overview of roman history
DESCRIPTION
This slideshow offers a brief introduction to Roman history and how its geography changed throughout its history.TRANSCRIPT
GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY OF ANCIENT ROME
MAGISTER RICARD
Rome: From Village to Empire
Pre-Roman Italy
There are two main populaces on the paeninsula The Greeks (Magna Graecia) The Etruscans (modern day Tuscany, south of the Po
Valley)The rest of Italy at this time was a quilt of
tribes and their languages and culturesThe Latium plain (Lazio, today) is the site of
the Romans, who were another Latin tribe Located among the Alban hills with the sea the the
West and the Tiber River running through it
INFLUENCES OF THE ETRUSCANS ON EARLY ROME
The Heritage of the Etruscans
The Etruscans
One of the major civilizations found in Italy at this time, during the 700s BC, was the Etruscans
Their origins are a mystery Some say they came from the eastern Mediterranean
(Herodotus) Some say they came from the north
Archaeology points to a native Italian culture that was urbanized through contact with the Greeks during this time
How much influence did the Etruscans have?
There seems to be scant evidence for an Etruscan “empire” The Etruscans were not politically unified They had a league of 12 Cities, often warring with one
another Shared common language and religion
Main areas of influence were religion, statecraft and architecture
Romans learned how to build the arch from the Etruscans
FROM MYTH AND LEGEND TO REALITY
The Founding of Rome
Romulus and Remus
According to legend, Rome was founded by Romulus, the grandson of King Numitor
King Numitor’s brother, King Amulius, overthrew Numitor , imprisoned him and killed all of his children except a daughter She would have twins born to her by the god Mars
Romulus and Remus grew up and freed Numitor
But Romulus would eventually kill his brother Remus in an argument over who had the more powerful city
Aeneas and the Founding of Rome
There is a second foundation story, from a Hellenized source
Aeneas was a prince of Troy who escaped with his father and son to “find a new Troy”
Described to us in the poem by Vergil called “The Aenead”
United Romulus/Remus myth as descendants of Aeneas
An Agrarian Society
For the most part, the area around Rome was advantageous and rich in resources
Evidence indicates it was inhabited as early as 1500 BC
The early societies and tribes were mostly farmers
A SHIFT IN HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS IN ITALY
From Kingdom to Res Publica
Liberation and the Res Publica
After being ruled over by the Etruscans for many generations, the Romans finally fight for their freedom in 509 BC
Since its founding in 753BC, Roman tradition held that it was ruled by 5 kings
The last of which was Tarquinus Superbus or Tarquin the Arrogant, an Etruscan
Res Publica and Brutus
Tarquinus Superbus had a son, who raped a woman named Lucretia
Lucretia had a kinsman named Lucius Junius Brutus
Brutus lead the revolt against the king, and the Romans won their freedom
The res publica was born
Republican Government
Not a direct democracy, but a representative form of government Two Consuls
Several other magistrate positions (censors, aediles, tribunes, etc.)
The Senate (no legal power) Tribal Assemblies (voting blocks)
Social Structure During the Republic
Society was stratifiedPatricians (aristocratic class, wealthy, held
power)Plebeians (citizens, but had no real political
power – could not vote)Slaves (had no rights, were regarded as
property)
The 12 Tables
Granted power and rights to the Plebeians
Bestowed a special public office, tribunis plebis
This office could veto, was sacrosanct
Decreed in 450 BC
Expansion of Rome During the Republic
Gradually, Rome expanded her power
Extending throughout the Italian peninsula
Roman Expansion During the Republic
Rome continues to expand into the 3rd century, bringing the islands of Corsica and Sardinia under its control
Competition in the Mediterranean
Carthago Delenda Est
The Romans would defeat the Carthaginians, their greatest rivals
Many would debate internally if this was a good thing
At the Plain of Zama, the Roman forces would wipe away the Carthaginians, destroy their city and sow the ground with salt so that no one would ever be able to grow crops there
again
THE DEATH OF JULIUS CAESAR AND THE RISE OF AUGUSTUS AND THE PRINCIPATE
The Empire Strikes…Back
Breakdown in the System
The Republic begins to breakdownAmbitious young statesmen begin to appeal
to the mob to get strong political backing The first time bloodshed is spilled in politics in Rome
(Tiberius Gracchus)Some begin to use the army as a means to
gain office Marius, Sulla, Cinna, Pompey the Great, and finally
Julius CaesarThings get very dark, very fast
The Problem of Caesar
Who was Julius Caesar?What was his agenda?Was he for the people? Or did he simply use
them to gain power?He was a member of the First Triumvirate
(Crassus, Pompey and Caesar)He fought in Gaul and expanded Rome’s
territory by almost a thirdThis made him very popular – and dangerous
Et tu, Brute?
Caesar would be murdered on March 15th, 44 BC A group of idealistic conspirators thought they
were protecting the Res Publica from dictator perpetuus
Lead by Marcus Junius Brutus, whose ancestor is the same Lucius Junius Brutus the started the revolt in 509 BC that began the republic
This move ended up creating two factions within Caesar’s coalition One supporting Marc Antony The other supporting Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus
Civil War and Augustus
A long civil war erupts and a showdown between Antony’s forces and Octavian’s forces results
At the Battle of Actium, and anti-climatic naval battle sees Octavian victorious
Antony goes on to die in the Egyptian way, along with Cleopatra
Octavian is later named “Augustus” and princeps, making him the first citizen of Rome
The Empire is born
VARIOUS MAPS ILLUSTRATING IMPORTANT PERIODS IN ROMAN HISTORY
Touring Rome
The Rise of Christianity
The Spread of Christianity
Roman Control: All Roads Lead to Rome
Crisis At the Borders
Rome Is Split into Two
INTERROGATIONES!
Review Questions
Assessment
Directions: Take out a sheet of paper and head it correctly. Write down these questions and using your notes, answer the questions.
1. What were the two main civilizations found on the Italian peninsula prior to Roman civilization?
2. Where were these two civilizations located on the peninsula?3. What are some of the stories and theories associated with the arrival of
the Etruscans?4. List two things the Etruscans developed that influenced the Romans.5. What was the name of the twin boys, one of whom would go on to create
the city of Rome?6. What was the name of the prince who helped found the Roman people
and where did he come from?7. What is the difference between a monarchy and a republic?8. What was the name of the rival civilization that Rome destroyed in the
Mediterranean? The final battle was fought at the Plain of Zama.9. What was the name of Julius Caesar’s heir? What is he best known for?
Hint: he was the first of something in Rome.