Rome: Republic to Empire

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Rome Republic to Empire
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The Legend

• 1. Founded 753 B.C. by Romulus and Remus, twin
  sons of the god Mars
• 2. Twins abandoned raised by she-wolf
• 3. Romulus killed Remus and founded city of Rome

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• A. Geography
• 1.On 7 rolling hills
• 2.Tiber River provides access to the sea
• 3.Center of Italian peninsula

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B. First Romans - Rome was multicultural from the
beginning

• 1. Latins original settlement at Rome on
  Palatine Hill considered first Romans
• 2. Greeks southern Italy and Sicily involved in
  commerce
• 3. Etruscans northern Italy metalworkers and
  engineers system of writing architecture

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C. The Early Republic

• 1. After series of harsh kings, Romans
  established a republic
• 2. Republic power rests with citizens right to
  vote for leaders
• 3. 2 groups battle for power a. patricians
  wealthy landowners most of the power
  inherited power and status b. plebeians
  common farmers, artisans, merchants
  majority of population i. could
  vote but not hold important govt.
  positions

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C. The Early Republic continued

• c. eventually plebeians allowed to form own
  assembly and elect representatives called
  tribunes
• d. tribunes protect plebeians rights from unfair
  acts of patricians

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ROMAN FORUM built by Etruscans as home for
government
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4. 12 Tables written law code granting equal
protection under the law basis for later Roman
law
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D. Government Under the Republic

• 1. Balanced government thought their govt. had
  taken the best features of a monarchy,
  aristocracy, and democracy and blended
  them together
• 2. Consuls 2 like kings 1 year term command
  military and govt. wait 10 years before
  elected again a. veto power to
  overrule the others decisions
• 3. Senate aristocratic branch 300 foreign and
  domestic policy legislative and
  administrative functions

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Government continued.

• 4. Assemblies democratic side of govt. a.
  Tribal Assembly plebeians made laws for
  people serve for life b. Centuriate
  Assembly soldiers only help choose
  consuls serve for life
• 5. Dictator absolute power appointed in times
  of crisis make laws, command army 6 month
  term

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E. Roman Army

• 1. If owned land, had to serve
• 2. Legions military units of about 5,000
• 3. Century legions divided into smaller groups
  of about 80 men, each was called a century
• 4. Military organization and fighting skill key
  factors in Romes rise

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F. Punic Wars

• 1. 3 Wars with Carthage (North Africa)
• 2. Control of Mediterranean
• 3. Hannibal Carthaginian general
• 4. Carthage destroyed Rome dominates western
  Mediterranean

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The Republic Collapses A. Problems the Republic
was facing

• 1. managing increasing wealth and expanding
  boundaries2. lower classes unhappy gap between
  rich and poor growing wider
• 3. breakdown in military order generals seizing
  power for themselves no longer loyal to
  Rome
• 4. rise of Julius Caesar

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B. The Rise of Julius Caesar
1. joins with Crassus and Pompey to form
First Triumvirate 2. appoints
self governor of Gaul (France) 3. he and
Pompey become rivals 4. defeats Pompeys
armies 5. appointed dictator by
Senate 6. named dictator for
life
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•  
• C. Caesars Reforms
• 1. Grants Roman citizenship to provinces
• 2. Expands Senate
• 3. Created jobs for the poor
• 4. Started colonies
• 5. Increased pay for soldiers

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• D. Caesars Fate
• 1. Nobles and senators concerned over Caesars
  popularity/success/power
• 2. Others fear losing influence
• 3. Saw him as a tyrant
• 4. Stabbed to death March 15, 44 B.C. by senators
  including Marcus Brutus Caesars friend

Whaaaaat?!?!? My BFF??!?
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• E. Beginning of an Empire
• 1. After Caesar died, civil war broke out and the
  Republic totally collapsed
• 2. Octavian (Caesars grandnephew), Mark Antony,
  and Lepidus took control of Rome as the
  Second Triumvirate
• 3. Lepidus forced to retire Octavian and Mark
  Antony become rivals
• 4. Octavian defeats Mark Antony and Queen
  Cleopatras forces and becomes ruler of
  Rome
• 5. Octavian accepts title of Augustus exalted
  one and imperator (emperor)

