Note
Studied by 8 people
Unit 5 - Rise of Rome
Classical Rome Ideas
Interaction
Power
Technology
Spirituality
Conflict
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Slides: Unit 5 Slides: 1/30 (A) + 1/31 (B)..
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Origin of rome
-based on stories
Story 1: Roman legend
-rome was founded in 753 BC by the demi-god twins, ROMULUS and REMUS
-they were the sons of the war god, Mars, and a latin princess
-they were supposedly raised by a she-wolf and established Rome
-near the banks of the Tiber river
Story 2: Roman poet
-Virgil, Trojan refugees, led by Aeneas, founded Rome after escaping the destruction of Troy
-they were at the hands of the Mycenaean greeks, as told in The Aeneid of Virgil
Source: in the First Century. The Roman Empire. Writers. Virgil | PBS
-Virgil hated the instability of the civil war
-the poems capture the timeless peacefulness of country life that he desperately wanted to see again
-Virgil hoped that Augustus (the one who became undisputed ruler of rome) would help rescue Rome from the chaos
-Virgil worked on “The aeneid” for the rest of his life
-”The Aeneid” is the story of an exiled Trojan prince, who founds the first settlement in Italy after the destruction of Troy by the greeks in the 12th century
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Rome’s geography
-the latins established rome around the seven hills on the banks of the Tiber river (which is in italy now)
-rome’s central location on the italian peninsula near the western coast enabled it to become a thriving trade center
-it was also far enough inland to be protected from sea raiders
-rome’s central location in the mediterranean sea later enabled the romans to dominate the entire region militarily
-all roads lead to rome
-Etruscans region is around rome
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Roman republic
Comparison between greeks and etruscans
-roman society took a heavy influence from both the greeks and etruscans
Etruscans
-the etruscans provided guidance on more physical matters
-they helped with engineering and metalworking
-etruscan gladiator fighting
-Etruscan architecture
-etruscan alphabet
Greeks
-the greeks helped with philosophical and thinking matters
-greek religion and philosophies
-greek language
-cultivate olives and grapes
-greek architecture
and
Roman religion
-compared to greek
-Early Roman religion based a significant amount of their early religious practices on Greek beliefs
-both used mythology and the gods as a way to explain life events and natural phenomena
-most of them were greek gods given a new name
-many of which were astronomical names as opposed to human traits
-they shared the same attributes
Roman name for the gods in greece
Zeus: Jupiter
Hera: Juno
Apollo: apollo (he only god to share the same name in both greek and roman traditions)
Athena: minerva
Aphrodite: Goddess of Venus
Artemis: Diana
Poseidon: Neptune
Roman Kingdom
What the Roman kingdom changed
509 BCE
-roman aristocrats (patricians) overthrew the last Etruscan king, Tarquin the proud
-an election was held after to decide what should happen
-the roman republic then was born
-romans banned monarchy and threatened to kill anyone who sought to become a king
-all males over the age of 15 who were descended from the original tribes of rome were declared citizens
How the republic differed from the kingdom
-the kingdom of rome was a monarchy
-the roman republic was a representative democracy
-in the republic, citizens could vote for representatives in various positions
-not all citizens voted to fill the same positions
-some elections were based on social class
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Roman government
The three branches:
Social classes in the republic
-roman society was split into a social hierarchy like every other civilization
The top: Patricians - wealthy landowners
Plebeians were majority of rome’s citizens
-they were made up of poorer farmers and craftsmen
-Plebians could be foreigners
-women and freedmen were not citizens within the republic
-men had all the power and rights
-the republic did utilize enslaved people as well
Status of the family in Rome
-roman society placed heavy emphasis on the family unit
-since rome was a patriarchy, the senior (oldest) male was the head of the family
-this made him the paterfamilias
Paterfamilias: would make all decisions, enforce his rules, put family members on trial and even execute them
-wealthier families sent their children to receive an education, while the poorer families sent their children to work
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Roman military
-originally only people from wealthy families joined the military
-joined a legion of 4,200 men & fought during the battle season
(march to october)
-legionaries would be recruited from conquered lands
-Consul Marius allowed anybody to join the military, with the government providing their equipment
-Soldiers formed strong bonds through their difficult training, hardships, and experiences on the battlefield
-rome's military would become unstoppable
-with any defeats suffered dealt with by a significantly larger army
The Roman Legionnaire:
The Roman Forum was the political, religious, economic, and social center of the Roman Republic
Beginning as a burial ground, it transitioned to an open-air market where Romans could purchase anything they wanted
Over time, buildings began to be constructed surrounding the Forum, making it an influential part of the city
During the Republic it became the center of Roman politics, with it being home to many government buildings, important speaking stages, and the Twelve Tables
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TWELVE TABLES
-were a set of laws inscribed on bronze tablets around 450 BCE
-They were the beginning of a new way of lawmaking and governing, based on the law codes of Draco and Solon
MY FATHER WILL HEAR ABOUT THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Under the Twelve Tables, all citizens were treated the same, as these laws were passed to protect citizens’ rights and liberties
Comparing hammurabi and twelve tables: Shreya Pandey - Comparing the Twelve Tables and Hammurabi's Code
Important terms
Patricians
Aristocratic Landowners
Controlled the Senate
Senate
300 members, controlled by the Patricians
Determined foreign and financial policy
Advised the consuls
Consuls
Two
Served as chief executives and army commanders in place of a single king
Plebeians
Commoners
Demanded a greater role in government and forced the creation of a law code and tribal assembly
