ROME

Unit 7

Geography

• Middle of Europe and juts out into the middle of the Mediterranean.

• Protection but not isolation from mountains (Alps). Sea provides protection and transportation.

• Peninsula has rich soil and a mild climate. Can support a large population.

The Founding of Rome

• Legend of Romulus and Remus who were raised by a wolf and a Sheppard builds Rome.

• People who built Rome were Latin Kings in 1000 B.C.E. • Located on Tiber River which grants access to North,

South, and the sea.

Forming A Government• The Etruscans: From Northern Italy they defeat the Latin Kings

that ruled. • They were very skilled in pottery, engineering, and building,

being believed to first use the arch in architecture.• 900BCE: Settled colonies on southern Italian peninsula and

Sicily for trade with Greece. (later influencing Rome).• 509 BCE: Etruscans overthrown, Republic formed• Patricians and plebeians wrote a constitution• Leaders and commoners at the Forum

Roman Society• Patricians- noble families control every aspect of life in Early Rome.• Plebeians- common people. Later refused to fight until demands

were met.They formed the plebian council to gain more power.• Tribunes elected to protect plebeians and later given the power to

veto, or ban, laws that seemed unfair.• Plebeians force the Patricians to write down laws- Laws of the 12

tables (page 165)

Rights & Responsibilties

• The 12 tables (laws) gave certain rights to its citizens.

• Citizens have certain responsibilities: – Military service– Pay taxes– Vote

Roman Forum

The Republic• Senate: 300 members

who advised elected officials, finances, and foreign relations.

• Various Assemblies: all voted on and and elected officials.

• Magistrates: put laws into practice and governed in the name of the senate.

• Consuls: two magistrates elected to one year terms. Chief executives and commanders of the army.

• Page 166

Rome Expands• Roman population grows

and they needed more land and resources.

• They conquer the rest of Italy.

• Went to the Aid of Sicily when they got into conflict with Carthage-Punic Wars (3)

• During this time they fight others and Greece, Persia, and Macedonia become provinces of Rome.

• Rome wins and becomes new Mediterranean power.

Republic to EmpireSocial Unrest/ Military in

Politics

• Vast new land stretched the Roman political system to its limit.

• Tension between various classes.

• Gracchi Brothers (Tiberius and Gaius) worked towards better treatment of soldiers.

Social War/ Civil War

• Senate refuses Roman allies citizenship

• Italian Rebels fight.• Lucius Cornelius

Sulla general from revolt becomes consul.

• Civil war between him and another, uses army to put it down.

Solutions

• Senate tried to intentionally kill the Gracchi Brothers in Forum.

• Violence and private armies first used as political tools.

• Italian Rebels defeated but granted citizenship.

• Carried out reforms to protect the senate but does the opposite.

1st Triumvirate• Three men took over the Roman Republic

as the 1st Triumvirate or rule of 3 men. (Caesar, Pompey, Crassus).

• Crassus died.

• Caesar vs. Pompey in Civil war

• Caesar wins becomes dictator.

Julius Caesar

Positive • Conquered Gaul and

Egypt• Stopped rebellions• Gave citizenship• Resettled landless by

giving land• Built roads• Reduced debt• Gave slaves• Said no to a crown 3

times

Negative• Took too much power• Glory for himself• Ambitious• Showed no signs of

giving up.• Refused crown

because he was king without the title.

Senators feared him and murdered him on March 15th

2nd Triumvirate• Caesar’s adopted son and

heir Octavian, a loyal officer named Marc Anthony, and high priest Lepidus take power.

• Lepidus is pushed aside, empire split in half.

• Civil War break out, Octavian defeats Anthony and Cleopatra.

• Octavian now sole rule and calls himself ‘first citizen”

• Senate gives him title of Augustus (revered one).

• The Empire Begins!

Roman Military• All Roman men ages of 17 and 46 with a

minimum amount of property were required to serve in the army during times of war.

• Organized into units called legions • Centurions were the backbone of the legions

who were commissioned officers who commanded a century of 100 men.

Pax Romana• A period of time from 27 B.C.E. till 180

C.E. called the Roman Peace.• It has traits such as:

– Stable government (provinces ruled by governors having everything modeled after Rome).

