HIS 105Chapter 5Republican and Imperial Rome

Rome One of the most successful empires in the

world Began as a small city in central Italy Captured land surrounding the Mediterranean

and N.W. Europe Had unified government, peace, and

prosperity

Owed much to its: Location Productive farmland Mineral deposits Good timber Mild climate

Early History Around 2000 B.C.E. Indo-Europeans invaded

Italy They brought with them:

Technical skills An effective military Political skills A language that was the basis for Latin

Another influence was Greek culture that spread from southern Italy and Sicily northward

A third influence were the Etruscans in northern Italy whose culture dominated the area Economic trade practices Political techniques Religious ideas Alphabet

Architecture Sculpture Language

A group of villages near the mouth of the Tiber River were to become Rome

This area, including the villages around the 7 Palatine Hills were called Latium

7 Palantine Hills

After 600 B.C.E., these villages were made into one city-state and ruled by Etruscans

The government was comprised of a King and his advisors, the Senate and Freemen

There were 2 classes: Patricians ( the wealthy) and Plebeians (also called clients)

Etruscan Territory

Patrician & Plebeian

500 B.C.E. – Romans overthrew Etruscan king, Tarquinius, the Proud

In his place were 2 patrician consuls who were elected annually

The year 500 B.C.E. marked the beginning of the Roman Republic

The Early Republic, 509 – 265 B.C.E. In order to survive, Rome asked the other

cities of Latium for cooperation and formed the Latin League

The League fought battles against the Etruscans ,the Samnites, the Gauls, and the Greeks

The League was victorious and Rome took full control

Rome became a world power because of: its military organization its enlightened treatment of those conquered its ability to establish and deepen the loyalty of

its citizens

Military Known as the Roman Legion Citizen army Showed flexibility and independence when

necessary

Roman Legion

Treatment of those conquered Gave outright citizenship to many, especially in

Latium Others in organized city-states got partial

citizenship that gave them the right to trade and to marry Roman citizen Could not participate in politics Had to pay taxes Had military obligation Could govern themselves in most matters

Allies People in conquered areas away from Rome Had local independence Had no control in foreign affairs Had financial and military obligations Thought they would eventually become full Roman

citizens

This treatment promoted allegiance and loyalty

For first 200 years of the republic the patricians and the plebeians could not agree on how much say plebeians would have in the government

Eventually the plebeians won the right to elect tribunes who had veto power over actions of the patricians

Plebeians also established their own assembly – The Assembly of Tribes

450 B.C.E.- Twelve Tables were passed that codified Roman law

367 B.C.E. – Plebeians were allowed to become Consuls

265 B.C.E. – Rome was theoretically governed by the decisions of a total citizen body acting through assemblies; however, still dominated by wealthy

Punic Wars The opponent : Carthage, a thriving

commercial empire in North Africa Rome was drawn into war over Sicily

Carthage tried to defend the Greek city-state Messina from another Greek city-state, Syracuse

Rome intervened to keep Carthage from getting too close to their republic

The result was the First Punic War

Carthage

First Punic War (264-241 B.C.E.) Struggle for Sicily 241 B.C.E., Rome was victorious and gained

Sicily Rome got a large monetary payment for war

expenses from Carthage

After First Punic War, Carthage tried to reassert itself by conquering Spain which led to Second Punic War

Second Punic War (218-201 B.C.E.) Romans faced Hannibal who brought his troops

into Italy by going through the Alps Romans did not expect this Romans fought against Hannibal for 15 years When Hannibal called back to Carthage, Rome

won

Hannibal

Treaty ending the Second Punic War Spain went to Rome Carthaginian navy was destroyed Carthage paid a stiff fine over the next 50 years Carthage had to agree to never wage war outside

of Africa unless Rome gave its permission

Third Punic War (146 B.C.E.) Rome vs. Carthage Rome won To avoid another confrontation:

