Studied by 0 people
Looks like no one added any tags here yet for you.
Early Roman Empire
Octavian reestablishes political stability. For 30 years of Augustus’s reign the Roman empire was peaceful.
Administration
Government was administered through 40 provinces. The emperor directly controlled newly conquered areas. Rome and other provinces wer left to the administration of the Senate. Each province had a governor directly responsible to the emperor.
Inner provinces
Safe and secure which didn’t require military presence.
Other provinces
Managed by legates which were controlled through significant military presence.
Client kingdoms
Buffer zones between Rome and potential enemies
Law
Based on jurisprudence rather than legislation. Roman laws were constantly reinterpreted. Common code was applicable to all free men.
Basic principle of Roman law
Innocent until proven guilty.
Right to face accusers.
Right to appeal
Forum
Similar to agora in Greek cities. Forum serves as a marketplace and assembly place in Roman cities.
Dole
Free grain and bread handouts.
Circuses
Entertainment available for the people such as gladiatorial games, chariot races. Also public baths.
Decline of slavery
Lack of fresh supply of slaves due to lack of wars.
Frequent freeing of slaves by their masters.
Architecture
The Romans adopted many Greek styles, and borrowed the arch, vault, and dome from the near east. They were the first to extensively use concrete .
Roman architectural innovations
Triumphal arch
Basilica
Public bath
Apartment buildings
Amphitheaters
Amphitheaters
Held Roman sporting events, often gladiatorial games where both humans and/or animals fought.
Colosseum
Most famous architectural structure during Roman times. Finished by Titus.
Pantheon
Best preserved Roman building. Rebuilt by Hadrian. Unsure what It was used for and how it was built.
Circus Maximus
Race track in Rome. Next to colosseum. Part of “bread and circuses”.
Purpose of Roman roads
Improve communication.
Military purposes. Legions can be dispatched quickly.
Trade is positively impacted by roads and possession of Mediterranean sea.
Aqueduct
Move water
Found on 3 continents. Europe, Syria, Africa.
May have moved 200 to 300 million gallons of water through Rome daily.
Aqueducts gave people led poisoning which caused infertility.
Religion
Romans tolerated religion as long as people sacrificed to Roman gods.
Mithraism
Based on worship of the emperor. Popular with soldiers and only open to men. Followers looked for a advantage to get promotions in the military.
Cult of Isis
Honored Egyptian goddess and was favored by Roman women. It allowed them to participate because it offered immortality.
Pre-Christian History
Christianity isn’t first attempt at monotheism. Monotheism was first tried unsuccessfully in Egypt.
Second Temple Period
Beginning of large theocratic society in Persia. Rule by Persians, Ptolemies, Seleuicds. The Jews return to Jerusalem and build a second temple. Antiokhos IV tries to force paganism on the Jews, but the Jews defeat him.
Hasmonean Period
The Maccabees establish the hasmonean dynasty. Ends when the Romans defeat them, and establish Jerusalem as a client kingdom.
Herod
Client king under Jerusalem.Doesn’t win loyalty of his subjects and Jerusalem gets divided into factions.
Sadducees
Support the primacy of high priest, traditional, cooperate with king and Romans.
Pharisee
Faction of the rabbis, function of out synagogues and interpret religious law of old testament, strict interpretation of law.
Zealots
Not religious in motivation, but revolutionaries against foreign control of their land.
Christ
Greek word for Messiah
Messiah
The savior that the Jews expected to give them salvation, but didn’t know the form he would come in.
Jesus
self-taught rabbi. Taught reformed version of Judaism. Jesus views the god as forgiving and kind.
Judaism/Christianity Split
Titus is Roman emperor who puts an end to the Jewish revolt. Detroys Jerusalem. Christians interpret this as rejection of Jews. Jews interpret this as punishment for their sins.
Edict of Decius
States that all Romans must sacrifice to the Roman gods and receive a certificate called an ibellus stating that they had done so.
Pompeii
Pompeii was destroyed by eruption of a volcano. The remains of Pompeii give us a glimpse of everyday Roman life. The Pompeii fresco of a baker and his wife show a scroll and pen which indicates a decree of literacy.
Pax Romana
Roman peace. 200 years of peace and prosperity in Rome. From Caesar Augustus to Marcus Aurelius.
Octavian
Established Praetorian Guard. Reorganized treasury. Set precedent.
Praetorian guard
Only people in Rome allowed to bring weapons in.
Start to seize and grow in power.
Tiberius
Ruled last 11 years on an island. Ruled by terror. Murdered by Praetorian Guard.
Caligula
Mentally unbalanced due to severe fever. Thought he was pharaoh of Egypt. Named his horse on consul. Killed by Praetorian guards.
Cladius
Dropped unemployment in Rome. Died from poisoned mushrooms.
Nero
Killed his half-brother and mother. Known for responsibly handling the Roman fire.
Civil War
Year of 4 emperors. No clear succession lead to multiple emperors being placed on the throne.
Vespasian
Responsible for beginnings of colosseum.