Twelve Tables
Rome code of law created at the demand of the Plebeians
451 B.C.E.
Tribal Assembly
Creation was demanded by the Plebeians
Elected Tribunes and eventually made laws
Tribunes
Elected officials
Defended the interest of the Plebeians against unfair acts and were eventually able to gain wider powers
Legions
Consisted of about 5000 soldiers each, group by centuries
Centuriate Assembly
Consisted of citizen-soldiers and selected consuls
Mostly patricians at first but later consisted of more plebeians
Praetors
Served as chief judges and presided over civil and criminal courts
Selected by the Centuriate Assembly
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Slides: 3. Unit 5 Slides: 2/5
-when series of wars which made the Roman Republic grow too large to accommodate a representative democracy
-roman republic 509 bc when overthrew Etruscan King to 27 BCE when the Empire will emerge
Etruscans Region is near the corsica peninsula
Start of roman republic
-roman aristocrats (patricians) overthrew the last last etruscan king of Rome
-the king of rome was Tarquin the proud in 509 bc
-established the roman empire (oligarchy at first)
509 BC-27 bce
-it would eventually be a representative democracy that lasted for about 400 years
-all males over 15 who were descended from original tribes of rome would become citizens
-citizenship would extend as the republic grew into an empire
-most of the power lay in the hands of the Patrician class
-plebeians pushed for more power but romans valued civic virtue in their leaders
-this allowed absolute authority to be given to some leaders when needed
Cincinnatus
-Cincinnatus won fame as consul and was appointed dictator twice (458 BCE and 439 BCE) to help with foreign and domestic threats
-when he did not need to be a dictator anymore, he returned to his farm
-this set an example of civic duty and not trying to retain power
Rome survival
-To survive, Rome had to stay organized in an almost constant state of warfare against others
-rome led the latin league in a series of wars that led to roman dominance in italy by 264 bce
- latin league: a confederation of about 30 city states around rome
-all latins revived roman citizenship
-Conquered citizens were given citizenship but not the right to vote.
-Allies contributed to the Roman military
Even though Rome earned a reputation for being militaristic, they practiced leniency with their defeated enemies and gained their trust and support
The Punic Wars:
264-146 B.C.E.
Bookmarks: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Punic Wars
Phoenician Spread into Western Africa included the city of Carthage in Tunisia, Africa.
Read the brief on the wars
First Punic War:
264-241 BCE
-The First Punic War was fought between Carthage and Rome over control of Sicily and Corsica
-Carthage’s presence in Sicily pressured Rome to attack
-they sent forces to Sicily, Corsica, and Northern Africa
264 BC
-Roman forces won control of the city of Messana
260 BCE
-they had control over the island of Corsica
-Carthaginian forces controlled most of Sicily and defeated the Romans in Africa
Outcomes of the First Punic War
-A Roman fleet of over 200 ships was sent to Sicily in 241 BCE
-gave control of the island and surrounding sea to Rome
-led to the collapse of the Carthaginian stronghold in Sicily.
-Carthage felt humiliated, swearing to get revenge in the future.