Rome enslaved or killed every inhabitant of Carthage Rome destroyed the city Rome threw salt on the ground so that the city would

never rise again

Ruins of Carthage

Meanwhile… 200 B.C.E., Ptolemy’s Egypt was weakening, and

Philip V of Macedon and Antiochus III of the Selucid Empire tried to seize the territory

Egypt asked Rome for help and got it Rome defeated Philip V in 200 B.C.E. and Antiochus

III in 189 B.C.E. Rome left these 2 areas with their freedom until

fighting broke out again Then Rome took control

As Rome’s territory increased, so did its power

The farther away from Italy Rome got, the more brutal its treatment of conquered people became

Other problems: Big gaps between rich and poor Farmers and others were in great debt

Aristocrats began buying up more and more farmland

Class conflicts increased Former independent farmers had to work as

tenants on someone else’s farm or move to the city for work

Cities became overcrowded and lacked jobs for all

Slaves took jobs away from citizens

More Problems Economic problems led to civil and political

unrest Aristocrats were no longer helping lower

classes Crisis Two brothers tried to change the situation for

the better

Tiberius Gracchus 133 B.C.E. – Tribune for plebeians Wanted to limit size of aristocratic estates and

re-distribute land to the poor Not well-received by aristocrats When put before the tribal assembly, it was

vetoed by another tribune He presented it again, and it was vetoed again

Tiberius Gracchus

And again Tiberius, with support of the people, had the

“vetoing” tribune removed from office, violating the constitution

Tiberius tried to get his ideas accepted again The Senate opposed him and had him

assassinated

Gaius Gracchus Proposed establishing new colonies for the

poor, landless veterans He had support of people and other tribunes He also wished to give Roman citizenship to

more Italian people This one lost him the support of the people The Senate had him put to death

Gaius Gracchus

Gaius Marius 107 B.C.E. rose to help the people Successful army general Became Consul several times Used paid volunteers fro lower classes for his army Gave them supplies and a career In return, they were loyal to him Promised soldiers land when they left army

Gaius Marius

Sulla, another general, opposed the plan of Marius

With help of Senate, Sulla drove Marius out

Fighting continued in Rome from without and from within

Sulla

77 B.C.E. Pompey, another general, became prominent

Conquered territory for Rome, so Senate gave him special powers

Pompey joined with Julius Caesar to form a new government with power above the Senate

Caesar followed his own plan

Pompey

Julius Caesar

Caesar Continued to take territory then brought troops to

Rome and took over government for himself Civil war followed bringing an end to the Republic Caesar’s government

Had a Senate full of his supporters Brought in people from the provinces to take part in

politics Declared himself Dictator for 10 years and then for life

Instituted reforms – example: he created a new calendar

Conservative members of Senate feared he would be a monarch, so had him killed in 44 B.C.E.

His death was followed by 13 years of civil warHis nephew, Octavian, defended Caesar

Ides of March

Octavian/ Caesar Augustus

Octavian took the name of Caesar and defeated his opponents

His victories made him the absolute ruler of Rome and its Empire

He created an empire and was its first emperor – Augustus Caesar

Basic Roman Outlook Shaped by 4 things:

Family life Agriculture Warfare Religion

Made Romans sensible, unemotional, hardworking, disciplined, and practical people

Octavian / Augustus Caesar Contributed a new system of governing Octavian manipulated his rise to power

Knew Roman problems could be solved if power was in the hands of one man – his

31 B.C.E., he had himself elected consul annually

27 B.C.E., he gave all his power back to the Senate

Senate feared civil war and begged him to stay

Senate then gave him even more power

Made him tribune for life Named him consul Named him proconsul over all the provinces Gave him command of all the armies Added an imperium (authority higher than any

other) Lavished him with honors: first senator, called

him augustus, “revered one”, imperator, “victorious general”, & princep

His actions: Redefined rigid class divisions Tried to improve morale & patriotism by

Restoring old Roman religion Patronized writers like Vergil Passed laws to curb vices Beautified Rome Provided public services

