Roman Civilization

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Roman Civilization
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The Empire
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From City-state to World State

• City State
• Local citizenship
• Exclusive
• Fragmented
• World state
• Geographically larger
• Political unity
• Law
• Taxation
• Empire-wide citizenship
• Commonly shared culture

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Early Problems

• Troublesome neighbors
• Marauding outsiders (pirates)
• Dangers from foreigners
• Greeks / city-states in southern Italy
• Gaul
• Cathagians

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Periods

• Age of Monarchy
• 753 509 BCE
• end of Etruscan rule
• Roman Republic
• 509 31 BCE
• Ends with age of Augustus
• Imperial Age
• 31 BCE - ???
• 476 CE last emperor outside of Rome
  (Constantinople)
• 1453 CE Turks invade Constantinople

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Geography

• Latium flat land
• Etruria - North
• Apennine Mountains East
• Rivers
• Po / Arno / Tiber / Rubicon
• Ruma By the River
• Rome established by Etruscans
• Volcanic territory
• Very rich soil
• Supported large populations ( 5x population per
  acre)

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Citizenship

• Flexible legal category
• Can make another legal citizen
• Favored
• Used as a reward / expansion
• Italy
• Cathage
• Greece
• Eastern Mediterranean
• Western Mediterranean

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• Romulus Remus

Aeneas
ROME
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Viritus

• Vir man
• Virtue
• Duty
• Valor
• Courage
• Bravery

• Sacrifice
• Self sacrifice
• Not self glorifying
• Good of whole
• Strong sense of collective actions

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SPQR

• Senatus Populsque Romanus
• Senate and Roman People
• Ruling together to run society
• Emperor derives power from SPQR

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Italic People

• Patron / Client relationship
• Life-long continuous relationship
• No interruption in support system
• No break in generation
• Competition
• Patrons compete for clients
• Status Symbol
• Clients mean status
• Client vote

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Roman RepublicThree Branches

• Assemblies
• Democratic element
• Senate
• Oligarchic element
• Aristocrats only ones who pass laws
• Magistrate
• Royal element

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Officials

• Consuls
• Pinnacle of Roman politics
• Two Serve
• One in Rome / One outside of Rome (Imperium)
• Tribunes
• Aristocrats
• Watchdog of citizens
• VETO power

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Citizenship (part 2)

• Extended to allies
• Provide military service / protection from Rome
• My enemies are your enemies and vice versa
• Remain in control of local affairs
• Civic obligation to Rome
• Interest in Roman affairs

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Military

• Hoplite Phalanx not successful
• Squads
• Compact units
• Defense on all sides
• Samnites (southeastern Hills)
• Stop the Romans theyll take over
• Finally allied with Rome

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Roman Confederacy

• Rome / patron
• Town-regions / client
• Little resistance from conquered
• Network of Alliances
• Man-power from any region
• Not exploiting areas
• Roman rule unobtrusive

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Carthage

• 1st Punic War (264 241 BCE)
• Rome v. Carthage for Sicily
• First war outside of Italy for Romans
• 2nd Punic War (218 201 BCE)
• Carthage expanding into Spain
• Roman allied convinced to turn against
  Carthagians
• Hannibal (march across the Alps to Rome)
• 3rd Punic War (149 146 BCE)
• Rome sacks Carthage

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Roman Problems (133- 31 BCE)

• Reluctant Conquerors
• New Citizen army volunteer
• Gaius Marius commander
• Senate trying to undercut
• Successes raise expectations
• Harder to prove viritus
• Competition among aristocrats
• Driven by need to do well (as ancestors)
• Elections extensively manipulated

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Problems (cont.)

• Growing inequalities in wealth
• Latifundia Plantation
• Administrative Problems
• Populares / Optimates
• Civil War (88 - 82 BCE)
• Sulla v. Marius
• Sullas army seizes power

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First Triumvirate (62 BCE)
Crassus Pompey Caesar

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Crassus

• Older member of Senate
• Extremely wealthy
• Put down Slave Revolt in 71 BCE

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Pompey

• Military general
• Hailed as hero
• Command in Spain
• Made co-consul at age 28
• In 70 BCE
• Technically ineligible

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Gaius Julius Caesar

• From well respected family
• Not wealthy
• Had good reputation as military leader