-Rome’s land forces were able to easily defeat Carthaginian forces
-but after this first war, Rome’s navy developed significantly
Map of rome and carthage at the beginning of the second punic war 218 BC
-red:Roman dominions & allies
-blue: carthaginian dominions & allies
Second Punic War:
218-202 BCE
-This war is the biggest and most impactful of the three
-this is due to the successes of Hannibal, the Carthaginian general, who almost defeated Rome
-Hannibal was the son of General Hamilcar Barca, and was made to swear eternal hostility to Rome
-Hannibal was incredibly successful and determined
-Hannibal was able to cross the Alps with his army from Gaul, bringing half of his army and large numbers of war elephants
-Wreaked havoc in Italy for over 15 years
-battle of the cannae: key engagement of the Second Punic War between the Roman Republic and Carthage, fought on 2 August 216 BC
-it was a decisive victory for Carthage over Rome during the Second Punic War
-Despite the disaster at Cannae, Rome was able to defeat Carthage by attacking other regions, specifically Spain and North Africa
-This diverted Hannibal from Italy to come into conflict with General Scipio at Battle of Zama, in Tunisia, Africa
-Rome’s victories in Spain and North Africa ensured the Carthaginian defeat, as well as giving Rome control of Spain and portions of Gaul
Third Punic War:
149-146 BCE
-This war began as a final nail in the coffin for Carthage
-Rome wanted complete dominance over trade in the Mediterranean Sea and to destroy Carthage for making technological advances
-After a 3-year-long siege of the city of Carthage, Rome was victorious, obliterating the city and selling over 50,000 people into slavery
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Outline 1
1: roman forum
2: roman army
4. Rome expands
Pages 277-278
The Roman Forum
Main idea: the roman forum was the political, religious, economic, and social center of the roman republic
Forum: a place, meeting, or medium where ideas and views on a particular issue can be exchanged
-developed over several centuries in a valley between the Palatine and Capitoline hills
-because of heavy rain, the banks of the Tiber river (near the italian peninsula) would burst
-it would flood the marshy valley
Before rome founded
-this swamp had been used as a burial ground
-the swamp eventually became a piece of desirable real estate
600 BC
-etruscan king built a sewer to drain the area and created an open public square paved with pebbles
-THE ROMAN FORUM WAS BORN
-everyone came here
-it was the city’s open-air market
-romans could buy everything from local fruit and vegetables to imported greek pottery
-rome old road called Via Sacra, looped through the forum
-kings built a royal residence with shops, houses, temples near the road
-forum became the center of rome’s religious, economic, and social activity
-it also became the center of roman politics
-there were huge public government buildings
Temple of saturn
-dedicated to one of rome’s most important gods was here
-grew riches of the republic
-forum provided theatrical performances and athletic games
-funerals were held here too
-forum was transformed later from brick to marble
-great bronze statues were added
-more buildings were built but none beat the roman forum
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Pages 284-285
The roman Army
Main idea: organization and training brought rome’s army military success
The roman legion
-it was a privilege to serve in one
-contained around 4,200 men and each consul led an army of two legions
-at first only property-owning citizens could join
-as they fought longer wars, citizens who owned property became reluctant to serve
107 BC
-consul marius had to let poor, landless citizens volunteer
Legionary: a professional soldier in ancient rome
-the government supplied their equipment
-it included a bronze helmet, mail armor, a short sword, a javelin(spear meant to be thrown), and an oval shield
-Marius also reorganized the legions for maximum strength and flexibility
-he often groups men into 600-man divisions (or cohorts)
--ten divisions made up a legion, now 6000 strong
-this command structure gave roman generals control over large groups of men
-this continues to be a model for modern military organization
-legions became an efficient military machine that rome used to conquer its enemies
-expanded territory and recruited additional soldiers from the regions it defeated
-the determination of rome makes it unstoppable
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Pages 288-289
Hannibal and the Punic wars
Main idea: rome and carthage fought the punic wars for control of the mediterranean sea
Carthage : the north african city
-it was very rich
-it had grown from a Phoenician colony into a trading empire
-carthage had established colonies and trading ports sound the western mediterranean
-the city controlled valuable mineral resources in north africa and present day spain
-in time, rome began to compete with carthage for control of the sea
264 BC
-First punic war broke out
-over the strategic island of sicily
-the war was fought mainly at sea, but Carthage’s navy was vastly superior to rome’s
-after rome was defeated, rome built a fleet of 120 powerful warships
-this beated the Carthaginian navy in almost every battle
-these victories of rome allowed rome to take important islands of Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica
241 BC
-Carthage surrendered to rome
-its defeated general was Hamilcar Barca, the father of a young boy named Hannibal
Hannibal: soon a carthaginian general
-when hannibal was a child, he promised his father he would always hate rome
-when he became a general, he kept his promise
-hannibal attacked one of rome’s allies in southern spain
218 BC
-the second punic war began
-while the romans planned a counterattack, hannibal outsmarted them