Set up a professional military with careful training, regular pay, and a pension in money, not land

Built roads, supply depots, and military posts Tried to improve provincial governance Set up sound fiscal system Set up system for succession

All emperors set up an imperial bureaucracy: Unified law Gave citizenship to many Had humanitarian projects Had sound fiscal system Renewed patriotism

Felt good government was vital for a civilized life

Trajan added final areas to empire: Dracia, Armenia, and Mesopotamia

Palestinian Jews revolted against Rome 115 – 117 and 132 – 135; Jews didn’t wish to follow Roman religion; put down the Emperor Hadrian;

First 2 centuries of empire were fairly prosperous; they had good government, agriculture, trade, and building activities

Trajan

Palestine Taken by Pompey in 63 B.C.E. Jews of Palestine would not be forced to

follow Roman religion; they were monotheistic

Palestine first governed by Herod, a Roman puppet ruler Jews were allowed to maintain their faith They didn’t have to sacrifice to Roman gods

Jesus of Nazareth Born around 6 or 4 B.C.E. Was given the name Joshua ben Joseph Followers saw him as the Messiah or the

Christ Preached peace and love in the Jewish

tradition Some saw his teachings as blasphemy

Didn’t like his claim that he was “King of the Jews”

Pontius Pilate, Roman Procurator, thought Jesus was a threat and sentenced him to death by crucifixion

He died, but followers said he arose 3 days later proving that he was the Messiah

Followers called themselves Christians led by Peter

Paul of Tarsus was a convert who said Christianity was separate from Judaism and wrote letters to churches being established

Some Roman Christians faced persecution and death under certain emperors like Nero and Diocletian

Nero & Diocletian

By the 4th century C.E. 10% of the Roman Empire was Christian

The religion became more formalized

Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Signs of decay were apparent after 180 C.E.

in the economy and in politics Internal Stresses:

Size of the empire – needed more and more soldiers to guard borders, plus more supplies

Economic stresses – decline in agricultural output, trade, and industry

Social problems Military rule Aristocrats forced from politics High taxes Concentrated on keeping military happy, not the

general populace Civil wars over succession Frontier defenses neglected Invasions from outsiders Lives and property destroyed

Upper classes became pleasure-seeking Cultural life decayed Christianity grew Interest in mystery religions grew Life was uncertain Everyday survival became difficult

Many farmers looked to landowners for protection. This foreshadowed manorialism where estates made everything needed. Cities were abandoned

Diocletian Undistinguished birth Rose to lead the empire through the army Redesigned how the empire would be ruled;

tried to solve the problems of succession Worked to remove the military from politics

Created a mobile cavalry Wanted total loyalty from the people; that

meant emperor worship Christians refused Diocletian viciously persecuted them Diocletian stepped down in 305 C.E. His plan for a smooth succession failed and

civil war followed

Constantine Claimed the throne in 306 C.E. using military

force Won control of entire empire in 324 C.E. Reigned until 337 C.E. Continued some of Diocletian’s policies that

would strengthen the empire

He added a new religious policy in 313 C.E. called The Edict of Milan Granted religious toleration to the empire Ended the persecution of Christians Gave Christians legal recognition

Constantine converted to Christianity but wasn’t baptized until he was dying.

Constantine promoted Christian causes and his legislation reflected Christian influences

He did little to encourage other religions He changed the capital from Rome to Byzantium

(Turkey), later called Constantinople Wished to be free from restrictive traditions of

paganism in Rome Rome remained center of Christianity and number of

Christians grew to 30 million

The reigns of Diocletian and Constantine brought some stability to the Roman Empire and this stability lasted through the reign of Theodosius (r. 379-395)

Old problems reappeared after 395C.E.

No true economic recovery There was a decline in public spirit Quality of government deteriorated Successful German Barbarian invasions The fall of Rome occurred in some parts of

the empire and not in others The West eventually collapsed

The remaining eastern part of the empire became known as Byzantium

Rome did live on through the passing on of its culture that is still apparent today