Ancient Rome
Beginning of Rome
Legend of Romulus and Remus
Circa 750 BCE
Abandoned brothers
Raised by She-Wolf
Romulus killed Remus
Early Government
Republic
Form of government in which the power rests with the citizens who then vote to select their leaders to represent them
Social ClassesPatricians
Wealthy land owners, nobles, controlled government
PlebeiansFarmers and workers, works to increase power
SlavesNo power
Early Government
Three bodies that control aspects of government
Senate – Controls public funds, Foreign policy
Magistrates – Advised by SenateConsuls - Two, 1 year terms, Checks & Balances, veto
Praetors – Help consuls
Censors – Registered citizens by wealth
Dictator – Absolute ruler, 6 months, time of crisis
AssembliesTribunes – leader of Plebeian Assemblies, 10
Voted on laws, elected officials
5
Conflict of the Orders
Plebeians
Felt left out of political life.
Leave Rome
Set up own city on nearby hill
Creates its own ruling body
Tribal assembly
Return
After the patricians in the Senate agreed to share power
6
Growth of Plebeian Power
Plebes can serve at all levels of priesthood.Decisions of the plebeian assembly are binding on ALL Roman citizens, not only on the plebes.
287
First plebe elected consul.366
Marriage between patricians and plebes legalized.
445
The Twelve Tables – Plebes, fearful of abuse of power, wanted codification of law. The Twelve Tables of Roman Law were etched on bronze plaques.
451 BCE
Roman Republic vs. U. S. Government(No need to copy)
Rome United States
Executive 2 Consuls, elected by the assembly for 1 year, commander of army
President, elected by citizens for 4 years, commander of army
Legislative Senate-300 memebersTribal Assembly- elected according to where they liveBoth elected for life
Senate-100 members, 6 yr termsHouse of Representatives-435 members, 2 yr . terms
Judicial Praetors-eight judges chosen for 1 year
Supreme Court-9 justices, appointed for life by President
Legal Code Twelve Tables – list of rules that were the basis of Roman Law
U.S. Constitution
Citizenship All adult male landowners only
All native-born or naturalized people
Republic Grows
200 years of wars with neighbors expands Rome’s Empire
ArmyAdult Landowning males
Strict discipline
Legion – groups of 4500-6000 soldiers
Well trained, high morals
Wise policiesAreas Close to Rome granted full citizenship
Further areas given partial citizenship– Even Greek City States– Own property– Could Marry– Could not vote
Areas remain independent– Required to send soldiers– Land for Roman farms
Punic Wars 264 – 146 BCECarthage
Powerful city
Controlled Sicily
Leary of Rome
Rome leery of Carthage’s NavyKnows they need a Navy
Strikes first
1st Punic War 264 – 241 BCE
War for control of SicilyTest for Rome’s new navy
Based off captured Carthaginian ship
Used ‘boarding bridges’ and land tactics– 35 ft. tall, on a swivel
23 years of war
ResultCarthage asks for Peace
Rome gets money
Rome controls Sicily
Gains Corsica and Sardinia shortly after
2nd Punic War 218 – 202 BCE
Carthage attacks Northern ItalyCarthaginian General Hannibal
Foot and horse soldiers, Elephants
Cross Alps
Roman soldiers no match, retreat
No equipment to attack citiesDestroys and raids farms and countryside
Tried to gain roman support
Roman turn the tide of warInvades Africa
Hannibal called home
Scipio defeats Hannibal
ResultRome gets money
Carthage gives up most of Navy
Rome gains Spanish colonies
Rome most powerful in area
3rd Punic War 149 – 146 BCE
Rome wants to destroy CarthageCarthage no longer a threat
This is personal
Hannibal and Scipio
ResultCarthage Destroyed
Rome has also conquered MacedoniaRetaliation for helping Carthage (2nd PW)
Greek City States under Rome's ‘protection’
Expansion Problems
Growth forces government to changeSenate
Complete control of army and foreign policy
ProvincesGoverned loosely
Not citizens, not allies, subjects of Rome
Had Governors with military backing– Took bribes– No concern for people– Squeezed by tax collectors
Expansion Problems
Problems At homeSoldiers homes, livestock and farms destroyed by war
No money to fix, had to sell
Rome becomes dependent on imported grains
Moved to citiesHard to find jobs
Rely on government for support
Increased trade creates a business classEquites
Great wealth and political power
Gap between rich and poor grows
Weakening Republic
Gracchus brothersTiberius – Elected Tribune 133 BCE
Supported help for farmer-soldiers
Angered Senators and supporters– Clubbed to death
Gaius – Elected Tribune 123 and 122 BCEUsed public funds to buy grain
– Sold to poor for cheap
Angered senators
Killed by rioters
Violence replaces respect for law and politics
Social War
Italian AlliesRome resists calls for Italian allies to gain citizenship and hold office
Allies RebelOne of bloodiest wars in Rome’s history
Rome wins but gives into demands
Italians start to view themselves as ‘Romans’
Social War
Political IssuesGaius Marius
General and Consul, makes changes in political system
Creates an army of volunteers – Paid well and war loot
Other Generals follow suit
Civil War breaks out
SullaGeneral, conquerors Rome
Rules as dictator
Restores power to Senate– Increases number from 200 to 300– Given complete control of government
Julius CaesarNephew of Marius
General, powerful speaker, becoming popular– has support of poor
First Triumvirate
Means rule by Three
60 BCECrassus - dies in battle in 53 BCE
Caesar – military command in Gaul (France)Gains military support
Pompey – Sole ConsulJealous of Caesar
Orders him home w/o army
Caesar refuses – Attacks Rome
