Chapter 6 Section 2 Notes

509 B.C.

264 B.C.

218 B.C.

44 B.C.

A.D. 284

A.D. 476

Ancient Rome and Early Christianity, 500 B.C. – A.D. 500 6

CHAPTER

Time Line

500 B.C. A.D. 500

HOME

Rome becomes a republic.

In the Second Punic War, Hannibal invades Italy.

Diocletian, who will divide the Roman Empire, becomes emperor.

The First Punic War with Carthage begins.

Conspirators kill Julius Caesar.

Western Roman Empire falls with the ouster of the last emperor, Romulus Augustulus.

I. Expansion Creates Problems in the

Republic

A. The gap between rich and poor increased

class tensions developed

B. Rich land owners lived on huge estates

called latifundia

C. Many of these lands belonged to farmers

and soldiers that were forced

to sale their lands

D. Grain prices were down

E. Slaves were all over Rome

F. No Jobs

II. The Republic Collapses

A. Two plebeian brothers try to reason

with the Rich

1. Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus

2. As Tribunes they try to make reforms

3. Tiberius is assassinated in 133

B.C. and Gaius in 121 B.C.

4. Civil War erupts

5. Power struggles within the army try to

put down the rebellions

B. Julius Caesar takes control

1. The First Triumvirate

A. 60 B.C. Julius Caesar, Crassus, and

Pompey

1. Caesar was away fighting wars in Gaul

(France)

2. Caesar soon gained support of the entire

army

B. In 49 B.C. Crassus and Pompey order him back to Rome without his armies, He refuses

C. In 46 B.C. he becomes dictator and

soon afterwards dictator for life

2. Caesar has moderate reforms

a. Gave land to poor in Gaul

b. Created jobs with government projects

1. Aqueducts

2. Roads

3. BuildingsPantheon

Colosseum

Roman Theatre

3. Assassinated on March 15, 44 B.C. by

his longtime friend Marcus Brutus in the

senate chamber

C. Beginnings of the Empire

1. Second Triumvirate Caesar’s grandnephew Octavian and his friend

Mark Antony take control of Rome along

with Lepidus

Augustus Mark Antony

2. Eventually Lepidus is removed and

Octavian and Mark Antony go to war.

3. Cleopatra from Egypt convinces Antony to attack

Octavian at the Battle of Actium in 31 B.C.

                         

a. Octavian wins

4. Octavian crowns himself Augustus and

keep the title imperator (supreme military

commander) where the word emperor comes

from

III. A Vast Powerful Empire

A. Years starting with Augustus rule from 27

B.C. to 180 A.D. become known as the Pax Romana (Roman

Peace)

B. Agriculture was the most important

industry of the empire

C. Trade flourished

D. Silver coins called a demarius was the coin

of the empire

E. Roads interlinked the empire and

connected to the Silk Road

F. Many men from foreign lands entered

the army

G. Augustus was Rome’s best ruler

1. Set up civil service or government jobs

2. He dies in 14 A.D.

H. Governmental Flaw

1. No legal succession to the throne

I. Bad Rulers

1. Caligula

2. Nero

J. Good Rulers

1. Five good Rulers

a. Nerva in 96                     

b. Trajan

c. Hadrian

The Pantheon (118-128

1. Wall in England

d. Antonius Pius

138-161

e. Marcus Aurelius

161-180

1. 161 – 180 A.D.

2. Empire at height

IV. Life in Imperial Rome

A. Early values (Gravitas)

1. Discipline

2. Strength

3. Loyalty

B. Paterfamilias was the oldest male in

family

C. Women almost had the same rights as men, except they could not

vote

D. Boy children were more important

because they could vote

E. Children became adults at 16

F. Girls were married between 12 and 15 to much older husbands

G. Slavery

1. Widespread and important to the

economy

2. Conquered peoples became slaves

3. Considered property

4. Some became gladiators

H. Early gods and goddesses

1. Numia were divine spirits

2. Lares were guardian spirits of each family

3. When they met the Greeks they adopted

the gods with different names

I. Entertainment

1. Government provided free game, races, and gladiator

events for themasses

2. Coliseum held 50,000

3. Circus Maximus held 300,000