Chapter 11

Rome

The Foundation of Rome• Creation myth of Romulus and Remus• Later tried to link Rome with Greece• Reality

– Founded c. 2000 BCE– Indo-European settlers– Settled, dev. ag, tribal organization, bronze (1800

BCE), iron (900 BCE)• Controlled by the Etruscans 700-509 BCE

– Dev. thriving civilization throughout Italy– Greatly influenced Romans (monarchy, paved streets,

arch, public works, walls, temples)– Began to decline late 500’s

Establishment of the Roman Republic

• 509 BCE overthrew Etruscan king• Replaced with republic controlled by Patrician class

– Senate– Two Consuls

• Lower class (Plebians) originally lacked representation– Later could elect tribunes who held veto power– Class tension remained part of Roman saga– Gained greater power over time

• Dictators – could be appointed for six month terms in times of crisis

Roman Expansion• By the 4th century BCE – Rome was a strong

regional state• Began conquering Med. World• Punic Wars

– Competition between Carthage and Rome (commerce)

– Series of wars between 264-146 BCE– Rome destroyed Carthage

• Gained Hellenistic kingdoms and conquered Persia

From Republic to Empire• Increasing wealth gap• Latifundia

– Increasing use of slave labor– Small farmers could not compete– Increased unemployment– Increased class tension/strain

• The Gracchi Brothers – Wanted land distribution, limits on size – Both were assassinated

Imperial Expansion

• Original government of Rome was not suitable for a larger empire

• Civil war – 87 BCE

– Sulla came to power – conservative, brutal five year reign, died in 79 BCE

– Problems unsolved, nothing done for the poor

Caesar• Supported a more liberal gov’t & reforms• Conquered Gaul (France) • 49 BCE marched on Rome• 47 BCE – proclaimed himself dictator for life

– Recentralized Roman military and gov’t– Large public works program – Land reform – Extended citizenship

• 44 BCE – assassinated in the Senate• 13 years of civil war

Augustus • Octavian – Caesar’s nephew and heir • By 27 BCE – took power and title of

Augustus • 45 year reign – thoroughly est Roman gov’t

– Preserved the old Roman gov’t – Centralized military and gov’t – Began Pax Romana – Wars of expansion

Pax Romana

• 250 years of relative peace and prosperity • Problems with poverty covered up with

“Bread and Circus” program • Development of roads, increased cultural

diffusion • Development of Roman law increased

Economy & Society • Large scale commercial agriculture, focus on cash

crops for export • Manufacturing • Extensive long distance trade • Rome

– Most wealth went to Rome– Cosmopolitan – Roman baths, sewage systems, racetracks,

stadiums

• Remained patriarchal, but overtime women gained greater power

• Slavery – By 100 CE – 1/3 of Roman population

were slaves – Huge numbers of slaves on rural estates,

brutal conditions – 73 BCE – Spartacus led 70,000 escaped

slaves in a revolt – Urban slaves tended to fare much better