Rome

The Legend Rome

• Two orphans were found

– Named Romulus and Remus

• Decided to build a city to remember rescue

• Argued over where to build the city

• Romulus killed his brother

– Built city on his grave

Rome: From

Village to

Empire

c. 750 BCE: Latins (tribe) settle what becomes Rome

See Rome Expand!

Let’s Talk Topography and Geography

peninsula mountains rivers

Rome is west of Apennines Mts: more fertile land & river access

The early Romans were mostly…

farmers

In 509 BCE...

…the

Romans

overthrew

the

Etruscans

It’s interesting to note that this was the precise time

that we think of Greece as entering its Classical Era.

c. 600 BCE:

Etruscans

Conquer Rome…

…Romans adopt

Etruscan alphabet,

art, gods, building

techniques (including

the arch)

– Skilled at trading and architecture

– Rome was ruled by a king

– Brought Rome to great power

Impact of Etruscans

Rome the Republic

• In 509 B.C. nobles overthrew king

• The Roman republic was built

• Latins became known as Romans

What is a Republic?

Unlike the Athenians, who had a direct or participatory

democracy, the Romans established a representative

democracy, or, a REPUBLIC…

…like we have today

The Roman Republic

• Republic comes from Latin word

– Means “belonging to the people”

• Citizens elect representatives

– To pass laws

• In beginning, only patricians could vote

– The noble class

• Plebeians could not vote

– Workers, foreigners, merchants, artisans

Roman Social Structure

in the Republic

Patricians: wealthy landowners and office-holders

Plebeians: farmers, artisans, traders…could vote but

not hold political office

Slaves: mostly prisoners of war…not

citizens…no rights

The Roman Assembly

• Plebeians protested and won

• The Assembly was started

– Leaders were called Tribunes

• Patricians started the Senate

– Leaders were called Consuls

– Had the power to make rules

The Power of the Plebeians

• Held the power of Veto

• Used to stop the Senate at any time

• Plebeians gradually gained more power

• Eventually Plebeians and Patricians had

the same power

Protecting the Republic

• The army was the strength of Rome

• Soldiers were well trained and disciplined

• Soldiers were called Legionaries

– Divided up into legions

• Romans legions conquered all of Italy

• Spread empire to all Northern Africa

– In the Punic Wars

Read page 152

for a description of a legionary

Gradually, the

Romans began

to expand their

control…

…until they had conquered the entire Italian peninsula

plus the islands of Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily

Who do you think would be a likely rival for control

of the Mediterranean Sea?

Between 264-146 BCE the Romans

fought three wars with Carthage,

known as the Punic Wars.

The Punic Wars

• Fought between Carthage and Rome

• Largest war in ancient history

– Lasted more than 100 years

– Hundreds of thousands of casualties

• Rome was rising to power

– Challenged Carthage for power

– By end of wars, Carthage was destroyed

• Consisted of 3 wars

The Second Punic War

• Carthage general Hannibal invaded Italy

– Tried to get the support of Roman citizens

• Gathered his army in Spain

• Invaded over the Alps

– Many soldiers died crossing the mountains

• Hannibal won many battles

– But could not completely defeat Romans

Rome Victorious

• A new general took over the army

– Named Scipio

• Greatest Roman general

• Led Rome to great victory

• Scipio left Rome and attacked Carthage

• Scipio defeated Hannibal and won the war

– Hannibal committed suicide instead of

surrendering

The Expansion of Rome

• Following the 2nd Punic War, Rome

expanded its empire

• Conquered Greece and the rest of the

Greek empire

• Gained control of most of the

Mediterranean Sea

Changes in Rome

• Soldiers returned to a different Rome

– Their land was taken

– Moved to city for work

– The rich took advantage of poor

– No jobs because of slaves

– Corruption was everywhere

As they expanded

their control…

…the Romans built

an excellent network

of roads

Here’s how they built them:

Their road system is one of the Romans’

greatest achievements

Why do you think they built them?

Open Your Book to

pg 155

The Fall of the Roman

Republic

• Plebeians became complacent

– Did not participate in government

• Men started trying to rise to power

– Very violent time in Rome

– Civil war broke out

• In 100 B.C. Julius Caesar was born

Julius Caesar

• Born a patrician

– Received excellent education

• Rose quickly to positions of leadership

• Outstanding military general

– Conquered Gaul for Rome

– Fought for nine years

Conquest of Rome

• Caesars popularity threatened the Roman

leadership

– The Senate ordered the army disbanded

• Caesar disobeyed and brought his army to Rome

• Launched Rome in to a civil war

– Between Caesar and Pompey

– Lasted for 4 years

• The Senate proclaimed Caesar dictator of Rome

“Crossing the Rubicon”

The Reign of Caesar

• Made his rule for life

• Limited the power of the corrupt Senate

• Granted citizenship to territories

• Promoted many causes – Colonization

– Schools

– Libraries

– Public works

• Caesar unified the Roman Empire

The Fall of Caesar

• The people become discontent

– Wanted government to “belong to the people”

• Senators plotted to kill Caesar

– Cassius and Brutus started the plot

• Killed Caesar on March 15th in the Senate

• The assassination did not solve the problems

• Launched Rome into a new era

– Men, not laws ruled the Roman empire

Rome the Empire

• Octavian took over from Caesar

– Caesar’s adopted son

– Took title of imperator

– Tried to restore trust in government

– Gave power back to the Senate

– Called Princeps and Augustus • “First citizen” and “Revered one”

– Led Rome into the Pax Romana • “Peace of Rome”

The period 27 BCE-180 AD (the last two

maps) is known as the:

PAX ROMANA

During this period:

o Romans thought they were the entire civilized world

o The population of the city of Rome reached 1 million

o Trade increased, bringing a wealth of resources into Rome

o The arts flourished

o Rome enjoyed military dominance

Education in the Empire

• In the republic, children were schooled at

home

• In the empire, Romans used pedagogues

– Girls and boys studied reading, writing, and

math

– Boys continued with Latin, Greek, history

geography, astronomy, literature

– Became citizen at 16

Religion in Rome

Architecture

• Rome’s greatest artistic achievement

• Built for practical reasons

• First to use concrete – Very durable

• Famous for the arch – Put together to form domes

• Pantheon

• Built extensive aqueducts