Life in Life in Ancient RomeAncient Rome

7th Grade Social Studies

Who is Augustus?First Roman Emperor Pax RomanaProfessional Army of Soldiers (150,000)Rebuilt Rome 50,000,000 people

Who were the Julio-Claudian Emperors?

Nero and Caligula were cruel and inhumane leadersRome went through a time of disorder

Who were the Julio-Claudian Emperors

cont…Vespasian eventually took the throne and restored order, putting down rebellionsPut down the Jewish Rebellion in Palestine Destroyed the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem in A.D. 70.Construction of the Colosseum

Pictures of the

Colosseum

The Good Emperors

‡ Five emperors unrelated to Augustus or Vespian came to power

‡ The empire expanded and prospered under their rule

‡ Hadrian, the third good emperor, decided the empire had grown to large, and pulled troops out of Mesopotamia

‡ The Roman Empire one of the greatest empires in history

A Unified Empire

Rome’s people spokemany different languages but mostly Latin in the West and Greek in the East.

The empire was unified through roman Law, Roman rule, and a shared identity as Romans.

Map of the Roman Empire

Roman Culture• Romans admired and

studied Greek statues, buildings, and ideas

• They copied the Greeks in many ways

• The Romans changed what they borrowed to suit their needs

• The Romans admired Greek art and architecture

• They placed Greek-style statues in their homes and public buildings

Distinct Differences between Greek and

Roman Art Greek•Look Perfect•Young•Healthy•Beautiful Bodies

Roman•Looked Wrinkled

•Warts•Less Attractive

Features

Pictures of Roman Art & Greek Art

Roman & Greek Architecture

Romans incorporated Greek ideas in their architecture, such as columns and porches.Roman ideas were arches, domes, and vaults, which are curved ceilings.Two famous buildings stand today: the Colosseum, which is a large arena, and the Pantheon, which is a temple built in honor of Rome’s GodsWhat is the word that means belief in many Gods?

Polytheism

Pictures of Architecture

Roman LiteratureThe Roman writer Virgil wrote the

Aneid, which tells the story of the Trojan Prince Aeneas and his followers.The poet Horace wrote satires, which are works that poke fun at human weaknesses, and odes, which express strong emotions about life. The writers Ovid and Catullus were inspired by Greek myths.

Roman Literature Cont.Livy, one of Rome’s most famous historians, wrote the History of RomeLivy celebrated Rome’s greatness and admired the deeds of the early RomansMany modern European languages spoken today are based on Latin, the language of Rome.Tacitus took a darker view of Rome’s behaviorHe believed that Rome’s emperors had taken peoples freedomHe felt that Roman citizens were losing their values and wasting time on pleasures and sports

Roman Science and Engineering

The Greek doctor Galen brought many medical ideas to Rome

He emphasized the importance of anatomy

Ptolemy was a famous scientist who studied and mapped the stars

Engineers created and advanced road system and aqueducts that provided water

Political & Social Problems • Marcus Areluis died in A.D.

180. He was the last of the good emperors.

• The Severans came into power and paid the army well. They ignored the growing poverty and crime.

• After the last Severan ruler died, the government was no longer stable.

Economic & Military

Problems• In 50 years Rome had 22 different emperors.

• Govt. officials began to take bribes.

• Inflation increased• Slavery became popular• Artisans lost money • Farmers grew less food and

people began to starve.• People began to barter

What were Diocletian’s Reviews• Germanic tribes raided

Roman farms and towns, • As fighting increased, the

government could no longer enlist and pay Romans as soldiers.

• General Diocletian became Emperor. He introduced reforms, or political changes.

• He divided the empire into 4 parts. He named officials to rule these areas but kept authority over all.

Who was Constantine?• Diocletian slowed inflation by setting the price of goods and workers wages.

• He ordered workers to stay at their jobs until they died.

• Diocletian's reforms failed.• Constantine tried to aid the

economy sons had to follow their fathers trades.

• The empire still declined in the west.

The Move of the Capital• Constantine moved the

capital from Rome to a new city in the east.

• He chose the site of the Greek city of Byzantium.

• The city became known as Constantinople that is known as Istanbul today.

Rome Falls• Germanic tribes began to

invade on all of the borders-Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Franks, Vandals, Angles, and Saxons.

• Warmer climates and better grazing lands

• Fleeing the Huns

•

Rome is Invaded• Trouble began when

the Romans forced the Visigoths to buy food at higher prices.

• The Romans also kidnapped and enslaved many Visigoths.

• In A.D. 378 the Visigoths defeated the Roman legions at the Battle of Adrianople.

Rome’s Demise• After this battle Germanic

tribes knew Rome was vulnerable.

• In 406 A.D., the Rhine River freezes Germanic Groups enter Gaul(France) .

• 410 A.D. Alaric captured the city of Rome. Rome had not been defeated in over 800 years.

• 455 A.D. Vandals enter Spain

Odoacer• Germanic general in

476 A.D. overthrew Romulus Augustulus ( Western Empire)

• Odoacer controlled Rome for 15 years

• He was killed by the Visigoths

• By A.D. 550 the Roman Empire officially came to an end