Rome: Republic to Empire

1. Founded 753 B.C. by Romulus and Remus, twin sons of the god Mars

2. Twins abandoned; raised by she-wolf3. Romulus killed Remus and founded city

of Rome

The Legend

A. Geography1.On 7 rolling hills

2.Tiber River – provides access to the sea

3.Center of Italian peninsula

1. Latins: original settlement at Rome on Palatine Hill; considered first Romans

2. Greeks: southern Italy and Sicily; involved in commerce

3. Etruscans: northern Italy; metalworkers and engineers; system of writing; architecture

B. First Romans - Rome was multicultural from the beginning

1. After series of harsh kings, Romans established a republic

2. Republic: power rests with citizens; right to vote for leaders

3. 2 groups battle for power a. patricians: wealthy landowners; most of the power; inherited power and status b. plebeians: common farmers, artisans, merchants; majority of population i. could vote but not hold important govt. positions

C. The Early Republic

c. eventually plebeians allowed to form own assembly and elect representatives called tribunes

d. tribunes: protect plebeians rights from unfair acts of patricians

C. The Early Republic continued…

ROMAN FORUM – built by Etruscans as home for government

4. 12 Tables: written law code granting equal protection under the law; basis for later Roman law

D. Government Under the Republic

•1. Balanced government – thought their govt. had taken the best features of a monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy and blended them together

•2. Consuls: 2; like kings; 1 year term; command military and govt.; wait 10 years before elected again a. veto: power to overrule the other’s decisions

•3. Senate: aristocratic branch; 300; foreign and domestic policy; legislative and administrative functions

4. Assemblies: democratic side of govt. a. Tribal Assembly: plebeians; made laws for people; serve for life b. Centuriate Assembly: soldiers only; help choose consuls; serve for life

5. Dictator: absolute power; appointed in times of crisis; make laws, command army; 6 month term

Government continued….

1. If owned land, had to serve2. Legions: military units of about 5,0003. Century: legions divided into smaller

groups of about 80 men, each was called a century

4. Military organization and fighting skill = key factors in Rome’s rise

E. Roman Army

1. 3 Wars with Carthage (North Africa)2. Control of Mediterranean3. Hannibal: Carthaginian general4. Carthage destroyed; Rome dominates

western Mediterranean

F. Punic Wars

1. managing increasing wealth and expanding boundaries2. lower classes unhappy – gap between rich and poor growing wider

3. breakdown in military order – generals seizing power for themselves – no longer loyal to Rome

4. rise of Julius Caesar

The Republic Collapses A. Problems the Republic was facing:

B. The Rise of Julius Caesar 1. joins with Crassus and Pompey to form First Triumvirate 2. appoints self governor of Gaul (France) 3. he and Pompey become rivals 4. defeats Pompey’s armies 5. appointed dictator by Senate 6. named “dictator for life”

 C. Caesar’s Reforms1. Grants Roman citizenship to provinces

2. Expands Senate3. Created jobs for the poor4. Started colonies 5. Increased pay for soldiers

D. Caesar’s Fate 1. Nobles and senators concerned over

Caesar’s popularity/success/power2. Others fear losing influence3. Saw him as a tyrant4. Stabbed to death March 15, 44 B.C.

by senators including Marcus Brutus – Caesar’s friend Whaaaaat?!?!? My BFF??!?

E. Beginning of an Empire•1. After Caesar died, civil war broke out and the Republic totally collapsed

•2. Octavian (Caesar’s grandnephew), Mark Antony, and Lepidus took control of Rome as the Second Triumvirate

•3. Lepidus forced to retire; Octavian and Mark Antony become rivals

•4. Octavian defeats Mark Antony and Queen Cleopatra’s forces and becomes ruler of Rome

•5. Octavian accepts title of Augustus – “exalted one” and imperator (emperor)

Beginning of an Empire continued….

