RomeChapter 5

Geography• Located on the Italian Peninsula (750 miles long North to South)

• Three important fertile plains ideal for farming allowed it to support a large population.

• Rome was favorably located 18 miles inland on the Tiber River.– It had easy access to the sea but was safe from pirates.

– It was easily defended because it was built on seven hills.

– Rome also was a natural stopping point for travelers of the Mediterranean Sea .

Ancient Peoples Who Became Romans:

• Indo-European peoples moved into Italy from about 1500 to 1000 B.C.

• Latins from Latium• Herders & Farmers• Spoke Latin and Indo-European Language

• Etruscans from Etruria– Made a huge impact on the Romans

People Who Influenced Greece

• Etruscans– Organization

• Greeks– Alphabet– Greek Gods

ETRUSCANS• Created small empire in northern Italy

• Took over early Romans shortly after they arrived

• City of Rome founded under Etruscan rule. They found Rome a village and left it a city

– Meeting place between Etruscan and Greek merchants

– Romans borrowed aspects of their civilization from both

• Legacy: – Toga– Organization of the Army– Arch

Overview of Roman Civilization • Roman Civilization is divided into three eras:

– Archaic Rome (the development era)– Roman Republic (the true character of Rome)– Roman Empire (the expansive ever changing era)

• When we study the Roman Civilization we look at what made them successful. The things that made them successful are also their greatest legacies, their law, their language and their legions.

• The Romans left us many ideas on how to hold together an expansive and diverse civilization as well as great technologies such as road building and medical advancements.

• They had a higher standard of living than other civilizations of their time. (They lived longer, in better conditions, had more than enough food to live, children lived longer, others seemed to want what they had, other) They were a "successful" civilization.

Overview of Roman Civilization

Republic

• Early Rome was ruled by a King, some who were Etruscan.

• 509 BC – Romans overthrow a Estruscan King and establish a republic

• In a republic the leader is not a King and certain citizens have the right to vote

ROMAN REPUBLIC• Not a democracy

– Monopolized by nobility (patricians) and wealthy commoners (plebians)

– Ordinary people excluded from meaningful political participation

• Possessed elected officials– Top officials were consuls (2

elected each year)– Several citizen assemblies

• Tribal Assembly (legislature)• Senate (powerful advisory

assembly)• Devised to run a small city-state but

not adequate for running an empire

ROMAN REPUBLIC

• Enemies surrounded Rome, so the young republic began a period of continuous warfare.

• The defeated:– The last of the Etruscan Kingdom to the North– Greeks to the South

Roman Citizens

• Patricians – ruling class who owned large tracts of land.

• Plebeians – small farmers, craftspeople and merchants

•Both Groups could vote only Partricians could hold public office

The Republic

• The Romans were successful as well because they were good diplomats who were shrewd in extending Roman citizenship and allowing states to run their internal affairs.

• They also were skilled, persistent soldiers and brilliant strategists.

• For example, they built towns throughout conquered Italy and connected them with roads, allowing soldiers to be deployed quickly.

The Roman State:Government & Law

• Two consuls ran the government and led the army into battle. (1 year terms)

• The praetor (judge) directed the civil law, or law applied to citizens.

• Senate – 300 patricians evolved to have the rule of the law

Government

• The plebeians wanted political and social equality, especially because they fought in the army to protect Rome.

• Finally, in 471 B.C. a popular assembly called

the council of the plebs was created.

• Despite these gains, a wealthy ruling class

dominated political life.

The Roman State• One of Rome’s most important contributions was

its system of law.

• Rome’s first code of law, the Twelve Tables, was adopted in 450 B.C. – Laws were written down

• Later Romans adopted a more sophisticated

system of civil law, which applied to Roman citizens only.

The success of the Roman Empire involved several factors.

• 1. The Roman army was powerful and well-organized.

• 2. Roman representatives usually employed skillful diplomacy.

• 3. The Roman legal system was flexible and efficient (written.)

• 4. Government was handled efficiently.

PUNIC WARS• Against Carthage• Three over a 120 year period (264-

146 BC)• Rome won all three• Carthage completely destroyed

after Third Punic War• Rome takes over all former

Carthaginian territory in Western Mediterranean

• First Punic War was a conflict over Sicily– Rome gained control of Sicily

Punic Wars

CARTHAGE (first battle)

Former Phoenician trading post

Commercial city

Had western Mediterranean empire

Felt threatened by Rome’s rise to dominance in Italy

Punic War #2 – Hannibal • Carthage wanted revenge.

