Ancient Rome Study

When was the time period of Rome

600 BC - 500 AD

Geography of Rome

Located on Tiber River and allowed protection from pirates raids.

Greek colonies were established in southern Italy in

750-550 BC

Italian Peninsula

It juts into the sea and, therefore, was a natural crossroads between the eastern and western Mediterranean

Apennine Mountain Range

Mountains run down the center of Italy, but they are not so rugged that they divide Italy into isolated communities.

Po Valley Latium Campania

These are wide fertile plains that are excellent for farming

Tiber River

The Tiber gave Rome access to the sea; the city’s position upstream protected it from attack. At Rome, the river could easily be fired, so the city became the natural crossroads for north-south traffic in Italy.

Rome’s seven hills

situated on the hills, Rome had an excellent defensive position.

Latium

Foothills with fertile land and mostly were farmers and herders and was occupied by the Latins

Latin is the language of the

Latium people which will also be for the Romans

Who were the influences of Rome

The Greeks, Etruscans, and Latins

Greek influence

• Cultivation of olives and grapes

• Greek Alphabet

• Artistic and cultural models 

• Including mythology

Etruscan Influence

• Expansion of Rome from village to city

• Style of fashion 

• Military organizations

Etruscans is north of

Rome in Etruria

Etruscans in 650 BC

Took over Rome and Latium to expand land

Etruscans made Rome villages into

Big Cities

Rome was under control by 7 kings in what time

753-509 BC

Out of 7 kings how many were Etruscans

2 kings were Etruscans

In 509 BC was the start of the new goverment

Romans overthrew the kings and started Republic Government

Republic

 a form of government in which the leader is not a king and certain citizens have the right to vote. 

Beginning of Rome were at what and conquered what

In the beginning they were at constant war due to them being hostile.

In the next 50 years, they conquered central parts of Italy of the Italian Peninsula

Rome crushed the Latin States of Latium in

388 BC

Apennines:

 Mountain range that runs through the center of the Italian peninsula

Continuing Conquest

• Rome heads south towards the end of Italy.

• Discovering the Greek settlements

• They begin to wage war with the Greeks

Roman conquered Southern Italy in

264 BC

Patrician

a social class of wealthy powerful landowners, they formed the ruling class in the Roman republic

Plebeian

a social class of commoners in ancient Rome, including farmers, laborers, and merchants who had limited political power compared to the Patricians.

Consul

 a chief executive officer of the Roman Republic; two were elected each year to run the government and to lead the army into battle

Praetor

an official of the Roman Republic in charge of enforcing law

Institution

an organization for the promotion of a cause  

Rome’s first set of laws were called and when

The 12 Tablets 450 BC

Plebians and Patracians had conflict

Not allowed to marry into different classes

Council of Plebians were formed

This allowed Plebians to have more power and politcal power in Rome and finally allowed marriage between different social classes

Laws of the Tablets were such as

Preliminary Trials

Trials

Judgement

Paternal Power

Inheritance and Guardianship

Ownership

Property

Torts

Public Law

Sacred Law

Marriage Laws

Slave Laws

Principles are still used from the Tablets are

• Innocent until proven guilty

• Allowed to defend yourself in court

• Judge to weigh evidence in decision-making

The Senate

Became complete political power of Rome and mostly runned by Aristocracy

Once someone became senator they were for life

Aristocrates held power within by chief office

They take over foreign and domestic policy

Aristocracy

governing body or upper class usually made up of nobility family

Loss of Small Farmers

Aristocrats buy out small farmers sending them to seek work in the cities

Gracchus Brothers

Try to have reform through the senate to give land back to the poor to farm

Murder of the Brothers

After teaming with the council of pleb Tiberius murdered in 133 B.C. and Gaius soon followed.

Instability:

 After the death of these reformers the door was open for violence and unrest. This leads to the fall of the Republic

New Army

Roman Generals recruit from poor cities and these soldiers are loyal to the generals and not Rome.

82 BC Civil War

Pleb appointed general general Mairus and recruited general sulla

Rome went through how many years old Civil Wars

50 years of Civil Wars

Triumvirate

A government by three people of equal power

First triumvirate were who and when

Crassus, Pompius, Caesar and established in 60 BC

Triumvirate timeline

• Phase 1- Crassus, Pompey, and Julius Caesar hold enormous military and political party

  • Part 1 - 60 B.C. The First Triumvirate established

  • Part 2 - Pompey takes command in Spain; Crasuss in Syria; Caesar special military command in Gaul

• Phase 2- Crassus dies in battle in 53 B.C.

