Roman Philosophy

StoicismEpicureanism

Stoicism

Zeno – Greek Source of happiness

is wisdom Only man has

morals Apathy – Emotion

and passion destroy reason

Epicureanism

Epicurus – Greek No afterlife Maximize pleasure

& minimize pain Materialists

Roman Republic

Roman Republic

Internally – Republic a political system in which the supreme

power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them

Externally – Empire

Empire Building: Italian Peninsula By 268 BC, Rome controlled most of Italy

Empire Building: Punic Wars

Carthage versus Rome Both wanted the western Mediterranean

& Sicily Generals

Hannibal for Carthage Scipio for Rome

Rome Won Kept Spain & North Africa Literally destroyed Carthage

Empire Building: Macedonian & Seleucid Wars

During & after Punic Wars

Gained control of Greece and Syria

Total control of the Mediterranean

Empire Building: Asia Anatolian king willed his empire to Rome

What allowed them to conquer so much territory?

Military Disciplined & well trained Each province contributed soldiers Roads

Slavery People from conquered provinces Free labor source helped expansion

Why didn’t conquered peoples rebel?

Effective governance Protection/Peace Citizenship

Romanization Roman culture Latin language Roman laws

Trade benefits Standardized money Safe trade

Cities Roads Aqueducts

Roman GovernmentThe Republic

Senate

In charge of: Treasury Foreign relations Enforced laws Declared war

Patricians and Plebeians

Patricians Aristocrats

Large landowners Held political and

religious power Government officials Priests

Forbidden to marry outside their class

Plebian Lower social class

Land owning men Had to be a citizen

of Rome

Tribune

Elected from the Plebeians Had the power to veto any law Defended assembly against

Patricians

Consuls

From the Patricians Made all legislation Shared rule by

electing two Consuls at a time Civil decisions Military power One consul could veto

the other

Dictator

Appointed in times of crisis A single leader who had absolute

power to make laws and command the army

Temporary – 6 months