-he led about 60,000 soldiers and a herd of war elephants
-he brought them across the Alps to invade the italian peninsula by land
-this action caught the romans by surprise
-hannibal federated the roman army in battle after battle as he swept south toward rome itself
216 BC
-hannibal was in southeast italy, facing a huge roman army at cannae
-he defeated the legions
-his brilliant tactics are still studied at military academies today
-rome fought on and steadily wore down hannibal’s army
205 BC
-the roman general Scipio was elected consul
-he invaded north africa in a plan devised to draw hannibal out of italy
-it worked, hannibal left to defend his homeland
202 BC
Battle of Zama
-hannibal and scipio faced each other in desperate fight
-they were both brilliant generals
-after a long battle, hannibal was defeated and fled abroad to asia minor (present day Turkey)
-ROME ruled the western Mediterranean again
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Pages 292-293
Rome expands
Main idea: between 264 and 146 BC, rome’s armies conquered a vast amount of land stretching from the Iberian peninsula to greece
Third Punic war
-Carthage focused more on trade and began to grow very rich
-this worried the romans, who were still their old enemy
-Statesman Cato the Elder was alarmed by Carthage’s wealth and thought it would be used to fight Rome
-Cato shared his fears with the Senate
-he repeatedly said Carthage must be destroyed
-Roman leaders eventually ordered the city of Carthage to be abandoned
-Carthage declared war after decades of conflict
-rome decided that only the total destruction of its old enemy would do (rome wanted to destory everything)
149 BC
-rome laid siege to carthage surrounding its food supply
=romans soldiers destroyed the city with rocks thrown from catapults into walls
-the starving defenders (carthage) fought bravely
- roman’s victory happened tho, their revenge was merciless
-they sold carthaginian survivors as slaves, destroyed every last building (why tho)
-carthage ceased to exist
-carthage and its close lands were renamed the roman Province of Africa
Province : an administrative district of a larger empire or country
-the Iberian peninsula, which carthage had controlled, eventually became the roman province of Hispania
The Macedonian wars
-hannibal was rampaging through italy in the second punic war, Philip V (of Macedonia) declared the first macedonian war against rome
-because of rome’s army was focused on hannibal, rome could not fight against macedonia and was forced to make peace
-after hannibal’s defeat, two legions of battle-hardened roman warriors invaded macedonia
-this started the second macedonian war
-the legions were pitched against the macedonian phalanx, a solid body of troops with long spears
-phalanx was strong, but it lacked the flexibility of the legion
-this flaw proved decisive
-roman reserves would fight a lot until they destroyed the enemy army right after they passed the spears
197 BC
-these tactics defeated Philip’s army
-it ended the war
-macedonia became a roman province
-rome also destroyed the city of Corinth
~146 BC
-the conquered greece
-then they turned it into a roman province
-Roman power now extended from the Iberin Peninsula to the island of greece
-ROME became the new superpower of the ancient world
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Outline 2
Pages 294-295
The republic in crisis
Main idea: The roman Republic collapsed into civil war following a series of major events
Attempts at reform
-after the Punic wars, the Roman republic became wealthy
-this wealth was not evenly distributed among the people
-roman generals had riches from the territories they took over (conquered)
-they used their wealth to buy large parts of farmland
-this drove many small farmers of out of business
-unemployment and poverty became common the republic
-the rich ignored the problems of the poor
133 BC
-the tribune Tiberius Gracchus proposed a bill to take land from the rich and give it to the poor for farming
-he knew the senators would reject his bill, so he got it approved by the plebeian assembly
-the senate was furious at being bypassed
-in response, members of the senate got together murdered Tiberius
-ten years later his brother, Gaius Gracchus tried to introduce reforms in senate
Reforms: a change to make a situation better
-His brother got assassinated too
107 BC
-the people elected the army general Marius as consul
-he allowed landless citizens to join the army before
-when the soldiers retired, the relied on the generosity of their generals to support them, which made them more loyal to their commanders to the state
Battles for control
-mariu’s reforms did not help him when a general named Sulla went against him
-Sulla marched his army into rome starting a civil war
Civil war : a war between groups in the same country
-he took control of the senate
-mariu’s fled and Sulla set himself up as dictator of Rome
-he created a list of his enemies and had many of them killed
-when Sulla left Rome to fight in the east, Marius led his army into Rome and attacked Sulla’s supporters
-Sulla invaded Rome a second time and regained control
81 BC
-he was declared dictator once again
-in the following decades, crisis arose that forced the Senate to give power to two generals name Pompey and Crassus
-Popey and Crassus combined their two large armies to put down the rebellion
63 BC
-the republic was in chaos and the consul Cicero argued strongly for reducing the powers of the army and restoring the government’s system of checks and balances
-though his words failed to persuade Rome’s leaders
Factors that weakened the republic:
-greed of the rich
-inequality of rich and poor
-failed reforms
-ambitious generals and powerful armies
-soldiers shifting loyalty to their generals
-civil war
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Pages 296-297
