the roman world takes shape

The Roman World Takes Shape

Truly the Romans were justified in calling the Mediterranean Mare Nostrum or “Our Sea.”

Assess the validity of this statement.

The Roman World Takes ShapeGeography – •Boot shaped peninsula centrally located in the Mediterranean Sea.•The city of Rome was located in the center of Italy.•Italy, as compared to Greece, was easier to unify because of geography:

Less rugged mountainsConnected – not isolated islandsFertile plains in the North and West supported a large population

The Roman World Takes ShapePeoples – •Ancestors were Indo-Europeans called Latins.•Established villages along the Tiber River. These villages would later grow creating Rome.•Shared the peninsula with Greek colonists in the South and Etruscans in the North.•Diffused with the Etruscans and the Greeks:•Alphabet•Arch, Column, Engineering•Religion & Government

The Roman World Takes ShapeCultural Diffusion – •Spread important aspects of Greece, Egypt, and Fertile Crescent West into Europe.•Strong belief in the Roman virtues of courage, loyalty, and devotion to duty.

The Roman World Takes ShapeRoman Patricians

•Very powerful – members of the Senate.•300 elected with life terms.•Landholding upper-class.•Elects 2 Consuls – supervise the business and military affairs.•Issue decrees and interpret laws.

The Roman World Takes ShapeRoman Plebeian

•Farmers, merchants, artisans, and traders.•Looking to gain more power:

12 TablesElection of TribunesElection of Plebeian to the Senate

The Roman World Takes ShapeRoman Soldiers

•Legion – 5000 men•Well disciplined, efficient, courageous, and trained army.•Citizen Soldiers – fought without pay and with their own weapons.•Operated with a rewards and punishment system.

The Roman World Takes ShapeRoman Society

•Male dominant – absolute power.•Women worked at home but could run businesses. Over time, women gained more freedom and influence.•Children were educated especially the wealthy. Some used Greek tutors.•Religion closely resembled the gods and goddesses of the Etruscans and Greeks.

The Roman World Takes ShapeA Citizen of a Conquered Land

•Treated with justice and toleration.•Had to acknowledge Roman supremacy and leadership.•Had to pay tribute ($$) to Rome and supply soldiers.•Allowed to keep their own customs.•Roman Empire was protected by military outposts and connected by an all-weather road system.

Rome’s Early Road System

Roman Roads: The Appian Way

Imperial Roman Road System

Carthaginian Empire

Hannibal’s Route

From Republic to EmpireThe Punic Wars (264B.C. – 146 B.C.) – •1st Punic War – Rome gains Sicily, Corsica, and Sardinia•2nd Punic War – Rome defeats Hannibal and Carthage gives up all land except in Africa•3rd Punic War – Rome destroys Carthage and controls all of the Mediterranean

**Imperialism – establishing control over foreign lands and peoples**

From Republic to EmpireEffects of Expansion – •New provinces with rich trade routes – A new wealthy class develops. •Lavish mansions - huge plantations - inexpensive food. •This hurt small farmers because it caused a drop in prices – Farmers became part of an unemployed angry class which led to riots. •Gap between rich & poor.

From Republic to EmpireGracchus Reforms – •Distributed land to the poor.•Use funds to feed the poor.•Offer full citizenship to allies.•Both were killed as they were a threat to the power of the Senate. Civil Wars – •100 years – Caused by a struggle for power.

From Republic to EmpireJulius Caesar – •Dominated Roman military & politics. •Conquests of new lands (Gaul).•Threat to the Senate & Pompey. Forced Senate to make him dictator.•Reforms included public works, unemployment, redistribution of land, province reorganization, offer citizenship, Julian Calendar (still in use).•Killed by rivals – sets off war between Marc Anthony & Octavian

Beware the Ides of March!44 BCE

From Republic to EmpireOctavian – •After Caesar, he becomes the new dictator and is renamed “Augustus.” •Sets up a stable government, efficient civil service, job opportunities, self-government to provinces, a new census to make the tax system fair, creates a postal system, new currency, and public works.•Official end of the Republic.

