Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

Preview

• Main Idea / Reading Focus

• Problems in the Late Republic

• Rome Becomes an Empire

• Map: The Roman Empire

• The Pax Romana

From Republic to Empire

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

Reading Focus• What problems did leaders face in the late Roman Republic?

• How did Rome become an empire?

• What helped tie the Roman empire together during the Pax Romana?

Main IdeaGovernmental and social problems led to the end of the Roman Republic and the creation of a new form of government.

From Republic to Empire

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

By the mid-100s BC, Rome had no rival anywhere in the Mediterranean world. However, the responsibilities of running their vast holdings stretched the Roman political system to its limits.

• Revolution began in political, social institutions

• Tensions grew between classes of Roman society

• Gracchi brothers tried to resolve tension

Social Unrest• Tribune Tiberius

Gracchus noted mistreatment of soldier-farmers

• Many reduced to poverty

• Tiberius, brother Gaius tried to help soldiers

Soldier-Farmers• Gracchi tried to

redistribute public land to farmers

• Had public support, but Senate feared Gracchi trying to reduce its power

• Senate urged mobs to kill brothers

Public Land

Problems in the Late Republic

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

The Military in Politics

• 107 BC, social unrest reached new level

• General Gaius Marius elected consul– Eliminated property restrictions

– Accepted anyone who wanted to join army

• Armies, private forces devoted to general– Poor hoped to share plunder at end of war

– Ruthless generals realized loyalty of troops could be used as political tool

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• Social War revealed talent of General Lucius Cornelius Sulla

• Sulla became consul, 88 BC; after consulship ended, Marius tried to prevent Sulla from taking military command

• Sulla marched on Rome, won civil war, became dictator

• Carried out program of reforms to protect power of Senate

Civil War

• Rome’s Italian allies had been trying to obtain Roman citizenship

• Senate wanted to maintain monopoly on power, refused

• 90 BC, Social War broke out

• Italian rebels were defeated, but Senate agreed to give them citizenship

The Social WarSocial and Civil Wars

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Summarize

What challenges faced Rome in the late Republic?

Answer(s): slave revolts, social unrest, the Social War, and a civil war in which Sulla became dictator

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

Sulla paved the way for major changes in Rome’s government. The end of the Republic resulted from the ambitions of a few individuals.

• Julius Caesar, Gnaeus Pompey, Licinius Crassus helped bring end to Republic

• Caesar, Pompey successful military commanders

• Crassus one of wealthiest people in Rome

• 60 BC, the three took over Roman state, ruled as First Triumvirate

The First Triumvirate• Crassus died; Pompey, Caesar

fought civil war

• Caesar defeated Pompey, took full control of Rome, became dictator for life, 44 BC

• Caesar brought many changes to Rome, popular reforms

• Senate feared he would destroy Roman Republic, murdered him, Ides of March

End of Triumvirate

Rome Becomes an Empire

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

Civil War• Civil war between Octavian, Antony broke out

• Octavian defeated Antony and his ally, Egypt’s Queen Cleopatra

• Cleopatra, Antony committed suicide; Octavian alone controlled Rome

• Republic effectively dead; new period in Roman history beginning

The Second Triumvirate• Caesar’s murder did not save the Republic

• 43 BC, Second Triumvirate took power—Caesar’s adopted son, Octavian; loyal officer Marc Antony; high priest Lepidus

• Lepidus pushed aside; Antony, Octavian agreed to govern half the empire each, Octavian in west, Antony in East

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

Octavian Takes Power• Octavian faced task of restoring

order in empire• Had no intention of establishing

dictatorship when he took power

Principate• Octavian careful to avoid title of

king or emperor• Called himself princeps, “first

citizen”• Government called Principate

New Political Order• Octavian decided it impossible

to return Rome to republican form of government

• Created new political order, known today as the empire

New Title• 27 BC, Senate gave Octavian

title Augustus, “the revered one”