Gaius Julius Caesar
100-44 BC
Job: dictator for life
Education: taught by greek tutors
Home: rome
The first triumvirate
70 BC
-Generals Crassus and Pompey were elected consuls
-they soon made themselves unpopular with the Senate by seizing much of its power for themselves
-the senate turned to a rising political star - Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar: roman dictator, s known for his military conquests, political reforms, and his role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into an empire
-caesar had already proved himself as a politician and general
-pompey and Crassus used their influence to have him elected consul
-crassus and pompey influenced to have Julius Caesar elected for consul
-caesar persuaded the senate to pass pompey and crassus legislation
-this political alliance became known as the First Triumvirate
First Triumvirate: A sharing of power between three people
-this lasted for about seven years but was always an uneasy alliance full of suspicion and jealousies
-granted Caesar a huge army, which he used to conquer Gaul
-this conquest extended the roman territory
-made Caesar very popular and wealthy with his people
-then had fierce loyalty of his soldiers
End of the Republic
53 BC
-Crassus died
-the triumvirate collapse
-law and order in rome broke down
-to end the chaos, the senate appointed pompey sole consul
-resulted in a power struggle between Caesar in Gaul and Pompey in rome
-to regain control, Caesar led his army into rome
-sparked a bloody civil war
48 BC
-Caesar defeated Pompey and declared victory
-many romans expected Caesar to restore the republic, but he had other ideas
-he ruled alone
-declared himself dictator for life
-introduced reforms that were popular with the people, and created jobs for the poor
-the senate again hated his reforms
44 BC - march 15
-Senators assassinated Caesar
-he was killed by about 60 senators under a statue of his old enemy Pompey
-another civil war followed Caesar’s death
-fourteen years later, the roman republic transformed into a monarchy
-ultimately became an empire
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Outline 3
Pages 306-307
Augustus and the Pax Romana
Main idea: augustus transformed rome from a violent republic into a peaceful empire
A new empire
-after caesar’s death, Octavian (his heir) found himself with power problems
-18 year olds, he had to be killed or kill
-he survived and thrived
-Octavian defeated his rivals, killed Caesar’s assassins, and crushed revolts
-he became very rich and powerful and winning
31 BC
-he became rome’s sole ruler
Augustus: means exalted (high and powerful) one
-the senate gave him this name after four years
-Augustus was smarter than Caesar had been
-used his political skill to take control of the army and secure the people’s support
-he won over the Senate, which awarded him dictator-like powers
Emperor: supreme ruler of an empire
-the senate among other institutions, continued but augustus controlled its decision
-he became the emperor of rome
-his powers for granted for life and could be passed down
-this made the romans uneasy
-they didn’t want to return to the harsh rule of kings
-they accepted augustus though
-augustus moved slowly, carefully, and legally
-he finally brought peace to Rome
Peace under Augustus
Pax Romana : means “Roman Peace”
-augustus's reign began this
-200 years of peace and prosperity occurred across the empire
-the pax romana was possible because augustus tackled some long-standing problems
-the poor appreciated the free handouts of grain
-paid officials were improving government
-rome became a impressive capital with magnificent marble monuments
-augustus's new laws were restoring order
-he encouraged art, literature, and education
-augustus also prevented any threat that might be towards his army
-he cut its size in half but kept veteran happy with grants of land
-soldiers still serving were kept constantly busy defending and expanding the empire’s frontiers
-army had pay and conditions of a new oath to loyalty of emperor himself
-the Elite Praetorian (pree TAWR ee uhn) guard were the only soldiers stationed in rome
-augustus created rome’s first permanent navy
-changes helped with stability and for many roman emperors to come
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Pages 308 -309
Growth and Trade
Main idea: as the roman empire expanded, trade became easier and the economy boomed
Imperial expansion
-under Augustus, the roman army became the mightiest in the world
-expanded the empire and had a lot of cultural influence farther than ever before
-soldiers on three continents - Europe, Asia, and Africa protected the empire’s frontiers from attacks
-attacks by numerous enemies
-the soldiers could be soaking in the rains of northern britain, sweltering (unconfortbaly hot)in the deserts of southern egypt or battered by atlantic winds in western spain or swimming in the waters of the red sea
-some frontier military camps became permanent settlements
-soldiers stationed at these settlements often even when retired
-helpedwith cultural influence in the region
-roman empire did not always rely on military conquest to expand its borders
-if something looked difficult to conquer, augustus would support a local ruler, in return the territory would be required to provide the empire with military aid
-no wars meant augustus was able to expand the expire without any expense
-this arrangement also made it easier for augustus to invade the territory in the future if he felt it was necessary
-lots of bridges, roads, and tunnels connect these far flung frontiers
-allowed army to march swiftly across distances
-rest areas and inns were built for overnight
-there was an official mail service
-everyone could travel faster, easier, and more safely now
A Booming Economy
-these excellent roads also stimulated the economy