Pompey flees to GreeceCaesar defeats him then heads to Africa
Places Cleopatra, an ally, on the throne
Returns to RomeSenate declares him ‘Dictator for life’
Increases Senate to 900 seats
Senators fear his ambitionAssassinated - March 15, 44 BCE‘Ides of March’
Caesar v. Pompey
Second Triumvirate
43 – 33 BCELepidus
Octavian forced him to retire
Marc AntonyDrove Caesar’s conspirators out of Rome
Led army to east to reconquer areas in Asia Minor
Joined Cleopatra in Egypt
Ruled Eastern half of empire
Octavian-nephew of Caesar Ruled Western half of empire
Convinced the Senate to declare war on Marc and Cleopatra
Defeats Marc and Cleopatra’s navy and takes Alexandria
Fearing capture Marc Antony commits suicideCleopatra does the same – Death by poisonous snake
Augustus/Octavian 63 BCE – 14 CE
Nephew and adopted son of Julius CaesarWanted to restore the Republic
Called himself ‘First Citizen’Senate gave title Augustus = Revered oneConsidered First Emperor
“Ablest Emperor of Rome”Reformed the government by adding a civil service, paid workersSystem of roads “All roads lead to Rome”Strengthened army and navyIncreased the size of the Roman Empire
Beginning of Pax Romana27 BCE – 180 CE
Height of Empire
Julio-Claudian Emperors
Relatives of Julius CaesarTiberius
14-37 CE – Adequate but disliked
Caligula 37-41 CE – Brutal, Insane, murdered
Claudius41-54 CE – Smart, wise, conquered Britain
– Poisoned by wife
Nero 54-68 CE – Blamed for fire in Rome
– Killed himself vs. waiting to be assassinated
Five Good Emperors
No set policy for choosing a leaderMany named own successor
Many lose military support
69 CE – 4 different Emperors at the same time
Nerva 96 – 98 CE
Trajan 98-117 CE
Hadrian117-138 CE – Spanish born
Built wall to protect northern frontier, sea to sea in Britain
Antoninus Pius138-161 CE
Marcus Aurelius 161-180 CE
Preferred Stoic philosophy to war
Defended Empire against invaders from the north and south
Last of Rome’s “good emperors”
Roman Society and Culture
Government & LawIn many ways strongest element of Rome
Kept order, Enforced laws
Two major changes to 12 Tables1 – Govt. passes laws as needed
2 – Judges interrupt laws for current times
Laws applied to all people
Roman Law - Basis for our laws todayInnocent till proven guiltyFair trial for both sidesJudges base decision on evidence
Roman Society and Culture
Science and ArtsMedicine
Galen– Wrote multi-volume work summarizing
all know medical knowledge.
Astronomy and GeographyPtolemy
– Sun, planets, stars revolve around the earth
– Believed for over 1500 years
Roman Society and Culture
Science and ArtsEngineering
Roads– Layers construction
Aqueducts– Bridge-like structures built to
carry water from mountains to city
ArchitectureArch
Vaulted Arch– Large rooms with high ceilings
Roman Society and Culture
LanguageAlphabet
Greeks –> Etruscans –> Romans23 letters
Roman/Latin alphabet23 letter + ‘j’, ‘y’, ‘w’
Used throughout Europe and Roman Catholic Church
Basis for ‘romance languages’Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Romanian
LawLanguageRepublic
Troubled Times
Empire sliding in to crisisMany struggle for power
Invaders threaten
Civil War
InflationDecrease in value of money + higher prices
Daily life Becomes hard for many
Border attacks
Economic problemsSmall farmers forced to sell
Attempts at Reform
Some progress pushing back invaders
Economy still shaky
DiocletianGeneral and Emperor 284 CE
Empire too large for one person to manage
Appointed a co-emperor, and assistants
Diocletian ruled the Eastern half– Empire first, individual freedom second
Drove out invading barbarian tribes
Controlled prices, wages
Reforms slow decline, but do not stop it
305 CE, both emperors retire
Attempts at ReformTwo Assistants take over rule
One dies, his son Constantine takes overNot recognized by emperor in the east
Civil War breaks out
ConstantineEventually wins war, sole emperor 324 CE
Brought stability back to the empire
Supported Christianity
Created a new capital in the East– Constantinople
Dies 337 CE
Empire remains stable for about 50 more years
Two halves of empire break apartWest grows weaker and weaker
East becomes center of power and wealth
Final Invasions
Goths, Vandals, Franks and others
GothsTried to settle in Empire to escape Hun invaders
Treated badly
Revolt in 375 CECrushed Roman Army
Goths allowed to settle under own leaders– If joined Roman Army
Visigoths410 CE
Alaric (king) attacks and sacks Rome
First time in 800 years
Final Invasions
VandalsTook advantage of chaos, little opposition
Advances through to African Coast
Return to sack Rome
HunsNomadic people from Asia
Raiders and plunderers
Led by AttilaAttacked Gaul (France)
Defeated by army of Roman and Visigoth soldiers
Results of Invasion
Romulus Augustulus Last Roman Emperor14 year old boyDeposed and sent into exile in 476
Western HalfGermanic tribes set up kingdomsLearning declines
Schools and libraries destroyedOvertime knowledge of world and past declines
Eastern half of EmpireByzantine EmpireSurvives and flourishes
Causes for Decline
Reasons for the decline:Destroyed from within…..
1 - Political – Government not efficient for size of empire as it grows, grew fast to quick, office seen as a burden, division of empire, moving of capital
2 - Social – lack of patriotism, huge difference between rich and poor, little interest in public affairs, low confidence in empire
3 - Economic – poor harvests, inflation, no more war plunder, heavy taxes, disruption of trade
Military- threat from northern tribes, low funds for defense, lack of interest in army, lack of loyalty, dependent on foreign troops for defense