  • Part 1- Caesar has military success and growing fame

  • Part 2- Caesar defeats Pompey in the civil war in Rome in 47 B.C.

Dictator

An absolute ruler

Imperator

Commander in chief; the Latin origin of the word emperor

Caesar became Absolute ruler

in 47 BC and became dictator for life in 44 BC

The Senate Did what to Caesar

They all assinated him in the Senate Chambers

After Caesar Dies this leads to

Roman Empire going back to Repubic government and many more Civil Wars

Second Triumvirate

Octavian(Agustus), Antony, Lepideus

Octavian becomes ruler in

31 BC

Octavians Reform

He controlled the West of Rome and destroyed Antony of the East who is partnered with Cleopatara in Greece . They both flee to Eygpt and killed them selves

Octavians Changes his name to

Augustus which was award by Senate

Augustus Army was

28 legions (150,000 soldiers)

Augustus Politics

Could appoint legates to govern other provinces and overrule Senate

August would build

Temples and establish new religion to empire.

Who is considered to be the first emperor after Caesar’s change to an empire?

Augustus/Octavian

What Roman leader was considered the last good emperor?

Marcus Aurelius

What millitary project was built in Great Britian to protect from barbians?

Hadrian’s Wall

Did Augustus have a dynasty after his rule?

Yes he had four who succeeded.

What Emperor did not die by anothers hand

Emperor Nero

The peaceful period in Rome lasted for about 200 years

Pax Romana

Urbanization

A process which towns and cities become larger as population increases and more people begin to occupy central area

Augustan Age was also known as

The Golden Age for Latin literature

What specific type of architecture did Romans develop

Dome

Aquaducts brought what to Rome

water

Major reasons for downfall of Rome are?

Barbarians invasions, millitary overspending, economic troubles

Barbarians finally sacked Rome in….

410 A.D

Rome at its peak was stretched from….

Atlantic Ocean and Euphrate River

Who was responsible for changing Rome from Republic to an Empire

Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar was born in

100 A.D

How many Wives did Caesar have in his lifetime

3

Modern Calendar that we still use is called

Julian Calendar

Did Trajan increased taxes throughout his reign

False

What year was Constatine the Great

280 A.D

The original city that Constantine the Great changed into Constantinople was called

Byzantium

Who had the second longest reign in Roman Empire

Constantine the Great

What year was Trajan Born?

53 A.D

Economy of the Empire

• Merchants from all of the empire came to Puteoli, the chief part city in the Bay of Naples. (mouth of the Tiber River)

• Trade went well beyond the borders of the empire. Luxury items flooded the Roman markets for the wealthy’s desire

• Despite active trade and commerce the main occupation remained the same

  • Farming

• Large land estate known as Latifundia dominated farming in southern and central Italy

  • Slave labor 

  • Livestock

• Enormous gap between the RIch and the poor of Roman Society. The Rich in large villas on their estates while their neighbors remained small plots of land

• In City poor either went unemployed or being underpaid in shops and markets

Roman Arts and Sciences were?

Art, architecture, technology, math, science, literature

Art

Greek Influence on Roman culture like art and architecture

Developed taste for Greek statues and sculpt their own

Greek strived for ideal and appearance while Rome produce realistic works

Aeneid was written by

Virgil

Satire was written by

Horace

Early History of Rome

142 books which 35 survive written by Historian Livy

Architecture

Romans made architecture and practical art expanding on Greeks like colum and rectangle buildings and arch and developed dome

Used concrete over carved stone

Large infrasturcture were what?

Roads, Aqueducts, sewer system

Aquaducts

Brought freshwater to major cities and made it clean with dirty water flowing outside of city via clay and lead pipes

Romans borrowed what from Etruscans and greeks

their numbers and abacus

Took science and orginal rules of Hippocrates

Who was Galen of Pegamum

A doctor for gladiators but later became Aurelius court physician

Dissecting animals

What made it difficult that Rome was vast in land

hard since government communication is hard due to vast distance and expanding became less frequent

Millitary overspending

From constant attacks that were needed for borders

Wall was not cheap and need more soldiers

Mercenary groups hired

Split of Roman Empire

Diocletian decided empire to large in 285 A.D

in 330 A.d Constantine declared Constanople capital of Rome

Led to more divisions and weakening of empire

Barbian Invation

300 A.D barbarians were close to Empire borders

410 A.D barbarians led by Visgoth King sacked Rome

Once again in 455 A.D

Germatic leader revolt and dethroned Emperor in 476 A.D