-easier transport and selling goods throughout the empire
-basic goods and luxuries
-even citizens with limited incomes could afford african olive oil and spanish salted fish
-this flow of goods around the empire created a thriving economy as well as a sense of community
-roman merchants gained great benefits from all the trade
-roman crafts people produced beautiful objects that archaeologists have found as far away as Vietnam
-what flowed out of the empire most was money
-the city of rome itself was the main consumer of imports, or goods brought from other places
-roman needed food to feeds its huge population
-Agriculture, through still Rome’s largest industry, was focused on luxuries such as fruit
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Pages 310-311
Roman engineering
Main idea: the romans were skilled engineers who helped transform how things were built
Roads
-they made dirt tracks before building their network of roads
First road: the Appian Way built in 312 BC
-connected rome with southern italy
-as the empire expanded, its armies built new roads back to the capital which is where the saying “all roads lead to rome” comes from
-army used specialized tools and lots of human power to built the roads
-soldiers marked the route, dug foundations, and built up the road with several layers of materials
-the center of road was slightly higher than the edges which helped rain run into drainage ditches
-roads could be wide and straight making marches shorter and easier for soliders
-engineers developed special techniques to overcome obstacles
-roads sometimes included bridges over rivers or tunnels through hills
-every mile a milestone marked the distance to major cities
300 AD
Romans had built about 53,000 miles of roads
Arches and Aqueducts
-concrete transformed construction
-romans developed a new stronger type of concrete and was used to build huge freestanding structures like the Pantheon in Rome
27 BC
-when the Pantheon was built, it is a temple to all the gods in ancient Rome
-roman architecture was modeled on greek architecture but the uses of arches, vaults, and domes created a distinctive roman style
Arch: a curved structure over an opening
-is strong and inexpensive to build
-lengthening an arch creates a vault
- and joining a circle of arches at their highest point creates a dome
Aqueducts : a long stone channel that carries clean water
-carried water from hilltips into cities and towns
-the engineer’s precise calculations over long distances ensured a steady flow of water
-rome received 35 million cubic feet of water every day
-aqueducts ran underground mostly, but sometimes huge arched bridges were built to carry the water across valleys
-many of these magnificent structures still stand as reminders of roman engineering ability
-building big and building to last!!
-In the pantheon there is an opening in the center of a tall dome, created by Roman architects !
-it looks very cool
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Slides: Unit 5 Slides: 2/13 +2/14
Gracchan reforms
-As Rome grew, poverty increased as farmers could not compete with large estates that utilized slave labor (latifundia)
-Soldiers returning from war struggled to start over or find a job. Swore allegiance more to their generals
-Plebeians found champions in Tiberius Gracchus and his younger brother, Gaius Gracchus, tribunes who sought to bring about land reforms
-Patricians felt threatened by these reforms, conspiring to assassinate the Gracchi brothers and their supporters. They repealed the land reforms.
Republic changes
After the Punic Wars
-Changes by the republic by 100 BC
-The conquests of Carthage and their allies led to a growing desire for spoils of war that eroded previous virtues of honesty, respect for the law, and simplicity
-Gap between rich and poor widened as generals came home with the spoils of war and bought up land
The Changing Republic
Gracchan reforms made it so patricians and plebeians distrust and dislike each other more.
This would lead to significant rioting and street violence, as well as corruption at the upper levels of leadership.
Roman soldiers swore loyalty to leaders rather than the Republic. The retired generals were given land and were rich from war. Poor soldiers needed them to help them survive.
Leaders of Rome start to serve themselves rather than the Republic. The beginning of the breakdown of the Republic was starting.
The End of the Republic
In 107 BCE, army general Marius was elected consul.
One of his generals, Sulla, fought him for control of Rome from 88 to 82 B.C.E. in a bloody civil war.
Sulla marched into Rome, took control of the Senate, and named himself dictator of Rome.
The Senate later gave generals Pompey and Crassus unprecedented power and authority, partly due to their ability stop a massive slave rebellion in 73 B.C.E.
In 63 B.C.E., consul Cicero warned that powers given to generals should be reduced and the prior system of democratic checks and balances should be restored.
Cicero’s warnings went unheeded, and the Republic began its path back to monarchy and ultimately its transition into the Roman Empire.
Pompey and crassus
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (106 BCE to 48 BCE), also known as Pompey or Pompey the Great, was a military leader during the collapse of the Republic
Marcus Licinius Crassus was reportedly one of the wealthiest individuals in Roman history. He used his vast wealth to buy his positions and consulships, while also using it to encourage others to support him
The two were powerful consuls together and grew too powerful for the Senate’s comfort level
Due to this, the Senate brought on another man and had 3 consuls to regain some authority and say in decisions
First Triumvirate
The First Triumvirate was an uneasy and tense alliance between three titans of Roman politics.
