raped by Mars, bore twin boys • Ordered killed by non-Latin king • Suckled by a wolf• Grew and founded a city (753BCE)• Romulus killed Remus

• Historic Evidence• The Etruscans conquered the Romans (non-Latin king)• Romans eventually overthrew Etruscans and established kingdom • Ruins of home of king (Romulus?) date from 8th Century BCE

3) Republican Government• Ruled by a senate and the people• SPQR= Senate and the People of Rome• Senate (patricians) appointed consuls (1

year)• Foreign affairs and the military• Direct access by the people to the

consul• People (plebs) organized by tribes and

they elected 10 tribunes• Governed local affairs• Had veto power (individually)

Constitution(balanced power)

• Senate• Never made laws but advice was accepted• Had power to appoint a person to solve a specific

problem (He was a "speaker" or "dictator")• Appointed censors (moral guardian/rank judge)• Appointed governors

• Concilium plebis• Made all the laws (called plebecites)• Elected magistrates (administrators) and judges

• Comitia Curiata/Centuriata – plebs and patricians• Committed the emporium (military power)

• All met in the forum (looked over each other)• Pontifex Maximus• Religious leader

4) Military Organization• Centuries — 100 armed men• Headed by Centurian (from the ranks)

• Maniples—3 Centuries• Could move quickly through difficult terrain

(better than phalanx)• Independent decisions (tribunes)

• Legions—groups of Maniples• 6000 men• Supported by light cavalry

• Discipline• Death for individual insubordination• Decimation for cowardice

5) Roman Expansion• Conquest of Italy• Took 200 years• Granted full or partial citizenship• Tax and legal benefits• Developed loyalty in conquered Italian

areas• Invasion by King Pyrrhus (pyrrhic victory)

• Roman colonies• Established in strategic locations• Established by treaty• Troops sent when needed• Customs of the area left intact• Colonies were mostly for trade, with

some military purposes

Roman Expansion (outside Italy)• Punic Wars• Phoenicians

(Poeni)• Sicily• Hannibal attacked

Rome• Help of non-

Roman Italians(?)

Roman Expansion (outside Italy)• Conquest of the East and West• Allies rather than servants or

slaves• Toleration• Corruption in the Greek

kingdoms• Some states given to the Romans• Fast, direct attacks with strong

determination and discipline• Outnumbered in most battles • Victory over Parthia (parthian

shot)

6) From Republic to EmpireTraditional Republic Values began to change:• Piety• Discipline• Frugality• Not greedy• Righteous wars• Never quit

Building an Empire• Status of Women• Absence of men at war•Women gained economic

power• Ability to divorce and retain

property•Morals eventually eroded, in part

because home-life eroded

Building an Empire• Slavery• Conquests increased

the number of slaves• Constituted 40% of

the population• Conditions were poor• Romans feared slave uprising• Slaves took jobs from the plebs so plebs

were given food and other benefits

Julius Caesar dictator of Rome100-44 BCEEarly Life• Born to an aristocratic family• Said to have descended from the godsMilitary Career• Conquered Gaul (France)• Conquered EgyptDictator (One man rule)• Ruled until 44 BCE (murdered by opponents)• Created Julian calendar• Granted citizenship to people in Gaul and Spain

7) Geography of the Roman Empire • The Roman Empire became

huge• It covered most of Europe,

North Africa, and some of Asia• The Empire reached its height

under Emperor Diocletian (284-305 CE)

7) Decline and collapse of the Roman Empire

• 180 CE Marcus Aurelius died• His son, Commodus, took control of

Rome• Commodus was a poor leader, killed

by his bodyguard• Time of disarray follows

Commodus from the movie Gladiator

Political Problems

• Poor leaders weakened the government• Frequent fights for power•Many officials took bribes• Talented people chose not to serve

due to dangers of government life

Social Problems

• Taxes were too great, many rich people stopped paying• People stopped attending school• Large number of people enslaved• Plague (disease) spread throughout

Rome, killing 1 in 10• Famine: There was not enough food to

feed people

Economic Problems

• Farmers lost land, unable to grow and sell crops, out of work (and famine)• People bought fewer goods, shops closed• Inflation occurred: Rapidly rising prices.

Money lost value because fewer taxes paid.• Coins lost value: Less gold put in, people

found out (caused inflation)• Bartering grew: sell goods without using

money • No taxes, no money

Military Problems

•Military only in it for money (mercenaries)• No money to pay military = weak

military• Constant threat of invaders on

empire’s borders•Weak military, unable to stop

border invasions

Diocletian• 284 CE, Diocletian became

emperor• Tried reforms (political

changes)• Set price limits (if a person

went beyond limits, put to death) and ordered workers to stay in jobs to death

Dividing the Empire• Diocletian felt that the only way to save

the empire was to divide it in half• Created two empires: Western and

Eastern •Western Empire: Europe/ North Africa

and city of Rome• Eastern Empire: Turkey/ Asia and city

of Byzantium• Two emperors, emperor in charge of

Rome was senior

Constantine• Diocletian retired and Constantine

took his place as emperor• Constantine (312 CE) united the

empire again under one ruler• First Christian emperor• Edict of Milan• Attempted reforms•Main reform: sons had to follow

fathers’ trade

Constantinople• Rome continued to decline• Constantine moved the

capital from Rome to city of Byzantium• City name changed to

Constantinople (today is Istanbul)

Current Day Constantinople (now Istanbul)

Theodosius• Constantine died in 337 CE, replaced

by Theodosius• Theodosius could not rule the

empire, divided in two again•Western Roman Empire with capital

in Rome• Eastern Rome Empire with capital in

Constantinople

Rome invaded•Western Empire unable to

hold off German tribes on its borders• Ostrogoths, Visigoths,

Franks, Vandals, Saxons• German tribes wanted

warmer area, Roman riches, and to flee the Huns

Vandals• Vandals followed Visigoths and

spent 12 days stripping Rome of valuables (vandalism)•Many more German invaders

followed• Finally, a German general named

Odoacer defeated the western emperor Romulus Augustulus (14 years old, little Augustus)

The Fall of Rome• Augustulus was defeated in

476 CE• For this reason, this date is

given as the fall of the Western Roman Empire•Western Empire was

divided into many kingdoms that adopted many of the customs of Rome

Eastern Roman Empire

• Although the Western Empire fell in 476 CE, the Eastern Roman Empire continued to prosper for 1,000 more years• Became known as the Byzantine

Empire