Titus
Completed the colosseum. During his reign Pompeii was destroyed by mount Vesuvius. Destroyed Jerusalem.
Domitian
Built Arch of Titus.
Nerva
Began process of adoption and inauguration for successors. Chosen by the Senate.
Trajan
Under Trajan Rome reaches its apex. Builds forum to keep up with growing population. Creates the column of Trajan.
Hadrian
Rebuilt the pantheon. Pulls back the boundaries of the Roman empire. Built Hadrian’s wall to establish boundaries.
Antonius-Pius
Named Pius for his good behavior.
Marcus Aurelius
Philosopher king. End of pax Romana. Named Commodus as successors.
Commodus
Emperor that starts the decline period. First emperor to participate in the gladiator games.
Septimus Severus
Reorganized provinces to increase tax yield and depreciated currency. He provided good administration.
Caracalla
Unpopular with the people.
Edict of Caracalla
Made all free subjects of the Roman empire full Roman citizens. Key outcome is that all Roman citizens must pay taxes.
Ugly Period of Roman Emperors
Armies become politically important. Armies that’re stationed in different parts of the empire declare their generals as supporters. Between 50 years, 25 different emperors are recognized in Rome.
Decius
Began 1st persecution of Christians.
Aurelianus
Built permanent walls around Rome and pushed the attacking Alamanni tribes out of Italy.
Diocletian
Reforms Roman government by adding more bureaucracy. Leads to a decrease in the centralized power of the Roman government. Tries to fix the economic issues but only increases inflation. Tetrarchs are the emperors that leads certain parts of Rome and they have a sub emperor who takes control after their resignation or death.
Price Edict
Set maximum prices for goods and services in Rome. Used to control prices in Rome.
Constantine
First Christian Roman emperor. Moves the official capital to Byzantium which he named Constantinople. Gives Christianity the advantage over other religions. Christianity becomes a religion of power.
Council of Nicea
Council with Contantine and christian priests. The council produced a unified doctrine of Christianity and declared Arianism as heresy.
Arianism
Belief of Arian. Taught that Jesus was a separate but lesser god. Contradicted the Christian monotheism beliefs.
Paganism
Julian the Apostate tries to revert Roman religion to paganism. Paganism never gains popularity through Rome.
Council of Constantinople
Theodosius summons Council of Constantinople. Condemns Arianism once again. Makes Christianity the official religion of Rome.
Growing Power of The Church
The threat of excommunication becomes a weapon that the church uses against emperors. The church can use this to shape the policies of the emperor.
Political Reasons For Fall of Rome
No law of succession
Incapable and corrupt leaders.
Decline of loyalty of the army
Empire was too big
Social Reasosn for Fall of Rome
Decline of Roman population. Led in aqueducts and multiple epidemics largely dimished the Roman population.
Decline of citizens sense of civic responsibility.
Christianity was blamed for destroying the Roman religion.
Economic Reasons for Fall of Rome
Decreasing farm production lead to the need to import food from the west. Cretaed an unfavorable balance of trade. The Roman became buyers but not sellers.
Theodosius I
Made orthodox christianity the state religion. with his death the division of the empire became permanent. Considered last true Roman emperor. Reached an agreement between Goths and the Roman empire.
Christianity and The Fall of Rome
Christians were persecuted in the Roman empire because the religion threatened the social hierarchy.
Alamanni
Settled along the upper Rhine River. Threatened Rome’s northern frontier.
Visigoths
West Goths.
Vandals
Crossed the Rhine River to France, then Spain, then North Africa. Rebuilt the city of Carthage.
Huns
Powerful nomadic tribe of fierce cavalry warriors sweeping through Europe from Asia. They reach their height under Attila.
Invasions and Chaos
Visigoths revolted against the Romans in which the Roman legion was defeated at Adrianople. The Roman emperor Valens leads the Roman army against the Visigoths and the Roman are defeated.
Stilicho
Roman general who defeated the Visigoths along with other German tribes. Killed after the emperor Honorius was jealous.
Alaric I
King of the Visigoths and sacked Rome after the death of Stilicho.
Battle of Chalons
Battle between the Huns and the Romans. The Romans defeated the Huns.
Theories As To Why Attila doesn’t complete the invasion of Italy
Famine in the land resulted in Attila running out of food.
Plague broke out amongst Attila’s troops.
Pope Leo I intervened from the insistence of Emperor Valentinian.
Superstition: Alaric died a few months after sacking Rome. Did Attila want to do that risk?
Aetius
Murdered by emperor Valentinian III. Last capable Roman general. Romans can no longer protect the remaining empire.
Gaiseric
Leader of the Vandals who savagely sacked Rome.
Romulus Augustus
Last Roman emperor in the west.
Stilicho
Fought the Visigoth invasion of the Roman empire in the west. After his death the Romans were unable to protect themselves.
Federates
Nomadic tribes inside the Roman empire that granted autonomy. Must help the Roman empire protect the frontier and serve in the army when needed.
Results:
German barbarians noew ruled Italy.
Italy would not be united again until 19th century.
East would remain independent for another 1000 years.