This “Gang of Three” consisted of three individuals who held significant power in various aspects of Roman society: Crassus and Pompey (who were growing too powerful in the eyes of the Senate, and Julius Caesar, who was a rising political figure and well liked in society..
Each one realized they needed to work together for the benefit of Rome, but were all in pursuit of their own gloria and dignitas.
Caesar
-the salad?
-Gaius Julius Caesar (100 BCE - 44 BCE) was a Roman statesman who would be one of the biggest reasons for the Republic’s downfall
-He was given a huge army and conquered lands in Gaul (modern-day France)
-This expansion of land made him popular among citizens of Rome
-Recall that tyrants get the will of the people on their side
-When Crassus died in 53 BCE, the Triumvirate collapsed
-Pompey was put in charge, but Caesar marched his army into Rome and took control by force by 48 BCE in another civil war
-Caesar declared himself dictator, but because he had the backing of the people and created jobs for the poor, the Senate was left powerless
-This is the beginning of the end for the Roman Republic
His assassination:
-Many senators became uncomfortable with Caesar’s seizure of power, so a plot was established to remove him from power
-He would be assassinated on March 15, 44 BCE - Called “The Ides of March.”
-Brutus, a friend of Caesar, and a group of senators who referred to themselves as Liberators attacked Caesar, stabbing him 23 times in the Senate chambers
-Goal: return Rome to a Republic
Outcome: the Republic will eventually collapse
Outline 4
3.Eastern and Western roman empires
4.End of the western roman empire
(pp. 318-319, 326-331)
Pages 318-319
The origins of christianity
Main idea: christianity developed in Jewish communities and was based on the teaching of Jesus
-as the empire expanded the romans were usually tolerant of different religions
-as long as people worshipped their emperor as a god, they could follow whatever
-not a problem for most religions except Judaism
-this was the religion of Jewish people
-the romans captured the jewish city of Jerusalem under Roman control in 63 BC
-jewish people were under roman control
-at first the roman allowed jews to worship one god
-rome began to enforce emperor worship
-the tensions exploded into conflict
70 AD
-rome defeated the jews
-they then scattered throughout the empire
-this helped spread a new religion that was developing in the jewish community: Christianity
Christianity: based on the teachings of Jesus
-Jesus was a man born into a poor family in Judea around 6 BC
-jesus’s teachings comes from the four Gospels
Gospels : books written after Jesus’s death by four of his followers - matthew, mark, luke, and john
New Testament : presents the history, teachings, and beliefs of christianity
-the gospels are part of the new testament
-according to historical record, jesus was a practicing jew and worked as a carpenter
-when he was 30, he began to teach ideas that differed from Jewish practices
-biblical accounts claim that jesus could perform miracles, such as healing the sick
Jesus traveled around Judea preaching and gathering disciples (followers)
Twelve apostles: jesus’s closest followers
-this was to help spread his teachings
Parables: a short story about everyday life
-he often used these to make his religious or moral pints
Sermon on the mount, jesus declared that love for god and charity toward all people were more important than following jewish law
-he promised that those who sought god’s forgiveness for their sins would go to heaven after death
-to his followers, jesus became christ - “the anointed one”
-they believed he was promised messiah (the one who would free them)
-according to christian writings, jesus criticised jewish practices while visiting jerusalem during the jewish observance of passover
-jesus was arrested and turned over to roman authorities
Pontius pilate, the roman governor of judea - sentenced jesus to death by crucifixion (being nailed to a cross and left to die)
-jesus’s body was buried and then according to Gospel accounts, he was resurrected (rose from the dead) and ascended into heaven
-for christians the resurrection signals victory over sin and death
-the man called Jesus was gone, but christianity was just beginning
Pages 326-327
The third century crisis
Main idea: military problems led to a crisis in the roman empire
Military problems
-the empire had physically outgrown the emperor’s ability to govern it
-the roman empire stretched from scotland to the sahara, an area about half the size of the united states
-lots of land with cultural differences was very hard to govern effectively
-defending such a large area also proved difficult
-rome faced attacks on two fronts at the same time which drained money and resources
-rome fought powerful pathian empire from persia
-germanic tribes raided rome’s northern borders
-civic wars bled the empire of desperately needed food, money, and soldiers
-as emperors fought expensive wars they could not win, enemies from outside the empire attacked
-they stole riches from the unguarded interior
-it was a sign of trouble when cities including rebuilt their walls
-these military problems provoked further political and social problems
Political economic, social problems
-war was disruptive for everyone
-emperors were blamed for not protecting the empire
-they were regularly replaced and murdered
-fifty different emperors ruled between AD 235 and 285
-people living in what would became spain, france, and britain preferred to trust local rules
