c12 - roman civilization
TRANSCRIPT
ROMAN CIVILIZATION
800 BC – 500 AD
ORIGIN A civilization that grew out of the city of
Rome. 8th cent BC – 5th cent AD (the beginning
of the Middle Ages in Europe). Often grouped with ancient Greek
civilization – Greco-Roman civilization or period.
Adopted Greek law, art, literature, language, architecture, ideas, etc.
ORIGIN European definition of “classical
antiquity’. Roman Empire – Italian peninsula,
Western Europe and the entire area surrounding the Mediterranean sea.
The master of Mediterranean sea.
The Roman Empire reached its greatest extent under Trajan.
ORIGIN Tiber River – the first settlements of the
city of Rome in 9th cent BC. 2 Italian tribes – Latins and Sabines. Roman legend – Rome was founded in
753 BC by a twin, Romulus and Remus.
GOVERNMENT From monarchy oligarchic republic
Roman empire. Monarchy – 7 kings of Rome. The first king – Romulus. The last king – Tarquin the Proud.
GOVERNMENT 510 BC, Roman republic – a system of
annually elected magistrates / consuls / assemblies. Senate - patricians Consuls (two) – patricians & plebeians Council of Plebs - plebeians
GOVERNMENT 1st Triumvirate – Julius Caeser, Pompey
and Crassus. 2nd Triumvirate – Augustus Caeser, Mark
Anthony and Lepidus.
The Roman World During the Reign of Augustus Caesar, 8 C.E.
GOVERNMENT Augustus Ceaser – the 1st emperor. Maintained the republican system of
government, yet the emperor had absolute power.
The expansion of Roman empire. “Pax Romana” – “Roman Peace” (27BC –
180 AD). A long period of relative peace
experienced by the Roman empire.
GOVERNMENT “Five Good Emperors” - (Vespasian,
Titus, Trajan, Hadrian and Marcus Aurelius).
No major civil wars or serious invasions, and flourishing Roman trade.
Due to enforcement of Roman legal system.
VESPASIAN
HADRIAN
MARCUS AURELIUS
GOVERNMENT 3rd cent AD, the decline of the empire. Diocletian divided the empire into four
parts with two emperors (co-emperors). 330 AD – Emperor Constantine I made
Constantinople a new capital. Permanent division of the Roman
Empire; eastern Byzantium (Constantinople) and western Roman Empire (Rome).
GOVERNMENT Western Roman Empire invaded by
German tribes in 410 AD. Eastern Byzantium lasted till 13th cent.
AD.
Alaric, leader of the Visigoths
Attila, King of the Huns
Hannibal, leader of Carthaginians
SOCIETY Strictly hierarchical.
Free-born citizens
Freedmen (liberti)
Slaves (servi)
Free citizens
SOCIETYFree citizens – sub-divided into 3 groups: Patricians (ruling class / aristocrats).
Senators, army commanders, governors, high priests.
Hereditary posts. Knights. Plebeians (commoners).
Soldiers.
SOCIETY Plebeians vs patricians. Reduction of the power of the patricians
by 5th cent BC. Other groups; equestrians (equites)
wealthy businessmen; nobles (nobiles); foreigners with Latin right (peregrini).
A Roman soldier
A young Roman woman
Slaves serving wine
Gladiator and leopard from a Roman mosaic
RELIGION Influenced by Greek mythology – Roman
gods associated with Greek gods. Jupiter (king of gods), Neptune (sea),
Pluto (underworld), Venus (love), Apollo (sun), Diana (moon), Cupid (love), Mars (war).
Yet, unlike Greek mythology, Roman gods were sacred spirits (numina).
RELIGION Every person, place or thing had its own
guardian spirit. A strict system of priestly offices;
Pontifex Maximus. Foreign cults; Egyptian and Persian
religions. 2nd cent AD, the spread of Christianity. Became official state religion under
Constantine I.
RELIGION Prohibition of all religions except
Christianity by 391 AD.
The Capitolium at Sbeitla, in modern Tunisia
A Roman temple
LANGUAGE AND WRITING The native language – Latin (Vulgar Latin
and Classical Latin). Latin alphabets based on Greek
alphabets. 23 alphabets (except J, U, W). Well educated elite – spoke Greek
language and studied Greek literature. The expansion of Roman empire – the
spread of Latin throughout Europe.
LANGUAGE AND WRITING The evolution of Vulgar Latin into
different Roman languages. Latin as lingua franca in western Europe
during European middle ages and early modern period.
Academic and diplomatic language. Replaced by French (19th cent) and
English (20th cent).
LANGUAGE AND WRITING Latin however, continues to be used in
religious, legal and scientific terminology.
Latin Bible from AD 1407.
LANGUAGE AND WRITING
ROMAN LAW Rooted in the law of the twelve tablets
(from 449 BC) to the codification of Emperor Justinian I (530 AD).
Known as “Justinian codes” – 3 groups of law. Jus Civile (Citizen Law) – common laws
applied to Roman cirizens. Jus Gentium (Law of Nations) –
common laws applied to foreigners.
ROMAN LAW Jus Naturale (Natural Law) – laws that
were considered common to all beings.
Became the foundation of the legal practices in the Byzantium Empire and Western Europe until 18th cent.
ENGINEERING & ARCHITECTURE Roads, bridges, aqueducts, baths,
theaters and arenas. Monuments e.g. the Colosseum, Pont du
Gard and Pantheon. Roman architecture – influenced by
Greek architecture. Developed concrete, a powerful cement
– chief Roman building material. Efficient and durable travel network.
The Colosseum in Rome, Italy: an exterior view of the best-preserved section.
Arch of Constantine, panel depicting the Battle of Milvian Bridge
Diocletianic period fortifications, Portchester, Hampshire.
Vindolanda fort
Pont du Gard in France is a Roman aqueduct built in ca. 19 BC. It is one of France's top tourist attractions and a World Heritage Site.
The Appian Way (Via Appia), a road connecting the city of Rome to the southern parts of Italy, remains usable even today.
Roman Walls
A Roman column
INNOVATION Advancement in sanitation. Public baths – hygienic and social
purposes. Flush toilets and indoor plumbing, and a
complex sewer system. Roman abacus.
Vindolanda bath house
Vindolanda bath house
The Roman abacus, the first portable calculating device, helped speed up the use of Roman arithmetic.