Ancient Rome Notes

Ancient Rome Notes

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

12:24 PM

The Geography of Italy and The Beginning of the Republic:

Truly the Romans were justified in calling the Mediterranean Mare Nostrum or "our sea".
Is it true?:

I think it is because the Romans heavily dominated that sea with trade and warfare and it is located in there empire.

The Roman World Takes Shape:

Geography-

• Boot shaped peninsula

• Centrally located in the Mediterranean Sea

• Rome- located in the center of Italy

• Italy as compared to Greece, was easier to unify because of geography

• Less rugged mountains

• Connected- not isolated islands

• Fertile plains (North and West) supported a large population

Peoples-

• Originally Indo-Europeans called Latins

• Villages along the Tiber river- later became Rome

• Cultural Diffusion with the Greek colonists in the south and Etruscans in the North

• Alphabet

• Engineering (Arch, Column)

• Religion and Government

Additional Cultural Diffusion

• Aspects of Greece, Egypt, and the fertile Crescent west into Europe

• Roman Virtues of courage, loyalty, honor, duty.

• Copied a lot of Greek ideas

• Similar Gods and Goddesses

Roman Patricians-

Three hundred members of the Senate

Landholding elite elected with life terms

Very powerful

Elects two Consuls (veto power, executive authority, lead the military, issue decrees and interpret laws)

Roman Plebians-

• Farmers, merchants, artisans, and traders

• Looking to gain more power

• Election of Tribunes

• Election of Plebian to the Senate

• Twelve Tables

The Roman World-Military

Roman Legion- Five thousand soldiers

Citizen soldiers-unpaid; used their own weapons

Well disciplined, efficient, courageous, and trained

System of rewards and punishments

Patriarchal Society-

• Male Dominant(absolute power)

• Majority of Women were Homemakers

• Some could run a business

• Gained more freedom and influence over time

Education was emphasized

• Especially the wealthy

• Use of Greek Tutors

Polytheistic Religion

• Roman Mythology

• Resembled the beliefs of the Etruscans and Greeks

The Roman World-Foreign Influence

Romans were generally tolerant

• Acknowledge Roman supremacy and leadership

• Conquered people were treated with justice

• Had to pay tribute (taxes) and supply soldiers

• Could keep local customs

Roman Empire was well protected

• Military Outposts

• Connected by an all-weather road system

From Republic To Empire

Caesar, Augustus, and the Pax Romana

Chronological order on slides

Julies Caesar-

• Dominant force in politics and the military

• Successful conquests including Gaul(France)

• Pompey, his rival, deemed Caesar a threat

•   Pompey persuaded the senate to force Caesar home

• "Crossing the Rubicon"

Caesar crushed Pompey

Suppressed rebellions throughout the Mediterranean

Forced the Senate to make him dictator

"Veni, Vidi, Vici!" ("I came, I saw, I conquered!")

The Reforms of Caesar-

Created public works to reduce unemployment

Redistribution of land and province reorganization

Offer citizenship

Julian Calendar (similar to our Gregorian Calendar) we use Gregorian calendar.

Assassinated by rivals

His friend Brutus killed him too

In ancient history common for emperors to be assassinated

Sets off war between Marc Anthony and Octavian

Civil wars break out after Caesars death

Octavian (grandnephew) vs. Marc Anthony

Octavian defeated Marc Anthony in 31 BC.

Rise of Octavian-

Given the title Augustus and Princeps of first citizen

Reform driven by Emperor

Stabilizes government (Keeps the Senate)

Civil service (we saw in Ancient China), job creation, public works

Allows local self-government to provinces

Census, fair tax system, and new currency

Postal system

Romans if you paid your taxes and supplied your soldiers you could keep your customs
OFFICIAL END OF THE REPUBLIC

Bad Emperors-

Caligula-

Appointed favorite horse as consul

Nero-

Persecuted Christians

Some blame him for setting a great fire that destroyed Rome

Good Emperors-

Hadrian-

Codified laws

Hadrian's wall

Marcus Aurelius-

Considered to be a philosopher king

Roman entertainment

Purpose was to please the angry mobs

"bread and circuses"

Chariot races- Circus Maximus

Gladiator Games

Death of Marcus Aurelius- End of the Pax Romana

Numerous emperors to follow-many die by violence

High taxes and a heavy reliance on slavery

Foreign Invaders:

Numerous Germanic people including the Huns

(Attila), Visigoths, Vandals, Angles, and Lombards

Emperor Diocletian attempts to reform the empire

Divided the empire into two parts

Attempt to restore order and improve governance

Western Roman Empire capital-Rome

Eastern Roman Empire Capital- Constantinople

Restore the image of the emperor (lavish rituals)

Inflation Control-fixed prices on goods and services

Stable and binding occupations (farming)

Emperor Constance continues to reform the empire

Edict of Milan- toleration of Christians

Constantinople (Second Rome)

New Capital

Center of Roman Life

Western side was weakened

Military-

Lacked desire, discipline, and training- Relied on mercenaries

Government-

Oppressive, authoritarian, corrupt and divided

Economic-

High taxes, debt, poverty, slavery, and laziness

Social-

Decline in values ( patriotism, loyalty, self-reliance

Rise of Christianity-

Use of Roman roads to spread message

Devotion to God and not to the state

Off of salvation and hope

The fall of Roman empire really refers to the fall of the western Roman empire

The eastern roman empire continued to prosper and flourish for another thousand years, and renamed itself the Byzantine Empire

The Western Roman Empire entered a period of chaos, disorder, and disunity