– Strong legal system (Laws unified all under Roman Control).

– Widespread trade (agriculture still #1, tenant farming and manufacturing. Also trade allowed through location and extensive road network).

– peace

Roman Culture:Life for the rich

• Wealth was not distributed or divided equally.

• Rich influenced politics

• Both a city and a country home

• Spent most time in politics.

• Public officials not paid only wealthy could afford to do it.

Roman Culture:Life for the poor

• People lived in crowded, dangerous and unclean areas.

• Fire posed constant threats. • To prevent rebellions free food and public

entertainment became a major feature. • Two things mattered bread and circuses.

Entertainment• Romans of all classes

enjoyed these things. • Circus Maximus: A

racetrack that could hold 250,000 spectators

• Theater: Comedies & satires were a favorite; also mimes, jugglers, dancers, acrobats & clowns

• Gladiator battles in the Colosseum: usually ended in the death of one or both participants

• Public baths: for bathing, hygiene, and a gym/spa type atmosphere

Family

• Families were patriarchal • Emphasized virtues of simplicity, religious

devotion, and obedience. • Adoption was common for many families

especially if they needed a son. • Women could inherit and own property

although could do little without male intervention.

• Lower class women had more freedom especially working outside of the home.

Education & Religion• Education was highly

valued and important especially literacy, Latin, Greek, law, math, and public speaking.

• Believed in many gods (polytheism)

• Gods and goddesses were barrowed from other religions

• Worshipped household gods

• Emperor was considered a god.

Architecture

• Romans were very practical-applied scientific knowledge to the planning of cities, building water & sewer systems, & improving farming methods.

• They built roads, bridges, amphitheaters, public buildings, & aqueducts.

• The Roman urban plan: a grid of roads, temples, baths, theaters & a central forum.

Language & Literature

• Several Romance languages developed from Latin the language of Rome.

• French, Italian, Spanish, Romanian, or Portuguese. Even some English.

Judaism

• After Rome conquered Judea a new Roman king was appointed.

• They did not make the Jews convert to polytheism though-they only had to pay tribute.

• Some Jews resisted Roman rule entirely.• Others chose to wait on the coming

Messiah who would restore the world to peace.

Christianity

• Jesus’ taught people to seek forgiveness of their sins

• Almost all of what we know about Jesus comes from the Gospels

• He was very popular among the people

• Authorities worried that he would cause an uprising-so he was arrested & sentenced to death

Spread of Christianity

• Jesus chose 12 disciples who later became the Apostles

• They took Christianity throughout the Roman world

• The Apostle Paul was most important to the spread of Christianity

• Christianity was popular because of its message of love & eternal life after death.

Constantine

• An emperor who converted after having a vision before a battle

• He was told to fight in the name of the cross

• He did this & after winning he made freedom of religion law so Christians would no longer be persecuted

The Roman Empire’s issues• Taxes rose and the value of money

declined when coins were made with copper and lead to compensate.

• Invasion threats at all fronts.

• Militaries grow large and resource demands caused economic crisis.

• Crime increases due to economic crisis.

• Weak leaders, facing off in a series of civil wars.

• No new expansion to bring in new revenue.

Rome’s Solutions

• Diocletian (dy-uh-klee-shuhn) new emperor takes absolute rule and splits the empire in two (east & west)

• A Co-Emperor rules the west with assistants names Caesars to help rule.

• Harsh regulations and rigid class structure to bring order.

• He increased the army and gave it all his attention.

• Economy now state directed.

Constantine

• After Diocletian the next co-emperors fell into civil war.

• Constantine wins but takes the east part of the Empire, moving the capital to Constantinople.

• He also legalizes Christianity.

Issues not solved

• These leaders only put off the issues but they remained and grew with increased pressure from surrounding tribes.

• The Huns from the east (Asia) pushed Germanic tribes into the Empire.

• Osrogoths, Visigoths, and the Vandals attack Rome at various points.

• The Pope convinced Attila to leave Italy. • The Western part of the Empire is in shambles

and falls.

Byzantine Empire

• The eastern half of the empire remains for several centuries.

• New growing influences especially Greek changes the culture and make it less Roman.

• As a result most historians refer to it as no longer Roman but the Byzantine Empire.