10/20/2011

1

The Roman Empire

Octavian � Augustus

10/20/2011

2

Roman Baths

Exercise in the Palaestra

“Bathing”

begins in

the

Tepidarium

10/20/2011

3

Raised Floor Heating

Caldarium

Frigidarium

10/20/2011

4

Baths were for

more than Bathing

• Centers of social and,

intellectual activity

– Theaters

– Libraries

– Lectures

– Dining…and Drinking

– Games & Sports

All Roads Lead to Rome

• Easy communication

with settlements

• Rapid response to

military threats

• Cultural influence

spread via trade

Communication with Regional Leaders

• As the empire

expanded, so did the

need for

communication with

regional leaders

10/20/2011

5

Cities along the Roads became centers

of Commerce

Inland Settlements (or Forts)

connected to Port Cities

Roads linked Mining Centers in the

Iberian Peninsula and North Africa

10/20/2011

6

Concrete

Pantheon

Apartment Buildings (Insula)

10/20/2011

7

Roman Aqueducts

The Roman Denarius

10/20/2011

8

Civil Service

• Senators retain titles

and money-making

provincial positions

• “Real” work given to

plebians …and even

slaves

• Opportunity created

loyalty

Succession Problems…

Julian Dynasty & Beyond

• Appointment?

• Selection by Senate?

• Provincial Army

Leaders?

• Praetorian Guard?

• No fixed rules

10/20/2011

9

The “Army” Emperors

• Galba

• Otho

• Vitellus

The Flavian Dynasty

• Vespasian

• Titus

• Domitian

The “Good” (Adoptive) Emperors

• Nerva

• Trajan

• Hadrian

• Antoninus Pius

• Marcus Aurelius

10/20/2011

10

Vocabulary

• Policy

• Aqueduct

• Civil Service

• Succession

• Colosseum

• Pax Romana

• Augustus

• Julian Emperors

• “Good” Emperors

Romans Extended Greek Culture

• Hundreds of territories -> one political entity

• Cities looked like Rome

• Governments looked like Roman government

• Roads united the Empire with trade

• Latin was the common language

• Romans admired, copied, adapted and spread

Greek culture -> Greco-Roman culture

Zeno & Stoicism

• Valued– Virtue

– Duty

– Endurance

• Universe controlled by Supreme Power (or Universal Law or Divine Reason)

• Pain and pleasure not important

• Support of traditional Roman values

• Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations

• Laws must be reasonable and just

10/20/2011

11

Epicurus & Epicureanism

• Happiness gained by

– Freeing the body from

pain

– Freeing the mind from

fear

• Avoid Excess

• Death=the end of

existence

Livy & The History of Rome

• Recorded, in patriotic

terms, the history of

Rome

• Conservative “worship”

of old, heroic men of

honor, courage,

discipline and strength

Virgil & The Aeneid

• Focus on Patriotic

Virtue

• Modeled on Homer’s

Odyssey and Iliad

– Connects Rome’s

founders to Troy’s

Aeneas

10/20/2011

12

The Silver Age of Literature

• Criticism replaces

Patriotism

• Satire mocked Roman

society for its

foolishness

Roman Law

• No guilt without

presentation of

evidence

• Right to face accusers &

right to defend

• Doubt = innocence

• Unjust laws could be set

aside

Roman Holidays

• Holidays

– Emperor’s birthdays

– Gods’ feast days

– Etc.

• Publicly funded entertainment

– Chariot races

– Games

– Races

– Gladitorial Games

10/20/2011

13

Roman Society

Life at the Top

• Extravagance

– Fancy houses

– Statues

– Gardens

– Slaves

– Banquets

• Country Villas & Estates

Life at the Bottom

• Unemployment

• Government-issued rations

• Multi-story tenements

• Dangers of fire, collapse

Vocabulary

• Epicureanism

• Stoicism

• Satire

• Villa

• Epicurus

• Zeno

• Meditations

• Livy

• Virgil

• Aeneid

• Juvenal

• Tacitus

• The Pantheon

Romans, Jews, and Christians

• Jews came under Roman rule – How?

• Paul influenced Christianity’s growth – How?

• Rome struggled with Judaism & Christianity –

Why?

– War against the Jews

– Persecution of the Christians

• The Petrine Doctrine – What was it? Why is it

important?

10/20/2011

14

Exile to Babylon

Palestine

• Jewish people lost their independence and

were exiled to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar

• Following their return from Babylon, the Jews

were ruled by Alexander (Greece), Ptolemy

(Egypt), and the Seleucids (Persia)

• Persia’s decision to build an altar to Zeus

triggered a rebellion led by Judas Maccabee

Judea (Palestine)

under Judas

Maccabee ~142 BC

10/20/2011

15

Roman Judea ~ 6 AD

10/20/2011

16

Factors contributing to

Christianity’s Early Expansion

• Peace & Cultural Unity during the Pax Romana

– Freedom to travel

• Open to anyone

• Churches established in major cities

• Strong appeal among the poor and powerless

10/20/2011

17

Religious and Political

Conflict with the Jews

Persecution of Christians under Nero

• The Great Fire

• Incest, Cannibalism

• Refusal to sacrifice to

Roman gods

– Sacrilege and treason

• Scapegoating

Petrine Doctrine

• Many

Bishops,

one Pope

10/20/2011

18

Vocabulary

• Disciple

• Apostle

• Martyr

• Messiah

• Bishop

• Pope

• Jerusalem

• Herod

• Jesus

• Gospels

• Pontius Pilate

• Paul (Saul)

• Zealots

• Masada

• Petrine Doctrine

Rome’s Empire

Declines & Falls

• What crises weakened the Empire?

– Economic

– Military

– Political

• What did Rome’s Emperors do to try to stop the crises?

• What role did Christianity play?

• Why did Constantine found a new capital?

• What did the barbarians do?

Economic Crisis

• Currency collapse

• Inflation

• Agriculture

10/20/2011

19

Military Decay• Barbarian

invasions

• Persian pressure

• Mercenaries and decline of patriotism

Political Decay

• Disloyalty

• Dis-incentives for service to the empire

• Military interference

Primary Source

• Most reverend and serene of all emperors, although in your most

felicitous times all other persons enjoy an untroubled and calm existence, since all wickedness and oppression have ceased, we,

alone experiencing a fortune most alien to these most fortunate

times, present this supplication to you. We are unreasonably oppressed and we suffer extortion by those persons whose duty it is

to maintain the public welfare. For although we live remotely and are

without military protection, we suffer afflictions alien to your most felicitous times. Generals and soldiers and lordlings of prominent

offices in the city and your Caesarians, coming to us, traversing the

Appian district, leaving the highway, taking us from our tasks, requisitioning our plowing oxen, make exactions that are by no

means their due. And it happens thus that we are wronged by

extortions. Our possessions are spent on them, and our fields are stripped and laid waste....

10/20/2011

20

Diocletian’s Reforms

• Doubles size of the army

• Wage and Price controls

• General persecution of Christians

• Persian “style” for the emperors

• Division of Rome into East & West

Constantine

• Accepts Christianity

• Ends Christian persecution

• Edict of Milan

• Leads to Theodosius’ decision to make

Christianity Rome’s official religion

• Founds capital at Byzantium

Barbarians

• Alaric

• Gaiseric the Lame

• Attila

• Odoacer

10/20/2011

21

Vocabulary

• Inflation • Diocletian

• Constantine

• Eastern Empire

• Western Empire

• Edict of Milan

• Constantinople

• Huns