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Western Roman Empire A Tour Through History

To Solve Your Greatest Roman MysteriesMichael Lemons

ThesisI will be discussing the Western Roman Empire taking place from 300 CE-500 CE. The Western Roman Empire was a prosperous empire that was one of the two new states created during the roman split. As Christianity became wild spread, the empire became known as the Holy Roman Empire. In my paper, I will cover the important events that took place during this time, as well as how people lived their every day lives in 300 CE.

Topic• In my paper, I will compare and contrast the daily life's of the people

that lived in the Western Roman Empire with todays people• Talk about any important events that occurred during this time• What dissolved the empire• Discuss why they were one of the greatest civilizations in history

Why The Western Roman Empire Was One Of The Greats

• Sheer size• The Western Roman Empire was massive through-out most of its time, only

slowing down in growth around 500 CE.

• Military• The empire had a rather large army with highly skilled troops.

• Economy• In the end, the economy came back to bite them, but in its prime, it could

rival with those of today.

The Mighty Roman Empire

Military• One of the largest at the time

• Feared

• Highly skilled

• Had no problem taking what they wanted

Facts About Roman Civilization

• In 285 CE the Western Roman Empire was created by the Emperor Diocletian, Gaius Aurelius, as a way to better control the large empire

• The Western Roman Empire rose as a better way to control Rome's vast land, too large to be governed by one chair in Rome

• The decline was accompanied by the Roman emperors in the west being overthrown by the Germanic leader Odoacer

• The Western Roman empire being created itself is pretty remarkable, Rome had so much land that in order to govern it better they split it up.

• Creation in 285 CE, January 9 festival to Janus, February 13-21 The Romans would remember their dead, Ouinctilis 6-13 games in honor of Apollo

• They had a constant rivalry with Persian cities, always butting heads, one side takes a little land, the other side takes it back

• The relationship between Rome and Persian was not the best, taking each others land was very common

Major Rulers

• Although Western Rome was its own province it was still under rule by the Roman Emperor. They had “emperor’s” but they were not in full control

• Honorius Romulus Augustulus

• Majorian

Known for having a chaotic reign towards the end of the empire

Prominent general, one of the last that make effort to restore western Rome

Known as the master of soldiers, made Julius Nepos leave Italy

Language, Writing, and Culture

• The Western Romans, like the Eastern Romans, spoke Latin primarily, but some also spoke Greek• Not much writing came out of Rome, most people were not educated, and never learned how to

read or write• Culture of Western Rome was much like culture everywhere else in Rome• They would watch events in the colosseums, go to plays, visit taverns, and go to bath houses• An average day in the city of Mediolanum was hectic, and full of busy people.• Mediolanum was a booming city full of jobs, and with these jobs came many people• People would rush around town, trading this, and selling that, doing all sorts of various jobs• Mediolanum was known as the center of Christianity in the roman empire, so people that lived it

the city were very religious• Western Rome was the same as the rest of Rome when it came to birthdays, ect. They would

celebrate things that involved their loved ones

Social Structure, Science, Agriculture

• The Western Roman Empire had slaves, which comprised of people that were captured in battle, and up to forty percent of the population was slaves

• Many classes would own slaves, it was not just the upper classes• People in the middle class would own one or two slaves to help around the house and do little

things here and there• The upper classes and royalty would have many slave which would do everything for them, even

fanning them while they ate• The lower class, or peasants were in some cases seen as nobodies, who had no importance• There were no real scientific advances, other than the creation of irrigation systems that would

bring water to the towns people• They would grow things like grapes, apples, barley, but they were most known for growing olives

Economy and Military Accomplishments

• The economy was mostly based off of a trading and bartering system• The farmers would grow something and take it to the market to sell or trade for something• Not much can grow in Western Rome so people would have to travel a lot to trade for things they

want• Some would transport goods all over the Roman Empire to trade and sell• If you were in a bigger city than you might have shipments of things coming into you• The Western Roman Military, other wise known as the Late Roman Army did not have the best

reputation, even being called the half trained army• They focused of speed and cavalry, trying to overwhelm their opponents

Religion, Education and Major cities

• Some of their religious customs were reading of scripture, if they could, and participation in rites such as baptisms