-they broke from rome to form a separate gallic empire
-these events weakened imperial authority and prevented the strong, decisive, and long-term action needed to restore order
-this constant warfare also ruined the economy
-trade was interrupted, and the empire had to rely on its inadequate agricultural resources
-the people suffered food shortages and higher taxes
-wars are expensive and the emperors expected the people to pay for them
-this affected the rich and poor
-ordinary people grew angry, criminal organizations grew, and outbursts of mob anger increased
-it even became difficult to recruit local officials
-nobody wanted these jobs because people risked a beating for doing them
-in these insatiable times, good citizenship took second place to looking after oneself
Pages 328-329
Eastern and Western roman empires
Main idea: in AD 285, the roman empire was divided into the western roman empire and the eastern roman empire
Diocletian divided the empire
-the new emperor was named Diocletian
-he had a lot on his plate
-he faced endangered frontiers, overstretched armies, economic collapse weak imperial authority and widespread unrest
-he had a radical plan
AD 285
-he divided the empire in two
-Diocletrian ruled the eastern roman empire
-his trusted his friend Maximian ruled the western roman empire
-each man appointed a junior emperor to rule with him
Tetrarchy: system of rule by four emperors
-worked really well at first
-each emperor focused on his specific region while cooperating to introduce reforms
-they increased the army to 400,000 men and reorganized and strengthened the frontier forces
-they also created a mobile field army ready to tackle trouble wherever it broke out
-on the political front, diocletian and maximian reformed government administration and divided the provinces into more manageable units
-they enforced emperor worship to promote unity and the latin language was everywhere
-they encouraged economic recovery by reforming tax laws, controlling inflation and stabilizing currency
-the empire was recovering and after 20 years diocletian and maximian retired and let the junior emperors take over
-this was good as the tetrarchy got
Constantine moves the capital
-the emperor Constantine had to fight to become emperor
-constantine’s father was emperor of the western roman empire
-when the constantine’s father died in AD 306, the tetrarchy refused his claim to be western emperor
-sparked a civil war
-constantine won the war and became emperor of east and west
-however, Constantine was more interested in the eastern half of his empire
-rome’s importance has been decreasing
-emperors no longer lived in rome
-italy had lost its privileged status
-the differences between east and west were increasing
-the east produced more people, more food, more taxes, and more soldiers, while the west just grew weaker
-Constantine moved the capital from Rome to the ancient greek city of Byzantium, which he renamed Constantinople (today the city is called Istanbul)
-he built the capital on a narrow stretch of water separating europe and asia
-Constantine also continued the reforms begun by earlier emperors, earning the title “the Great”
-however his sons plunged the empire into another civil war
-the emperor Theodosius later reunited the empire, but division of east and west became permanent after his death (Ad 395)
-from then on, the futures and fortunes of the two empires were very different
Pages 330-331
End of the western roman empire
Main idea: invaders attacked the western roman empire and caused its downfall
Foreign invaders
-Diocletian and Constantine only delayed the end of the Western roman empire
Barbarians : a person who lived outside the roman empire
-the end came in this form
-tribes of barbarians would finally tear the western roman empire apart
-the Visigoths and Vandals were germanic tribes from northern europe looking for better farmland
-both groups migrated south toward the roman frontier
-huns formed the third tribe of barbarians
-they migrated from asia, were nomads (wandering cattle herders)
-their skill with horses and bows made them a ferocious fighting force
AD 445
-a man named Attila was their sole ruler
Western roman empire falls
-attila and his army swept into Europe
-forced into the western roman empire by the huns
-the Visigoths soon invaded italy
-around the same time. The vandals invaded Gual and hen Spain
-by now the emperor, who had few roman soldiers to call on, had to enlist barbarian fighters to defend the empire
August 24, 410
-Visigoths shocked the world by sacking, or destroying. Rome
-they then conquered Gaul and Spain, driving the Vandals into North Africa
-then came Attila
-the huns attacked Gual in Ad 451, and the emperor relied on the barbarian armies to fight them
-rome had lost control
476 AD
-the last emperor quietly left the throne
-the western roman empire was broken up into many germanic kingdoms, and the eastern roman empire became known as the Byzantine empire
-the roman empire was over
-historians argue about why the western roman empire fell
-did it end naturally because of internal failings
-was it brought down by external; forces
-or was it simply transformed into something new?
__________________________________________________________________________This question invites us to explore the complexities of Roman culture, governance, and military strategy that evolved during this period. By examining the influences of previous civilizations, such as the Etruscans and Greeks, we can better understand how these elements were integrated into the Roman identity.