THE ROMANS

Who were they?- Community of Latin farmers who lived

along the bank of the Tiber River in present day Central Italy 3000 years ago.

- - the Romans took their name from the city of Rome , which according to legend was founded in 753 BC

- - the Romans created their empire by conquering territories

The Roman World

- The Italian Peninsula juts out into the Mediterranean Sea. To the North lie the Alps, a rugged mountain range that provided a natural defense againts invaders from Central Europe. However, the Romans gradually extended their control far beyond then Italain peninsula to all the lands that bordered the Mediterranean.

Early Rome:- founded on 7 hills and the earliest settlement was on the Palatine- the centermost of the 7- in 509 BC, the Romans set up a new form of government called a republic with elected leaders called the consuls.

- territories in the following -338 BC gained control of rival communities in Latium and they extended this control across Etruscan century.

- - 290 defeated the Samnites- - 272 BC defeated the Greeks in Tarentum,

Southern Italy.

From Republic to Empire

-civil war ended the Republic, as generals fought each other for supreme power. In 61 0r 60 BC, 3 generals- Pompey, Julius Caesar and Marcus Linius Crassus joined forces to form a powerful if unofficial political alliance known as the Triumvirate. - 44 BC Caesar was assassinated

- More civil war followed Caesar’s death. In 32 BC, Octavian. Caesar’s adopted son, went to war against his former ally, Mark Antony, who had been a general in Caesar’s army. Antony and Cleopatra was defeated in the Battle of Actium and Egypt became a Roman province.

- - Octavian became the first Roman Emperor 1n 27 BC and took the name Augustus, which means “Revered One”. The period became known as PAX ROMANA or ROMAN PEACE.

-the king who ruled Rome in the early years of its history were advised by a council called the SENATE. The senate was made of the heads of the leading families in Rome. - CONSULS were 2 elected officials who served as heads of state.

Imperial Rome-after Augustus Caesar took power in 27 BC, emperors ruled the Roman empire. He continued many traditions of the Republic, such as the Consuls and the Senate but as emperor he held supreme authority. The peace and prosperity that flourished during the reign of Augustus inspired many to worship the emperor and after his death in AD 14, he was declared a god. He was succeeded by his adopted son, Tiberius.

PATRICIANS AND PLEBEIANS

PATRICIANS- wealthiest families who had a great deal of power and authority

plebeians- common birth

Tribunes – assembly of plebeians

WOMEN

-were considered to be unfit for military service or public speaking though some high-ranking women such as wives of senators or the wife or mother of the emperor.

- Mainly expected to be wives and mothers and to look after the household. During the REPUBLIC, a woman became her husbands’ property when she married. After the Republic, a married woman usually kept her legal rights and any property she had owned before her marriage.

- - running the household, looking after the children, spinning and weaving to make clothes for the family

Vestal virginsVesta, the goddess of the household, had an important place in Roman life. Her symbol is fire in the hearth- the stone or brick floor of a fireplace- and every home had a shrine that honored her. She was also the protector of the City of Rome and her temple was the only one served by priestesses rather than a priest.

FARMERS

LAW OF THE 12 TABLES

- First written law code in 450 BC. It grew out of the ongoing struggle between the patricians and the plebeians. It was displayed in the Roman forum. These laws were based on earlier criminal and civil law, as well as on religious customs.

- The ancient Romans were the first people to have lawyers –professional experts whose job was to interpret the law on behalf of others.

LAW, CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

- First to developed jus civile or civil law which applied to Roman citizens only.

- As its world expanded. The jus gentium or the law of nations developed which applied to the citizens and non citizens.

-punishment for slaves were far harsher than those freemen and women.-removal of the rights attached to citizenship was considered a fitting punishment for Roman citizens. *citizens accused of a capital punishment could choose to go into exile than face execution

Beliefs and gods- The Romans believed in many gods and

goddesses. These deities were thought to watch over all aspects of life, from the hearth and the home to war and hunting. The Romans held ceremonies to worship and make offerings to their gods, in returned they hope d for practical help with everyday matters.

- Jupiter- Roman chief god- Juno- goddess of of women and childbirth- Minerva- goddess of war- Athena- wisdom

The Roman Calendar

- The Romans establised the basis of the

calendar and the names of the days and months that much of the world uses today. The early calendar that the Romans used had only 10 months and did not match up with the solar year. The 10 months were named Martius, Aprilis, Maius, Junius, Quintilis, Sextilis, September, October, November, December

- The last 6 names were taken from the Latin words for 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. the roman year began in March (Martius), named after the god Mars.

The Julian Calendar- A Roman king, Numa Pompilus, is said to have

added January (Janus, the two faced god of ends and beginnnings) and February (februare- to purify).

- Made the Roman calendar 355 days long- 45 BC, the Julian calendar divided the year

into 12 months, each month with 30 or 31 days except February which had 29 days. Every 4 years, February had 30 days.

ARCHITECTURE

Engineering and Science

Paintings, Mosaics and Sculpture

Metal, Glass and Pottery

- Ennius- wrote an epic about Rome called the

Annals- Cicero- wrote orations or speeches and works

of philosophy as well as many letters- Virgil, Horace and Ovid- poets

Literature

- Family- central to Roman society- Marriages were often made for financial and

political reasons.- Girls could legally marry at age 12 and boys

were 14. Consent was needed from the paterfamilias on both sides

- June- favorite month to get married because the month was sacred to Juno

- Children received education at home

FAMILY LIFE AND CHILDREN

Clothing

- Male:Ordinary Roman citizens- undyed togas but with different color and patterns Freeborn boys- with purple borderGenerals from battle- a highly decorated purple togaPeople in mourning- dark colorsMen campaigning for public office- white toga*Toga- large semi-circular piece of cloth that was draped in folds over the top of the tunic.

- Women:The women’s version of the tunic was the stola, a long garment that reached to the floor folds. These garments could be dyed in bright colors and those worn by wealthy women were made from such fine materials as linen, cotton or even silk. A rectangular cloak called a palla was sometimes worn over the top of the stola. Rich women wore great deal of jewelries.

- Source:- Ancient Romans; World Book