Roman Conquest

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Roman Conquest
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1. Agricultural Changes

• Brought by conquests
• Change in the size and purpose of farms
• Small farms replaced by latifundias (large
  estates)

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1. Agricultural Changes (cont.)

• Latifundias produced crops, sheep, and cattle for
  sale

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1. Agricultural Changes (cont.)

• Romans no longer grew wheat, had to import it
  from conquered areas

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1. Agricultural Changes (cont.)

• Main reason for change Hannibals invasion
• Roman farmers burned crops to prevent Hannibals
  army from eating

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1. Agricultural Changes (cont.)

• Change in who worked the land slaves from
  conquered areas like Greece and Carthage

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2. From farm to city

• Farmers who sold their land to rich people moved
  to cities
• Lived in wooden apartment buildings (at least 6
  stories high)

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2. From farm to city (cont.)

• Terrible Living conditions
• Aqueducts that brought water were not connected
  to apartments

Image taken from http//www.artlex.com/ArtLex/a/i
mages/aqueduct_nimes.lg.JPG
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2. From farm to city (cont.)

• Sewers werent connected to apartments
• Buildings often burned or collapsed
• Diseases were common

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2. From farm to city (cont.)

• Most farmers couldnt earn a living in the city

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2. From farm to city (cont.)

• Many farmers made money by selling votes to
  politicians

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3. Decline of the Roman Republic

• Rome began to demand taxes as the empire spread
• Tax contracts were sold to publicans, who paid
  the government ahead of time

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3. Decline of the Roman Republic (cont.)

• Publicans were able to charge more than taxes
  should be

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3. Decline of the Roman Republic (cont.)

• 135 BC many Romans faced economic hardship due
  to unemployment
• Gap between rich and poor grew
• Rome lost political stability