The Roman Empire

World History – Libertyville HS

The Roman Empire• “Pax Romana” =

Roman Peace• Lasted 200 years, from

27 BC to 180 AD• Few civil wars & no

invasions• Legal system helped to

Romanize regions

• Empire covered 2.2 million square miles with 120 million pop.

Government of the Empire

• Emperor had total control over the government

• Senate still met, but had little real power (no legions)

• Efficient bureaucracy, like the Han Chinese

• Army socialized non-citizens to become loyal Roman citizens

Economy of the Empire• Based on trade and

farming• Trade

• Traded throughout Europe, SW Asia, North Africa – even China (226 AD)

• Road network very important to trade (quick / cheap)

• Mediterranean was pirate free (19th C.)

Infrastructure

• Roads• Built for and by the

Army• Encouraged trade and

defense of Empire• Over 55K miles of roads• Many towns that sprung

up at road intersections exist today (Paris; London)

• Aqueducts delivered water to cities

Life in the Roman Empire

• Life in Rome• City of 1 million+,

mostly unemployed plebeians

• “Bread & circuses”• Bread = daily dole of

food• Circuses = games,

theater, etc.

Life in Rome

• Haves and the have nots• Haves =Patricians,

equestrians were decadent

• Have nots = plebeians• Desperately poor• Lived in cramped

apartment buildings prone to fires, collapse

Life in the Roman Empire

• Life in the provinces• Security of Pax

Romana meant hundreds of towns, cities springing up

• Simpler life where people farmed, raised families, and lived their lives

Life in the Roman Empire• Life along frontiers

• Use of client state as buffers to protect against invasion

• Transformed German border tribes into semi civilized states

• Germans provided most troops of army

• German people wanted to move into Empire

• Led to tension, invasion

Octavian, First Emperor (27 BC-14 AD)

• Adopted by Julius Caesar at age 19

• “Restored” Republic in 27 AD; Senate promptly named him emperor (“Augustus”)

• Focused on consolidation of his own power • Kept tabs on rivals • Kept control over army

Octavian, First Emperor

• State of Empire, under Octavian• Frontier (“Imperial”)

provinces (28 legions, no senators)– why?

• Interior Provinces (Romanized; Senate control, NO legions)

Octavian’s Plans for Expansion

• Expansion plans included invasion of Bohemia

• Setbacks• 3 year revolt in Balkans• Loss of 3 legions in

Germany (Teutoburg Forest story)

• After Teutoburg Forest, Octavian switched strategy to defense

Succession of Emperors• Julian Emperors (27 BC

to 68 AD) • 5 emperors, from Octavian

to Nero

• Post Julian Emperors• Lots of insanity, amorality

• “Five Good Emperors” (96-180 AD)• Good because they were

not insane• Long reigns• Militarily successful

Decline of Imperial Rome

• From 180 to 284 AD, 30 Emperors ruled in succession• Short reigns led to political

paralysis• Civil wars by contenders for

the throne weakened frontier

• Army, especially Praetorian Guard, began deciding who would be emperor

• Some of the emperors were insane or had short reigns

Decline of Imperial Rome• Difficulty maintaining

borders• Army on frontier gradually

became less Roman and more “barbarian”

• Migratory pressures from outside empire

• Increasing cost of bureaucracy• Taxes paid only by citizens

(212 AD: citizenship)• Subject population paid tribute• Rich tended to avoid taxes• Land, local power went to rich

Partial Recovery and Reform (284-337 AD)

• Diocletian (284-311 AD)• Great organizer• Recognized that

empire was too big• Split empire into four

parts• East was “Hellenized”• West war Germanic• Leaders of North, South

were “Caesar”, or junior emperors

• Doubled size of army (300k to 600k)

Partial Recovery and Reform

• Diocletian’s reforms• Excluded patricians from

military command• Imposed rigid direction

of labor on all people

• Constantine “The Great” (307-337 AD)• Time of great unrest in

West• City populations shrinking• Trade declined• Farmland not cultivated

Partial Recovery and Reform

• Constantine moved capital from Rome to Byzantium

• Renamed city Constantinople

• Allowed for free worship of Christianity throughout empire (converted on deathbed)