The Roman Empire

Geography of Italy

not broken up into small valleys like Greece the Apennine Mts, running like a backbone

down Italy, are not as rugged as those in Greece

Italy has broad, fertile plains which supported a growing population

Farmland in Tuscany, Italy

Vineyard province of Chianti, Italy

Early Roman Civilization

Started in 7 villages on 7 hills around the Tiber River

Etruscans – lived in the north, gave Romans the knowledge of the alphabet and the arch, other engineering techniques, draining marshy lands along the Tiber

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Adreadoriaasneptunebyagnolobronzino.jpeg

Government

509 B.C. Romans drove out the Etruscan ruler

Officially founded the Roman stateSet up a government with officials chosen by

the people (REPUBLIC). They did this to keep any individual from

gaining too much power.

300 members of the ruling class (PATRICIANS) made up the senate. They served for life and made the laws.

Roman patrician with busts of his ancestors, 30 B.C.

2 CONSULS, elected each year by the senators to supervise the business of government and command the armies. Could only serve one term and had to consult with the senate.

In event of war, the senate might choose a DICTATOR, who would be granted power to rule for the length of 6 months.

The rest of the population, the commoners, were called PLEBEIANS.

They got the Roman laws inscribed onto 12 tablets and set up in the Forum

Plebeians elected repre-sentatives to protect their interests, TRIBUNES. The tribunes could block, or veto, the laws they felt would be harmful.

Did you know?

* Our Constitution is based on the Roman ideas of a republic, senate, veto, and checks and balances.

Society

The family was the basic unit of Roman society.

Father had absolute powerWomen played a larger role than in Greek

society. Girls and boys were both taught to read and

write, especially rhetoric for boys who wanted to be statesmen.

Religion

Gods and Goddesses resembled the Greeks, just different names

Jupiter, father of the gods(Zeus)

Neptune, god of the sea(Poseidon)

Expansion

The Romans had powerful armies which allowed them to conquer all of Italy.

Basic military unit (LEGION) of 5,000 men.Romans generally treated conquered

peoples fairly, letting them keep their customs as long as they acknowledged Rome’s leadership and paid taxes, even giving some the right of Roman citizenship.

Rome built a network of roads guarded by soldiers that helped unite the empire.

FROM REPUBLIC TO EMPIRE

Section 2

Carthage

A Phoenician city-state on the northern coast of Africa. Its empire came into conflict with Rome as both powers expanded

3 wars with Carthage PUNIC WARS

1st Punic War – Rome defeated Carthage and won Sicily, Corsica, and Sardinia

2nd Punic War – Carthaginians seek revenge, Hannibal leads his war elephants through the Alps, surprising the Romans from the north…they expected an attack from the south. For 15 years Hannibal won battle after battle. But because Hannibal couldn’t capture Rome, in the end he was defeated and gave up all lands except those in Africa.

3rd Punic War – Rome completely destroyed Carthage and killed any survivors of the previous wars. Carthage was sown with salt so nothing would grow there again.

Romans committed to a policy of IMPERIALISM, establishing control over foreign lands and peoples.

Conquest brought incredible riches to Rome.

How did wealth affect Rome?

Cheap slave labor

Farmers fell into debt, sold farms,moved to cities Population in cities

grows

Angry mobs, corruption, greed, self-interest

Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus

Among the first to attempt reform, tried to get the state to distribute land to poor farmers and use public funds to feed the poor.

The senate got angry and got them killed with thousands of their followers.

? WHO SHOULD HOLD THE POWER?

Rome plunges into a period of CIVIL WAR

First Triumverate

• Popular general• Powerful public

speakerJulius

Caesar• A general• Later made sole

consulPompey

• general• Died in battleCrassus

Crossing the Rubicon“The die is cast…”

Julius Caesar

Brilliant commander who conquered as far west as Gaul (France)

Defied Pompey upon returning and forced the senate to make him dictator

4 years of reform: public works, gave land to the poor, introduced the Julian calendar, based on Egyptian astronomy

Assassinated by the senate

A bust of Julius Caesar, circa 25 B.C. It is believed to be an accurate likeness of Caesar—in fact, the most accurate likeness of all portrait busts of Caesar that have survived.

Octavian -1st EmperorCaesar’s nephew was

called Augustus Caesar, placed in power by the senate

Republic dies, Empire born

Good ruler, stable government, civil service, census, postal service, new coins, roads, etc.

Pax Romana

200 years of peaceBegan with Octavian, ended with Marcus

AureliusBrought peace, order, unity, and prosperity to

the empire, from the Euphrates to BritainEasy movement of people, ideas, religion, and

culture on network of roads

Bread and Circuses

Circus Maximus, Rome’s largest race courseColosseumChariot races, gladiator fights, even

miniature naval battles

Colosseum, ancient Rome’s largest stadium, held 50,000 people

Circus Maximus

Appian Way

Roman aqueduct

Roman mosaic

Roman culture

Borrowed heavily from the GreeksArt emphasized grandeur more than eleganceSculpture was more idealistic and symbolicSuperb engineering and architectural skillsStrong commitment to justice and principal

of law

Roman law

“Let justice be done though the heavens fall.”Two systems of lawCivil law – applied to Roman citizensLaw of nations – applied to all people under

Roman rule, citizens and non-citizensAccused person innocent until proven guilty

Rise of Christianity

Generally, Rome tolerated various religionsAll people had to acknowledge the divine

spirit of the emperor and honor Roman godsJewish revolt (66 AD) led to the destruction of

Jerusalem and scattering of Jews throughout the empire

Masada, the Zealots last stand against the Romans.

Birth of Christianity

Jesus, a Jew, attracted thousands of followers who had long waited for a messiah (savior) of the people

He preached God’s love and taught the need for justice, morality, and service to others

He was betrayed by one of his disciples and crucified by the Romans.

His closest followers, known as the 12 apostles, believed that Jesus resurrected and ascended to heaven. They spread Christianity after his death.

Tolerance did not extend to Christians

Jesus’ disciples spread Christianity throughout the Roman empire

While many Jews converted, others tried to kill Christian converts.

The Romans didn’t like that Christians wouldn’t worship the emperor

Christians were used as scapegoats whenever the empire foundered.

Catacombs

The fish was one of the first Symbols of early Christianity. It was understood as a word-image: the Greek translation for "fish", which is iCHTHYS, in an abbreviation for "lessous CHnstos THeou Yios Soter" ("Jesus Christ, the Father's Son. is our savior") This sign was the common basic profession to unite Christians from all cultural origins.

Catacombs, Rome

Edict of Milan, AD 313

Constantine granted freedom of worship for all citizens of the Roman empire

Influenced by his mother, who was a devout Christian

The Long Decline

Struggles for power (In one 50 year period, 26 emperors reigned)

Diocletian and Constantine tried to reform the empire by fixing prices for goods and services, allowing Christianity, moving the capital from Rome to Constantinople.

Good Emperors

Constantine

Bad emperors

Nero – killed his mother, married his stepsister, and killed his wife to marry someone else, used Christians as torches to light up his gardens

Caligula appointed his favorite horse as consul.

Attacks from Germanic peoples

Attila the Hun – “scourge of God” (434)www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/ attila.htm

Odoacer – Germanic leader (476) ousted the emperor of Rome