6. Pax Romana: “Roman Peace”a. Rome at peak of power under Augustusb. 207 years of peace and prosperityc. Marcus Aurelius – last emperor to reign during

this time period

The Rise of Christianity

A. Background 1. government and religion

linked – gods were symbols of state

2. worshipped emperor as well 3. Roman power spread to Judea

– home of the Jews 4. according to the Bible, God

promised a savior (Messiah) would restore the Jews

5. as Empire grew so did a new religion - Christianity

B. Jesus of Nazareth 1. Jewish male from Judea; began public ministry

at 30 2. taught, preached, performed miracles 3. popularity concerned Roman and Jewish

leaders – arrested and sentenced to crucifixion 4. followers thought he was the Messiah because

-he rose from the dead after 3 days -ascended (went up) to Heaven

5. Christos: Greek for “messiah” or “savior”

C. The Appeal of Christianity 1. embraced all people 2. gave hope to the powerless 3. personal relationship with a loving

God 4. eternal life after death

D. Persecution of the Christians 1. refused to worship Roman gods and

emperor 2. used Christians as scapegoats for

problems

E. Constantine 1. Roman Emperor 2. converted to Christianity

3. issued Edict of Milan: allowed Christianity in the empire/said Christianity was approved by the emperor

4. ended formal persecution of Christians

F. The Early Church 1. Pope: head of the church 2. first Pope – Apostle Peter 3. bishop: priest; supervised

local churches

4. Rome was the center of the church

5. Nicene Creed: outlined basic beliefs of the church

A. Emperors Attempt Reform1. Diocletian – ruled with an iron fist

a. limited personal freedomsb. doubled the size of the army

c. set fixed prices for goods (to control inflation)

The Fall of the Empire

d. divided the empire into east and west i. Greek speaking East / Latin speaking West

e. shared authority but kept overall control for himself

f. retired in 305 A.D.

…Emperor Diocletian continued

2. Constantine – takes over western part of empirea. secured the east – restoring the idea of 1 rulerb. moved capital from Rome to Byzantiumc. moved capital from Rome to Byzantium and

renamed it Constantinople–“city of Constantine” d. after Constantine’s death, the empire is divided

againi. East survivesii. West crumbles

Political Social Economic Military

Political office seen as a burden, not reward

Decline in interest in public affairs

Poor harvests Threat from northern European tribes

Military interference in politics

Low confidence in empire

Disruption of trade Low funds for defense

Civil war and unrest

Disloyalty, lack of patriotism, corruption

No more war plunder

Problems recruiting Roman citizens; recruiting of non-Romans (mercenaries)

Division of Empire

Contrast between rich and poor

Gold and silver drain; inflation; increased taxes

Decline of patriotism and loyalty among soldiers

Moving of capital to Byzantium

Decline in population due to disease and food shortage

Widening gap b/w rich and poor and increasingly impoverished Western Empire

N/A

B. Reasons the empire collapsed:

C. Germanic Invasions1. Huns – Mongol nomads from central Asia2. Huns invaded Germanic people (Vandals, Visigoths, etc) who had been living on the borders of the Roman Empire3. Germanic people (called barbarians by Romans) moved into Roman lands to flee from Huns4. Attila the Hun – unites the Huns - leads attack on Rome

D. The west fell and the eastern half of the empire becomes the Byzantine Empire.

E. Political power had ended but Rome’s culture influenced the development of western civilization.

Roots of Western Civilization A. Greco-Roman culture: mixing of elements

of Greek, Hellenistic, and Roman cultures (classical civilization)

B. Fine Arts 1. mosaics: pictures or designs made with

pieces of stone, glass, or tile

2. Virgil – poet – wrote Aenid: in praise of Rome and Roman virtues

3. Livy – history of Rome

C. The Legacy of Rome1. language 2. architecture

i. dome ii. Colosseumiii. aqueducts: use of the arch

to bring water into the city

iv. Roman roads

Aqueducts – carried water into city

Clay pipes (lower right) tapped into

Aqua Claudia

Photo by Wilke Schram

The entire system was gravity-fed. Very subtle gradients maintained the flow of water. Occasionally, a system of

pressurized pipe, called an inverted siphon, was used to push the water a short distance uphill.

Roman aqueduct, ca. 19 BCE, Pont du Gard, France

Similar aqueducts

were constructed all over the

empire. Some are still in use

today.

3. System of Law – most lasting and widespread contribution of Romans

i. laws should be fair and apply equallyii. principles of Roman law form basic

legal system in many European countries & the United States

Legacy of Rome continued…

Medieval map of Rome showing the Colosseum

Roads – trade, troops, connecting with East