the roman empire
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The Roman Empire
Geography of Italy
not broken up into small valleys like Greece the Apennine Mts, running like a backbone
down Italy, are not as rugged as those in Greece
Italy has broad, fertile plains which supported a growing population
Farmland in Tuscany, Italy
Vineyard province of Chianti, Italy
Early Roman Civilization
Started in 7 villages on 7 hills around the Tiber River
Etruscans – lived in the north, gave Romans the knowledge of the alphabet and the arch, other engineering techniques, draining marshy lands along the Tiber
Government
509 B.C. Romans drove out the Etruscan ruler
Officially founded the Roman stateSet up a government with officials chosen by
the people (REPUBLIC). They did this to keep any individual from
gaining too much power.
300 members of the ruling class (PATRICIANS) made up the senate. They served for life and made the laws.
Roman patrician with busts of his ancestors, 30 B.C.
2 CONSULS, elected each year by the senators to supervise the business of government and command the armies. Could only serve one term and had to consult with the senate.
In event of war, the senate might choose a DICTATOR, who would be granted power to rule for the length of 6 months.
The rest of the population, the commoners, were called PLEBEIANS.
They got the Roman laws inscribed onto 12 tablets and set up in the Forum
Plebeians elected repre-sentatives to protect their interests, TRIBUNES. The tribunes could block, or veto, the laws they felt would be harmful.
Did you know?
* Our Constitution is based on the Roman ideas of a republic, senate, veto, and checks and balances.
Society
The family was the basic unit of Roman society.
Father had absolute powerWomen played a larger role than in Greek
society. Girls and boys were both taught to read and
write, especially rhetoric for boys who wanted to be statesmen.
Religion
Gods and Goddesses resembled the Greeks, just different names
Jupiter, father of the gods(Zeus)
Neptune, god of the sea(Poseidon)
Expansion
The Romans had powerful armies which allowed them to conquer all of Italy.
Basic military unit (LEGION) of 5,000 men.Romans generally treated conquered
peoples fairly, letting them keep their customs as long as they acknowledged Rome’s leadership and paid taxes, even giving some the right of Roman citizenship.
Rome built a network of roads guarded by soldiers that helped unite the empire.
FROM REPUBLIC TO EMPIRE
Section 2
Carthage
A Phoenician city-state on the northern coast of Africa. Its empire came into conflict with Rome as both powers expanded
3 wars with Carthage PUNIC WARS
1st Punic War – Rome defeated Carthage and won Sicily, Corsica, and Sardinia
2nd Punic War – Carthaginians seek revenge, Hannibal leads his war elephants through the Alps, surprising the Romans from the north…they expected an attack from the south. For 15 years Hannibal won battle after battle. But because Hannibal couldn’t capture Rome, in the end he was defeated and gave up all lands except those in Africa.
3rd Punic War – Rome completely destroyed Carthage and killed any survivors of the previous wars. Carthage was sown with salt so nothing would grow there again.
Romans committed to a policy of IMPERIALISM, establishing control over foreign lands and peoples.
Conquest brought incredible riches to Rome.
How did wealth affect Rome?
Cheap slave labor
Farmers fell into debt, sold farms,moved to cities Population in cities
grows
Angry mobs, corruption, greed, self-interest
Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus
Among the first to attempt reform, tried to get the state to distribute land to poor farmers and use public funds to feed the poor.
The senate got angry and got them killed with thousands of their followers.
? WHO SHOULD HOLD THE POWER?
Rome plunges into a period of CIVIL WAR
First Triumverate
• Popular general• Powerful public
speakerJulius
Caesar• A general• Later made sole
consulPompey
• general• Died in battleCrassus
Crossing the Rubicon“The die is cast…”
Julius Caesar
Brilliant commander who conquered as far west as Gaul (France)
Defied Pompey upon returning and forced the senate to make him dictator
4 years of reform: public works, gave land to the poor, introduced the Julian calendar, based on Egyptian astronomy
Assassinated by the senate
A bust of Julius Caesar, circa 25 B.C. It is believed to be an accurate likeness of Caesar—in fact, the most accurate likeness of all portrait busts of Caesar that have survived.
Octavian -1st EmperorCaesar’s nephew was
called Augustus Caesar, placed in power by the senate
Republic dies, Empire born
Good ruler, stable government, civil service, census, postal service, new coins, roads, etc.
Pax Romana
200 years of peaceBegan with Octavian, ended with Marcus
AureliusBrought peace, order, unity, and prosperity to
the empire, from the Euphrates to BritainEasy movement of people, ideas, religion, and
culture on network of roads
Bread and Circuses
Circus Maximus, Rome’s largest race courseColosseumChariot races, gladiator fights, even
miniature naval battles
Colosseum, ancient Rome’s largest stadium, held 50,000 people
Circus Maximus
Appian Way
Roman aqueduct
Roman mosaic
Roman culture
Borrowed heavily from the GreeksArt emphasized grandeur more than eleganceSculpture was more idealistic and symbolicSuperb engineering and architectural skillsStrong commitment to justice and principal
of law
Roman law
“Let justice be done though the heavens fall.”Two systems of lawCivil law – applied to Roman citizensLaw of nations – applied to all people under
Roman rule, citizens and non-citizensAccused person innocent until proven guilty
Rise of Christianity
Generally, Rome tolerated various religionsAll people had to acknowledge the divine
spirit of the emperor and honor Roman godsJewish revolt (66 AD) led to the destruction of
Jerusalem and scattering of Jews throughout the empire
Masada, the Zealots last stand against the Romans.
Birth of Christianity
Jesus, a Jew, attracted thousands of followers who had long waited for a messiah (savior) of the people
He preached God’s love and taught the need for justice, morality, and service to others
He was betrayed by one of his disciples and crucified by the Romans.
His closest followers, known as the 12 apostles, believed that Jesus resurrected and ascended to heaven. They spread Christianity after his death.
Tolerance did not extend to Christians
Jesus’ disciples spread Christianity throughout the Roman empire
While many Jews converted, others tried to kill Christian converts.
The Romans didn’t like that Christians wouldn’t worship the emperor
Christians were used as scapegoats whenever the empire foundered.
Catacombs
The fish was one of the first Symbols of early Christianity. It was understood as a word-image: the Greek translation for "fish", which is iCHTHYS, in an abbreviation for "lessous CHnstos THeou Yios Soter" ("Jesus Christ, the Father's Son. is our savior") This sign was the common basic profession to unite Christians from all cultural origins.
Catacombs, Rome
Edict of Milan, AD 313
Constantine granted freedom of worship for all citizens of the Roman empire
Influenced by his mother, who was a devout Christian
The Long Decline
Struggles for power (In one 50 year period, 26 emperors reigned)
Diocletian and Constantine tried to reform the empire by fixing prices for goods and services, allowing Christianity, moving the capital from Rome to Constantinople.
Good Emperors
Constantine
Bad emperors
Nero – killed his mother, married his stepsister, and killed his wife to marry someone else, used Christians as torches to light up his gardens
Caligula appointed his favorite horse as consul.
Attacks from Germanic peoples
Attila the Hun – “scourge of God” (434)www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/ attila.htm
Odoacer – Germanic leader (476) ousted the emperor of Rome
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