• They believed in one god and refused to worship the Roman Gods• At first the empire felt threatened my religion but then later accepted it• People would practice religion everyday through prayer• People in the Western Roman Empire took religion seriously, seeing that their capital city was also the center of

Christianity• The only people that got educated were people that came from money, you would not get an education if you

were a farmers son or daughter• The capital of the Western Roman Empire was Mediolanum, which is the ancient city of Milan, was best known

as being this massive hub for jobs and religion, it was the capital up to 401 CE• Another major city was Ravenna, which was around the northern boarder, and is best known for being the place

where the Western Roman Empire collapsed, as it was the capital at the time the empire fell• Lastly, the most known city in the western empire Rome, Which was known for its art and extreme architecture

Art and Architecture

• Roman art is well known around the world for being some of the most beautiful art ever created• Well known Roman art can be anything from paintings, metal-works, gem engravings, ect…, and it

looks like they have mastered them all• The art that came out of Rome told a story of peoples lives or things going on around them• Here are a few examples

Architecture

• Roman are is renewed and can be recognized anywhere• Roman architecture is big in using materials like marble and granite• Everything with Roman architecture is grand and over the top, with arches that

look they are defying gravity

Housing and Transportation

• For the every day person, the housing was very basic• Most homes later in the empire had a primitive sewage system• It was not uncommon for a home to have a couple of bed rooms,

along with a kitchen and a place for the slaves to stay if they lived in the house• People in the upper middle class and upper class would often have a

garden, kind of the center peace of their home

Housing• Poor people would live in homes or apartments made from wood and

brick• Their housing can almost be compared to an early project• People in the middle class would most likely have their own home

made out of a little bit better quality material• While the rich would have their homes decorated with granite and

other expensive materials to show off their wealth

Transportation • If the everyday Roman needed to get around the town he or she would walk• If they wanted to travel a greater distance they might own a horse or mule, but

that was a cost that many could not afford• For the farmers that lived outside of the towns, they might load all their goods

onto a cart and have a large farm animal pull it into town for them• The rich would travel in grand chariots • If someone need to travel a great distance, they could hop on a ship and do their

traveling that way

Leisure and Entertainment

• For fun people would go down to the colosseum and watch what ever was being put on that day, which could be a variety of things


• The Romans also loved to go to the theater, here a group of people would put on plays, sometimes for thousands of people at a time


• The Romans loved violence, and this would show in their plays and in sport

Government and Politics

• The Government was ran by a king and elected officials• The king would turn to his council of nobles, also known as a senate,

if he needed help in making a decision• People in the senate had a life long tenure • People in the senate were known as the Patrician class


• There was a structured government, but the king was allowed to do whatever he wanted• They had things like a senate, but the king did not have to follow

anything that they said• If the king did not end up having the ability to change every decision

that he wanted, then Ancient Rome would have had a very will structured government


• There was little done in the time from the creation of the western and eastern parts of the empire and then their downfall, every thing stayed the same for the most part• The only thing the happened was that the eastern part of Rome had a

little sub government that had some control over their part of the empire, but everything ended up getting checked my the king in the western part of Rome to get the okay


• The structure of the government is not majorly different now then it was back in the ancient days • Rome no longer has a king that rules the land• Italy now has a president, as well as a prime minister• There is still a senate in place, but that is pretty much the only

similarity

A Tour Through HistoryTo Solve Your Greatest Roman Mysteries

Monuments so nice you will try to pronounce them twice

• 1: Piazza del Campidoglio• 2: Fori Imperiali• 3: Colosseum• 4: Arch of Constantine• 5: Forum Romano & Palatino• 6: The Partheon• 7: Scala di Spagna• 8: Piazza Navona• 9: Fontana dei Trevi• A TOUR LIKE THIS, YOUWONT WANT TO MISS

Citations

• History.com Staff. "Colosseum." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.

• Mark, Joshuancyclopedia J. "Western Roman Empire." Ancient History Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.

• "Mediolanum." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.• "Ancient Rome." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.• Whye, John. "The Roman Coliseum." Johnwhye. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.• "Ancient Roman Theaters - Crystalinks." Ancient Roman Theaters - Crystalinks. N.p., n.d. Web.

15 Dec. 2016.• "Khan Academy." Khan Academy. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.