Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome - Transcript

Ancient Rome
509 BC - 500 AD

Geography of Italy
 Shaped like a boot “kicks” the island of Sicily
Northern Italy- Alp mountains ( Europe’s highest
mountain range)
Apennine Mountains “Backbone”
mountains that run though Italy
Latium Plain to Rome ( Capital of Italy)
Tiber River- runs through the Latium Plain

Agriculture- grow wheat, beans, cabbage,
lettuce, figs, olives, and grapes
Climate – warm dry summers and mild
rainy winters- very similar to Southern
California

Why here?

Rome’s birth

Perhaps Roman History began in 800
BC- after Aeneas fled Troy with his
followers after the Trojan War- his story is
recounted in the Aeneid by Virgil
 Formed an alliance with the Latins who
already lived there- took over Italy
Rome named after Romulus – First king
of Rome ( who killed brother Remus)
around 753 BC

The Aeneid

Seven Kings
Historical records indicate there were 7
kings who ruled Rome- but not all were
Romans- some were Etruscans
 These kings built huge temples, Rome’s
first sewer system, introduced columns,
perhaps the alphabet and numbers as
well!
 The last king was evil- killed people for
fun? His nobles rose up against him and
created a new Government in 509 BC

Early kings
   
Government
 Called a Republic­ choose leaders but they only stayed in power for 1 year ( don’t get too powerful), didn’t work since most officials came from a small group of rich folk.  Republic means public things.
 Shortly after and for 50 years Rome was at war with others­ chose Dictators to rule for 6 months during this time
 Cincinnatus­ a farmer who was a dictator because he was so loyal to Rome­ won the battle and resigned
   
Cinci
   
Citizens
 2 Groups of citizens
                 Plebeians­ common men who farmed and traded­ worked for Patricians­ majority of population­gained right to be in govt.
                 Patricians­ nobles, owned large farms­ minority of pop,­once controlled govt.
   
 Consuls­ Two men, Army commanders, most powerful judges, proposed new laws­ could be vetoed (Magistrates) 
 Senate­ most powerful branch, controls money, diplomatic actions with other countries ­ held office for life­ many magistrates became senators­up to 300 senators
 Tribunes­ leaders of citizen assemblies­ gained rights for all citizens­protected commoners
 Assemblies­pats and plebes­elected Mags
 Tribunes­plebes­ VETO powers
 Representative­ some who “acts” for someone else
   
Government continued
 Feeling of Civic Duty was strong for all men but the four “groups” uneven­ POWER uneven
 For many years the laws unwritten­ only Pats knew what they were­ Plebes treated unfairly
 Came up with a system of checks and balances
 Also came up with a collection of Roman Laws posted in the Forum called Twelve Tables
 Ex: if couldn’t pay debts became a slave, Plebe couldn’t marry a Pat
   
Government
   
Forum
 Much like the Greek Agora
 Heart of the city
 Place for official meetings as well as hanging 
out, shopping, and some gladiator fights
 Found in between two of Rome’s 7 Hills­
Palatine ( where the richest people lived) and 
Capitoline where the grandest temples were
   
Daily Life

Roman Expansion
• Trade all over the Med. Sea
was going well- made coins
out of copper and silver-
helped to make Rome a
powerful place- this
threatened others!!
• 387 BC- Gauls took over
Rome- paid them gold to
leave
• Organized armies into
legions (6,000 soldiers) and
into centuries ( 100 soldiers)

Punic Wars
• 264 BC- Romans landed on Sicily- began a
conflict with Carthage ( Phonecia) known as Punic Wars
• Carthage sent troops to Sicily- so did Rome-
went on 3 times for 20 years!
• Lasted until 241 BC- Rome seized control….
plus wanted MORE!!!!!
• In 218 BC Carthage tried to attack Rome
itself….