• Hannibal, the greatest Carthaginian general, began the Second Punic War, which lasted from 218 to 201 B.C.

• To take the war to Rome, Hannibal entered Spain,

moved east, and then crossed the Alps with a large army, including a large number of horses and 37 battle elephants.

• Many soldiers and animals died during the crossing, but

Rome was still under a real threat.

Punic War #2 – Hannibal • At the Battle of Cannae, Rome lost almost

forty thousand men.

• In response, Rome raised another army.

• Meanwhile, Hannibal roamed throughout Italy but could not successfully attack the major cities.

• In a brilliant move, Rome attacked Carthage, forcing the recall of Hannibal.

• At the Battle of Zama, Rome crushed

Hannibal’s forces. •Spain became a Roman province, and Rome controlled the western Mediterranean.

Third & Final Punic War• Fifty years later, the Romans fought

the Third Punic War.

• In 146 B.C., Roman soldiers sacked Carthage.

• Fifty thousand men, women, and children were sold into slavery.

• The territory of Carthage became a Roman province called Africa.

Shift from Republic to Empire• Growth pains after the Punic Wars cause financial

problems

• Roman economy had problems

– The backbone of Rome’s army and state had always been the small farmers, but now many lost their lands to large, wealthy landowners.

– Use of slave labor puts the poor out of work

– Landless poor go to cities – but still can’t find work

– Military troops were now being paid and putting extra stress on the government

• Huge reason for the eventual downfall of the Republic

• The empire was plagued from the beginning with its financial burden

• Proposed reformers killed:– Tiberius & Gaius Gracchus, reform-minded

aristocrats, believed that the problem was the decline of the small farmer.

– They called for laws giving the public land of the aristocrats back to the landless poor.

– They were both murdered

Shift from Republic to Empire

Collapse of Roman Republic

• From 82 to 31 B.C., civil wars beset Rome. Generals

• begin to use armies for their own gain.

• Three men–Crassus, Pompey, and Julius Caesar–emerged victorious.

• Crassus was wealthy, and the other two were military commanders and heroes.

• They combined their power to form the First Triumvirate in 60

B.C.

• A triumvirate is a government by three people with equal power.

• Each man had a military command.

• When Crassus was killed, the Senate decided that rule by Pompey alone would be best, and it ordered Julius Caesar to give up his command.

• He refused. He kept his loyal army and moved into Italy illegally by crossing the Rubicon River. (Our expression “to cross the Rubicon” means unable to turn back.)

Collapse of Roman Republic

• Caesar defeated Pompey and became first dictator in 45 B.C.

– Well liked Reforms by Julias Ceasar

• Granted citizenship to many people

• Added representation from many provinces

• Provided jobs – Public Works Projects

• Landless gain land by going to colonies

• Welfare – free gain to the poorest

• New Calendar

• A group of leading senators assassinated Caesar in 44 B.C.

Collapse of Roman Republic

• Octavian, Antony, and Lepidus formed the Second Triumvirate after Caesar’s death.

• Soon, however, Octavian and Antony divided the Roman world between themselves: Octavian took the west and Antony took the east.

• Inevitably, they came into conflict.

• Antony allied and fell in love with Egypt’s queen Cleopatra VII.

• The two fight each other for power

• The end of the Second Triumvirate ends the Republic

Collapse of Roman Republic

BATTLE OF ACTIUM• 31 BC• Marked end of the

Roman Revolution• Octavian defeats

forces of Marc Antony and Cleopatra off the coast of Greece

• Roman power survives intact but the price was high– Roman Republic

ceased to exist

OCTAVIAN

MarcAntony

Cleopatra

AUGUSTUS • Octavian is named Augustus “revered one”

• First emperor

• Created new government adequate to running world-wide empire

• Retained republican institutions but robbed them of all power

• Kept all power in his own hands

• Kept sole control of army

WEAKNESSES IN THE AUGUSTAN SYSTEM

• ARMY

• Ties with emperor were personal

• Never attempted to institutionalize relationship

• Roman army only loyal to person of emperor—not state

• SUCCESSION

• Never set up clear cut system

• Choice of heir left to current emperor

• Might choose relative or friend

• Heir had to have support of army

The Roman Empire• So called because a series of Emperors ruled Rome

• Part of Augustus’s political system allowed emperors to be selected from family

• The next four emperors were family members and poor leaders: Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero.