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First Triumvirate

• 3 most influential politicians in Rome
• No legal standing (co-Consuls)
• All backroom power-sharing
• Crassus Syria (dies in battle, 53 BCE)
• Pompey Spain then Rome
• Caesar sent to Gaul / growing powerful

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Pompey v. Caesar

• Senators believed Pompey more controllable
• Call for Caesar to return as citizen
• Return without troops
• Caesar refuses / moves troops towards Rome
• Do Not Cross the Rubicon, 49 BCE
• Pompey flees to Egypt
• Egypt fears Roman retaliation

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Hail Caesar, 48 44 BCE

• Defeats last of enemies
• Assumes complete control
• Tyrant seized control illegally
• Ignored Senate
• Dictator for Life
• Ides of March March 15, 44 BCE
• Conspiracy formed against him
• Brutus, right hand man
• Death brings Civil War

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Second Triumvirate, 31 BCE

• Reign in civil war conspirators
• Octavian
• Caesars nephew
• Wins over 2nd Triumvirate
• Marc Antony
• Caesars Lieutenant
• Lepidus

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Octavian, 31 BCE

• Defeats Marc Antony
• Marc Antony supported by Egyptians led by
  Cleopatra
• Beginning of Roman Imperial Age
• Principate- first man of senate
• Senate still around

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Imperial Age

• Ruled by an Emperor
• Shouted by soldiers
• Title of respect given to a Great General
• Octavian had No kingly goals
• Claimed to be First man of the Senate
• Octavian Augustus
• Revered one

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Political Maneuvering

• 27 BCE staged retirement
• Allowed others to be consul
• Senate gave permanent imperium
• Command soldiers
• Wage battle
• Requested to be made TRIBUNE / Principate
• Can talk first
• Veto power
• Cannot be charged with offense / prosecuted
• 45 years of political rule ( 31 BCE 23 CE)

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Roman Empire

• Rome unchallenged in Mediterranean world
• Internal Stability
• External Peace
• Developed significant cultural advances
• Spread of Romanitas (roman-ness)
• Sense of sameness / shared culture
• Professional Army

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Army

• 25 Legions
• 150,000 men
• Citizens
• 20 years of service / bonus after 13
• Permanently stationed at Frontiers
• Easily moved to support other areas
• Towns develop around armies
• Natural Barriers
• Sea / river / desert
• Auxiliary
• 150,000
• Non-citizens
• 25 years of service / citizenship for whole
  family

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Pax Romana

• Nearly 200 years
• What to do with army?
• Building projects
• Roads / Transportation / Communication
• Contributes to making urban centers
• Expanding World-State

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Mystery Cults

• Romans receptive to variety of religious cults
• Series of Initiations
• secretive
• Elaborate rituals
• Affirms membership
• Individual path to salvation
• Sense of communal identity
• Eternal life through union with savior god /
  goddess
• Savior resurrection

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Jewish People of Empire

• 6 CE Judea kingdom now Roman province
• Internal strife among Jewish people of Judea
• Sadducees
• Favored Roman control
• Pharisees
• Wanted Judea to be free of Romans
• Did not advocate violent means to gain freedom
• Zealots
• Militants advocating overthrow of Roman control

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Christianity

• Mystery cult
• Ignored by Romans
• Urban centered
• Judaism Messiah
• Christianity Christ - Anointed one
• Jesus
• Born around 6 BCE
• Crucified around 30 CE / reserved for political
  traitors
• Gospels
• Accounts of teachings
• Matthew / Mark / Luke / John
• Written between 70 100 CE

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Message

• Messiah would come soon
• Judgment was imminent
• Abandon sin / worldly interest
• Follow Moral Code
• Love / charity / humility
• Critical of established Jewish priests
• Did not reject Judaism
• Be better Jews!

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Saul of Tarsus

• Disciples Go tell Good News
• God offers Forgiveness
• Saul Pharisee
• Persecuted Church / followers
• Traveled throughout Empire persecuting
• Damascus (Syria)
• Converted in 35 CE
• Changes name to PAUL of Tarsus
• Expanding message
• Letters to Churches

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Early Christianity

• 70 CE Romans Destroy Jerusalem
• 200 313 CE periods of alternating persecution
• Empire wide persecution 303 -310 CE
• Rapid Growth in Numbers
• Appeals to women / lower classes
• Anyone welcome who believes
• Internal Organization
• Catechumens / Priests / Deacons / Bishops
• Martyrs
• Christians heroes
• Living symbols of truth in Gods word