Still expanding
• 218 BC- Hannibal ( 29 year old whose father
Hamilcar led first siege against Rome) was on a
mission- wanted to capture Rome- and ALMOST
did…
• Attacked by land ( instead of sea) with elephants,
90,000men, and a sneaky plan. Won lots of battles
but could not win Rome from Scipio ( 25 year old)
who defeated Hanibal at Zama
• 140’s BC- Rome is worried about Carthage again- so
sends and army in- defeats them, burns the city, kills
most, sends the rest to slavery, takes control of
Northern Africa

• Rome became MOST powerful nation
• Controlled Sicily, Corsica, Spain, and North
Africa
• 120’s- parts of Gaul (France), Greece, Asia
• Very Influenced by Greek literature, art,
philosophy, religion, and education

Punic Wars
   
Meanwhile…Issues at Home
 Long lasting wars messed with Republic at 
home
 Pats and Plebes struggled for control
                                      
 Slaves revolted­ shock right????
 Generals had to use Army to take control 
back
   
Slaves Revolt
   
Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus
 133 BC­ Tiberius­ created farms for Plebes 
on public lands that Pats had illegally 
taken over­ public liked it­ Pats didn’t so 
they killed him!
 Gaius tried to sell food at a cheap cost for 
plebes­ again angering pats­ so they killed 
him too!
   
Tiberius
   
How to gain power…
 107 BC Gaius Marius encouraged poor people ( who had not been allowed to before) to join the army.
 He was a great leader and people pledged more allegiance to him than to Rome­ uh­oh!
 Lucius Cornelius Sulla­ who originally worked under Marius was a consul­ did not like this allegiance­ began a civil conflict – ended up 
becoming a dictator and punished his enemies
   
Sulla
   
I am Spartacus!!!!
 Led thousands of slaves in a revolt and 
DEMANDED freedom!!!!
 Took over much of southern Italy­ but was 
killed and his revolt fell apart..
 The Romans executed 6,000 rebellious 
slaves as an example to others
   
Cicero
 A philosopher and orator
 Called on upperclass to limit the power of 
generals so that Rome could work 
together­ restore checks and balances\
 Rulers not interested in this b/c it would 
limit their power
   
Cicero

Roman Empire
100 BC - 14 AD
Julius Caesar- Pat- 59 BC elected Consul
had an alliance with Pompey and Crassus
(Rome’s 2 other powerful men)
58-50 BC general of Gaul ( France) Once
he defeated Gaul- people were jealous so
he created a rebel army to lead a civil war
and take control of Rome

Joined up with Cleopatra ( 21, Egypt) to help her
defeat her brother pharaoh then in 45 BC she
helped him take control of Rome
Became dictator of Rome- rules with absolute
power (dictatorship) for life!
Brought much good change to Rome- people still
resented him though….

Caesar brings change
 Created calendar
 Named July
 Gave land to soldiers
 Free grain to poor
citizens
 Increased Senate
 Citizenship to non
Romans

Ides of March
 Because he was a dictator- aggravated
MANY people- losing traditions of govt.
 A friend warned him to beware of the IDES
(15th) of March
Went to work as usual that day in 44BC-
enemy was waiting and stabbed him to
death- “saved” from dictatorship

Caesar

Step up to the plate
 After his death his assistant- Marc Antony and his
adopted son/cousin Octavian seek to avenge his
killers!!! Chased them to N. Greece where one
was killed the other took his own life.
 Once back in Rome Antony married Octavian’s
sister, Octavia but divorced her 8 years later to
marry Cleopatra.
 This caused a civil war- 31BC- they fought, Tony
was defeated- fled back to Egypt - he and Cleo
took their own lives as not to be captured by Doc
Oc

Octavian Augustus 
 ruled 27 BC­14 AD
• For 14 years Rome had no leader• Eventually his 18 year old grand nephew/adopted son, Octavian regained dictatorship• Gave up his power in the Senate• Called himself Princeps ( first citizen)• Called himself Augustus­ “Honored/revered one”

Dictator for life

Republic ends­ Empire Begins 
Brought on Pax Romana­ Roman 
Peace
• Established:• Roads all over empire• Buildings• Aqueducts (waterways)• One $ system• Police and fire protection
• Census ( people count)• Safe travel• Entertainment (Gladiators)• Colosseum• Pantheon (temple)• Domes/Arches
    (architecture)