• Under them the emperor gained more power and

became more corrupt.

Caligula was a madman who killed many people, including his sister, and appointed his

favorite horse senator.

Nero murdered his wife and his mother, and very possibly started the fire in 64 AD that lasted 9 days and burned half of Rome.

The Roman Empire

• The next five were good emperors

• These emperors created a period of peace a prosperity known as “Pax Romana” or “Roman Peace”

• There was peace and order literally throughout the far-flung empire during these 200+ years.

Accomplishments of Pax Romana

• Stopped arbitrary executions

• Respected ruling class

• Maintained Peace

• Took more power from Senate

• Widespread building projects

ROME AT THE TIME OF THE Pax Romana

Roman Culture & Society

• Romans developed taste for Greek art and literature during the 2nd and 3rd centuries

• Reproductions became popular and more realistic

• Greek statues adorned their cities and homes.

• Roman sculptors added realistic, even unpleasant features to the idealized Greek forms.

Roman Culture & Society

• The Romans created forms based on curved lines: the dome, arch, and vault.

• They were also first-class engineers who built enduring roads, bridges, and aqueducts.

• They built 50,000 miles worth of roads throughout the empire.

• The city of Rome’s many aqueducts supplied one million people with water.

• In line with their practical bent, the Romans excelled at architecture.

Roman Inventions

Roman Family• Unlike the Greeks, the Romans raised their

children at home.

• All upper-class Roman children learned to read.

• Teachers often were Greek slaves because prospering in the empire required knowing both Greek and Latin

Roman Family• Roman boys learned reading and writing, moral principles, family

values, law, and physical training.

• Roman males ended their childhood at 16 with a special ceremony.

• They exchanged their purple-edge togas for the white toga of

manhood.

• Some upper-class girls were educated privately or in primary schools.

• At the time the boys entered secondary schools, however, Roman girls were getting married.

Slavery• No people relied on slavery as much as the

Romans. Slaves were a huge part of economic success

• Before the third century B.C., even a small Roman farmer would have one or two slaves.

• The wealthy had more.

• As Rome conquered the Mediterranean area, large numbers of war captives were brought to Italy as slaves.

• Greeks were prized as tutors, musicians, doctors, and artists.

• One Roman writer argued that it was cheaper to work slaves to death and replace them than to care for them.

Roman Religion

• Initially The Romans like the Greeks were polytheistic.

• Later the Romans worshiped Emperors

• They were tolerant of other religions as long as people bowed to Caesar.

Roman Religion – Rise of Christianity

• Problems began to arise in the area for Jews and Christians.

• Zealots (Jews who advocated overthrowing Roman rules) were crushed by the Romans in 66A.D. and destroyed their temple

Roman Religion• Christianity is a religion founded in Palestine (then a Roman

province) based on the teachings of Jesus (who was a Jew.)

• The New Testament of the Bible tells of his life and teachings.

• He condemned violence and selfishness.

• He encouraged brotherhood, love, and caring

• His followers called him the Messiah "anointed one", the leader who would usher in the final judgment at the end

of time.

Roman Religion, Christianity• Jesus was feared by the Romans; they thought

he encouraged political turmoil. He was condemned for blasphemy by fellow Jews for proclaiming himself to be the Messiah.

• Jesus was put to death by crucifixion around 33 AD on order from Pontius Pilate the Roman Governor of Judea.

Roman Religion, Christianity• Christianity gained believers during the 1st

century AD with the help of Paul and other apostles (missionaries). And, so, the Christian Church grew.

Roman Religion, Christianity

• Christianity is strengthened through persecution and eventually becomes state religion.

• Edict of Milan 313ad – Constantine becomes the first Christian Emperor and the religion is accepted

DIOCLETIAN AND CONSTANTINE

• DIOCLETIAN• Improved shaky prestige of emperor by changing

it into semi-divine office• Created hereditary caste system• Regimented society in order to restore stability• Created new succession system

• CONSTANTINE• Legalized Christianity• Divided empire in half• Built Constantinople• Halves drifted apart after his death, creating two

separate political units: the Eastern (Byzantine) Empire and the Western (Roman) Empire

Roman Religion, Christianity

• The church became well organized at about the same time that the government of Rome fell apart.

• As Rome stopped doing the necessary work of government, the church took over responsibilities. It gradually became the

strongest force in the Western World.

Chapter Summary