• Title a religious honor; able to wear laurel and oak leaf crown

From Octavian to Augustus

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

New Imperial Government• Augustus head of state more than 40 years, made smooth transition to new

imperial government with power divided between him and Senate• Most financial, administrative matters under Augustus’s control

Legacy• Created police force, fire brigades; stockpiled food, water• Began building program; presided over moral, religious reforms• Great period of cultural creativity; great writers like Horace, Ovid, Virgil

Foreign Affairs• Started program to bring peace to west, particularly to Gaul, Spain• Began series of conquests that pushed border eastward to Danube River• Also took special care of Rome itself

The Augustan Age

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

• Augustus died AD 14, empire ruled by Caesar’s relatives for 54 years• Julio-Claudian Emperors’ abilities varied widely• Tiberius a good soldier, competent administrator• Caligula, brutal, mentally unstable; appointed favorite horse as

consul• AD 68, last of Julio-Claudians, Nero committed suicide

• Following Nero’s death, civil wars raged in Rome

• Four military leaders claimed throne in turn

• Last, Vespasian reestablished order, as did reigns of two sons

• Stability returned under Flavians

Flavians• AD 96, new line of emperors

established—Good Emperors• Five rulers governed Rome for

almost a century• From provinces different than

Rome, continued opening Roman imperial society

The Good Emperors

Julio-Claudians and Flavians

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

The Good Emperors

Empire grew tremendously under Good Emperors

• Reached limits of expansion under Trajan • Added what are now Romania, Armenia,

Mesopotamia, and the Sinai Peninsula• Successor Hadrian thought empire too large

– Withdrew from almost all eastern additions

– Built defensive fortifications to guard against invasions

– Built wall 73 miles long in northern Britain

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

Explain

How did Rome grow and change after it became an empire?

Answer(s): The Roman Empire reached the limits of its territorial expansion and made developments in building, government, and culture.

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

Empire brought uniformity to the cities of the Mediterranean world, which were governed in imitation of Rome.

The period from the beginning of August’s reign in 27 BC until the death of the last of the Good Emperors in AD 180 is often called the Pax Romana—the Roman Peace. This era was characterized by stable government, a strong legal system, widespread trade, and peace.

• Roman government strongest unifying force in empire

• Maintained order, enforced laws, defended frontiers

• Aristocracy participated, but emperors made all important decisions

Government

The Pax Romana

• Empire divided into provinces ruled by governors appointed from Rome

• Provincial government fair, efficient• Government in Rome kept close

check on governors• Any citizen could appeal unfair

treatment directly to emperor

Provinces

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Laws• Roman law unified the empire• Laws specified what could, could not be done; penalties for breaking law• Same laws applied to everyone in empire, wherever they lived

Manufacturing• Manufacturing increased throughout empire• Italy, Gaul, Spain—artisans made cheap pottery, textiles• Fine glassware made in eastern cities like Alexandria

Agriculture• Agriculture remained primary occupation throughout Pax Romana• Most farms, independent with little, no surplus to sell• Tenant farmers began to replace slaves on large farms

Legal System

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

Trade• Italy imported grain, meat, raw materials from provinces• Merchants brought silks, linens, glassware, jewelry, furniture from Asia• Rome, Alexandria became commercial centers

Military and Merchant Routes• Most roads built, maintained for military purposes• Cheaper to transport grain by ship from one end of Mediterranean to other

than to send it overland; most goods went by sea

Transportation• Commercial activity possible because of empire’s location around

Mediterranean and extensive road network• Ultimately about 50,000 miles of roads bound empire together

Opportunities for Trade

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

AnalyzeHow did government, law, and trade tie the

Roman people together?

Answer(s): The Roman government was the strongest unifying force, maintaining order, enforcing the laws, and defending the frontiers. Roman law provided stability and, with few exceptions, the same laws applied to everyone in the empire. Trade provided opportunities for commerce between people in different parts of the empire.