Pax Romana


Gladiators
   
Pompeii
• Mount Vesuvius blew it’s top in 79AD­ perfectly 
preserving people and artifacts­in 13 feet of ash 
that hardened­ so we know what life was like 
back then
   
Christianity
 Jews believe in a Messiah ( a special leader 
sent by God in order to set up His rule on Earth) 
means anointed one
 Messiah in Greek=Christos=Christ
 Believe Jesus was Christos­ people who 
followed his teachings became Christians
   
Jesus Christ continued
 Jesus used parables (stories) to help people in:
 1.  seek right path in life
 2.  finding God’s love and greatness
 3.  loving others
 All of these are described in 
the New Testament
12 original followers­
apostles
   
Tie into Ancient Rome
 Many powerful Romans feared that Jesus wanted to be king ( he didn’t) many were hostile towards Jews
 A governor ordered him to be nailed to and hung by a cross until death­ crucifixion
   
Hadrian’s Wall
   
Christianity begins
 After Jesus’ death followers set up secret Christian Churches­ and eventually converted powerful people from polytheism/emperor worship to Christianity and eventually it was “accepted” not feared
 Peter and Paul set up church “structures”
 Peter first bishop then Pope( leader) of Roman Catholic Church
  
The Split
284 AD – Diocletian (emperor) divided 
“Rome” into two to try and regain control­ 
he ruled from the East ( Rome no longer 
ruling)
  
The Reunion
 306 AD Constantine reunited empire
 Ruled from East ( Byzantinium) (Constantinople) 
( Istanbul) became capital of empire
 Surrounded on 3 sides by water
 Easy to protect
 On a major trade route
 Far from Rome – INDEPENDENCE
 C granted freedom to Christians, built churches
  
Istanbul or Constantinople
  
Goths
 200’s AD The Huns from Central Asia invaded 
all of Europe.  One group they terrorized were 
the Goths ( Ostrogoths and Visigoths) ! Who fled 
into Roman Territory!
 Rome did not want them there­ Eastern Rome 
was successful but Western Rome was not so 
lucky!
 410 Visos marched into Rome and destroyed the 
city.
  
Huns
This led the Vandals, Angles, Saxons, 
Jutes and Franks to invade  the west as 
well.
 In the east Attila led the Huns
Military leaders took all power from 
emperors­ and then had conflicts amongst 
themselves….
  
Romans, Huns, and Horses
  
Decline of Rome
100 AD ­Pax Romana ends and armies 
from Northern Europe invade
Rome was too big to control
Couldn’t communicate quickly
Couldn’t collect taxes
Army became weak
Raids destroyed cities and farmlands
Put up walls to protect themselves ( isolated)
  
The Fall
Rome “FELL” in 476 AD
For the next 1,000 years Byzantine 
Empire ruled­ had more Greek influences 
than Roman
Established Eastern Orthodox Church­ 
similar to Catholic but not as strict 
Christianity remains VERY important!
  
Beginning of the end
  
Justinian
Ruled from 527­565 AD he and his wife Theodora worked to reunite the Roman Empire
532 an uprising caused him to think about abandoning Constantine Theo encouraged him to stay and fight and WIN!!!
after his death the decline of the empire began until finally in 1453 the Ottomans take over
  
Justin saves the day

Rome’s Legacies
 Government-
Republic
3 Branches
Senate
Veto
 Language-
Latin comes from
Latium Plain
Romance Languages

Legacies
 Alphabet/Numbers
Roman Numerals
 Religion
Christianity
 Catholic
 Eastern Orthodox
 Architecture
 Buildings
 Domes
 Arches
 Roads
 Aqueducts
 columns

Commonalities of Govt.
Assemblies that debate
USA
1 President
Members of Congress elected
9 member Supreme Court
Presidents-4 year term
A. Rome
2 Equal Rulers
1 Assembly (aristocrats)
1 Judge-Senator
Consul- 1 Year Term