The ruins of a villa with mosaic floors and wall paintings are part of the material culture of Pompeii.
Pax Romana
Pax Romana was contributed to by:
An ample food supply.
Reforms in government and the military.
The spread of Roman culture and law throughout the empire.
Trajan's unification of the empire through roads, bridges, and harbors.
Pompeii
The ruins of the ancient city of Pompeii provide archaeologists with many facts about life in those times.
Roman Emperors
To avoid conflict, each Roman emperor adopted a successor to take over when he died.
Roman Empire Regions
India was NOT part of the Roman Empire at its height.
Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar seized power in Rome in 44 B.C. and was later assassinated.
Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall was built to keep invading armies out of Roman Britain.
Romance Languages
Romance languages developed because Latin remained and changed, even after the empire collapsed.
Roman Law
Two basic principles that did not change in Roman law:
Good government was based on the rule of law.
All Roman citizens had equal rights under the law.
Emperor Caracalla
In 212 AD, Emperor Caracalla attempted to unite the peoples of the empire by expanding Roman citizenship.
Roman Building Materials
The Romans invented concrete, a building material they used for roads, arches, and domes.
Attila
Attila was a powerful chief of the Huns who led deep invasions into the Roman Empire.
Pliny the Younger
Pliny the Younger wrote a letter to the historian Tacitus describing the aftermath of a volcanic eruption.
Roman Public Water System
Ordinary people used public fountains, while the wealthy had private water supplies.
Roman Engineering
The engineers of the Roman Empire built:
Hadrian's Wall.
Bridges.
Aqueducts.
They did not build pyramids.
Primary Source
A speech written by Abraham Lincoln is an example of a primary source.
Julius Caesar's Rise and Downfall
Julius Caesar's rise to power:
Conquered Gaul.
Led his troops into Rome, starting a civil war due to economic and social issues, joblessness, and dissatisfaction.
Restored order in Rome.
Declared “Dictator for Life” by the Senate in 44 B.C.
His downfall:
Some Romans feared he would rule as a king.
He was assassinated by senators.
Good Emperors
Diocletian is NOT considered to be one of the "Good Emperors."
Germanic Tribes
Three Germanic tribes that eventually settled within the borders of the Roman Empire:
Ostrogoths
Visigoths
Franks
Burgundians
Roman Terms
Pax Romana: A period of peace and prosperity in the Roman empire.
Autonomous: Self-governing.
Hadrian: Strengthened empire's defenses.
Clovis: King of the Franks who defeated the last Roman army in Gaul.
Julius Caesar: Was declared "Dictator for Life", but that life was too short.
Barbarians: Lived peacefully along the border, but then threatened the Roman Empire after the Huns arrived.
Augustus/Octavian: Means "great and holy one"; adopted son of Julius Caesar.
Public works: Structures built by the government for the people.
Mount Vesuvius: Volcano in southern Italy that erupted and buried Pompeii in ash.
Marcus Aurelius: His death in 180 A.D. signified the end of Pax Romana.
Latifundia: Country estates.
Diocletian: Recruitment of foreign soldiers from Germany weakened the Roman army.
Founding of Rome
The story of the founding of Rome is an example of a myth or legend.
Roman Law and American Government
Features of Roman law that most influenced the American system of government:
Equal justice under the law.
Modern Historians
Modern historians have different interpretations of events in Roman history than earlier historians because they have more information.
Corruption in the Roman Empire
An example of corruption in the Roman Empire was tax collectors who cheated the people by keeping some of the money for themselves.
Roman Citizenship
The Roman system of citizenship was open to all free-born men.
Colonies Established by Augustus
The colonies established by Augustus were mostly settled by:
Former soldiers who helped spread Roman law and culture.
Material Culture
The ruins of the Colosseum in Rome are an example of material culture that archaeologists study.
Primary vs. Secondary Sources
Primary Source: An eyewitness account that was at or near the time of an event.
Secondary Source: An event that has already occurred.
Examples:
Primary: autobiographies, speeches, and poems.
Secondary: histroy books, textbooks.
Gap Between Rich and Poor
The gap between rich and poor in the Roman Empire grew larger because the ongoing wars hurt the poor farmers and merchants especially.
Aqueducts
The function of an aqueduct was to carry water.
Roman Empire
When free men across the Roman Empire gained citizenship, they had the right to participate in government as well as use of the courts system to settle disputes.
Weaknesses Leading to the Fall of the Western Roman Empire
Economic problems:
Gap between the rich/poor grew.
Farms destroyed by war.
Prisoners of war became slaves causing unemployment.
High taxes with much corruption.
Social problems:
People were upset with economic problems and unrest.
Wealthy fled to “latifundias,” leaving the cities to decline.
Citizens lazy and not interested in working or serving.
Growth of Christianity and persecution of Christians weakened Romans’ loyalty to the empire.
Military problems:
Army recruited foreign soldiers not as loyal to Rome or willing to follow orders.
Invasions:
Invasions by Germanic tribes and the Huns constantly threatened the empire and weakened Roman authority and control.
Constantine
In the early 300s, Constantine allowed Christians to worship freely.
Julius Caesar's Assassination
Julius Caesar was assassinated because some senators thought he had too much power.
Emperor Trajan
Emperor Trajan connected the many lands of the Roman Empire by building roads, bridges, and harbors.
Christianity Becomes Rome's Official Religion
Initially, the Romans prohibited the worship of Christianity and persecuted Christians. Despite this, Christianity spread. When Emperor Constantine took power in the 300s, he converted to Christianity and allowed Christians to worship freely. As a result, the Christian Church became the official religion of Rome and grew into a powerful religious institution.
Rome's First Law Code
As Rome's first law code in 451 B.C., the Twelve Tables laws were clearly written so they could be understood by every Roman.