From Republic to EmpireGood & Bad Emperors – •Caligula & Nero – bad, brutal, and insane rulers.•Hadrian & Marcus Aurelius - Good, stable rulers.Pax Romana – •200 year period from Augustus to Aurelius.•Prosperous trade, safe society, and cultural diffusion.

From Republic to EmpireFamily, Religion, and Entertainment – •Male run household.•Women gained freedom.•Celebrated many gods and goddesses – very similar to the Greeks. •Circus Maximus, gladiator contests, Bread & Circuses (food/drink for the poor).

“Greece has conquered her rude conqueror”- Horace

Assess the validity of this statement.

Greco-Roman CivilizationLiterature, Philosophy & History – •Used many Greek styles•Aeneid, by Virgil spoke of Roman heroism•History taught about the rise and fall of Roman power.•Philosophy of Stoicism, which influenced Christianity and emphasized the well being of humans.

The Twelve Tables

Greco-Roman CivilizationArt & Architecture – •Imported Greek statues.•Used Greek decorations.•Use of the column, dome and arch.•Construction was usually larger than Greek architecture (Parthenon vs. Pantheon).

The Roman Forum

The Pantheon and Santa Maria Sopra Minerva

The Roman Colosseum (Coliseum)

The Colosseum Interior

Greco-Roman CivilizationLegal System – •Concepts have been shared with many western civilization and cultures including the United States.•Two systems –

Civil Law – laws that applied to citizensLaw of Nations – laws that applied to citizens and non-citizens.

•Legal system created unity and stability (140).

Greco-Roman CivilizationSciences – •Excelled in building bridges, aqueducts, sewers, water lines, and bath houses.•Ptolemy – Earth was the center of the universe.•Galen – Medical dictionary.•Concern for scientific experiments, mapmaking, public health issues, science, math, and a wide variety of subject areas.

Roman Aqueducts

Roman Aqueducts

Circus Maximus

The Greatest Extent of the Roman Empire – 14 CE

The Rise of Christianity1. Romans were basically tolerant of the varied religious

traditions in the empire, and even excused the Jews from worshipping Roman gods, which would have been a violation of Judaism.

2. Founded by Jesus, Christianity rose out of Palestine and was firmly rooted in the Jewish religion.

3. Despite Roman persecution, Christianity spread, partly due to its welcome of all people, especially the poor and oppressed.

4. Over time, the Christian Church developed into a hierarchical organization that allowed only men to become members of the clergy.

The Rise of Christianity

The Spread of Christianity

The Fall of the Roman Empire

“Roman civilization did not die a natural death. It was murdered.”- Andre Piganiol -

Asses the validity of this statement.

The Fall of the Roman EmpireThe Upheaval of Rome

• Death of Marcus Aurelius – End of the Pax Romana

• Numerous emperors to follow• High taxes• Debt slavery• Foreign invaders – Germanic peoples, Huns

(Attila), Visigoths, Vandals, Angles, Lombards, etc.

The Fall of the Roman EmpireAttempts at Reform

• Diocletian – –Divided the empire into two parts to restore

order and make it easier to govern (East & West).– Increase the image of the emperor by

establishing lavish ceremonies and rituals. Ex: Robe–Fixed prices on goods and services–Farmers had to remain on their lands and sons

had to keep the occupation of their father.

The Fall of the Roman EmpireAttempts at Reform

• Constantine – –Toleration to Christians by issuing the

Edict of Milan. –A new Capital was formed and called

Constantinople–Constantinople made the Eastern portion

of the Roman Empire the center of Roman life.

The Fall of the Roman EmpireThe Death of Rome

• Military – Lacked desire, discipline, and training. Had to rely on mercenaries.

• Government – Oppressive, Authoritarian, corrupt and divided.

• Economics – High taxes, debt, poverty, slavery, and laziness.

• Social – Decline in values such as patriotism, loyalty, devotion, and self-reliance.

• Christianity – Use of roads to spread message, devotion to God and not to the state, the offer of salvation provided hope.

The Empire in Crisis: 3c

Diocletian Splits the Empire in Two: 294 CE

Constantinople: “The 2nd Rome” (Founded in 330)