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• Beginning of an Empire continued.
• 6. Pax Romana Roman Peacea. Rome at peak
  of power under Augustusb. 207 years of
  peace and prosperityc. Marcus Aurelius
  last emperor to reign during this time
  period

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• The Rise of Christianity
• A. Background
• 1. government and religion linked gods
  were symbols of state
• 2. worshipped emperor as well
• 3. Roman power spread to Judea home of
  the Jews
• 4. according to the Bible, God promised
  a savior (Messiah) would restore the Jews
• 5. as Empire grew so did a new religion
  - Christianity

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• B. Jesus of Nazareth
• 1. Jewish male from Judea began public
  ministry at 30
• 2. taught, preached, performed miracles
• 3. popularity concerned Roman and Jewish
  leaders arrested and sentenced to crucifixion
• 4. followers thought he was the Messiah
  because -he rose from the dead after 3
  days -ascended (went up) to Heaven
• 5. Christos Greek for messiah or savior

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• C. The Appeal of Christianity
• 1. embraced all people
• 2. gave hope to the powerless
• 3. personal relationship with a loving God
• 4. eternal life after death

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• D. Persecution of the Christians
• 1. refused to worship Roman gods and emperor
• 2. used Christians as scapegoats for problems

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• E. Constantine
• 1. Roman Emperor
• 2. converted to Christianity
• 3. issued Edict of Milan allowed Christianity
  in the empire/said Christianity was approved by
  the emperor
• 4. ended formal persecution of Christians

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• F. The Early Church
• 1. Pope head of the church
• 2. first Pope Apostle Peter
• 3. bishop priest supervised local
  churches
• 4. Rome was the center of the church
• 5. Nicene Creed outlined basic beliefs
  of the church

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The Fall of the Empire

• A. Emperors Attempt Reform
• 1. Diocletian ruled with an iron fist
• a. limited personal freedoms
• b. doubled the size of the army c. set
  fixed prices for goods (to control
  inflation)

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Emperor Diocletian continued

• d. divided the empire into east and west
  i. Greek speaking East / Latin speaking
  West
• e. shared authority but kept overall control for
  himself
• f. retired in 305 A.D.

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• 2. Constantine takes over western part of
  empire
• a. secured the east restoring the idea of 1
  ruler
• b. moved capital from Rome to Byzantium
• c. moved capital from Rome to Byzantium and
  renamed it Constantinoplecity of
  Constantine
• d. after Constantines death, the empire is
  divided again i. East
  survives ii. West crumbles

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B. Reasons the empire collapsed
Political Social Economic Military
Political office seen as a burden, not reward Decline in interest in public affairs Poor harvests Threat from northern European tribes
Military interference in politics Low confidence in empire Disruption of trade Low funds for defense
Civil war and unrest Disloyalty, lack of patriotism, corruption No more war plunder Problems recruiting Roman citizens recruiting of non-Romans (mercenaries)
Division of Empire Contrast between rich and poor Gold and silver drain inflation increased taxes Decline of patriotism and loyalty among soldiers
Moving of capital to Byzantium Decline in population due to disease and food shortage Widening gap b/w rich and poor and increasingly impoverished Western Empire N/A
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• C. Germanic Invasions1. Huns Mongol nomads
  from central Asia2. Huns invaded Germanic people
  (Vandals, Visigoths, etc) who had been living on
  the borders of the Roman Empire
• 3. Germanic people (called barbarians by Romans)
  moved into Roman lands to flee from Huns
• 4. Attila the Hun unites the Huns - leads
  attack on Rome

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• D. The west fell and the eastern half of the
  empire becomes the Byzantine Empire.
• E. Political power had ended but Romes culture
  influenced the development of western
  civilization.

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• Roots of Western Civilization
• A. Greco-Roman culture mixing of elements of
  Greek, Hellenistic, and Roman cultures
  (classical civilization)
• B. Fine Arts
• 1. mosaics pictures or designs made with pieces
  of stone, glass, or tile
• 2. Virgil poet wrote Aenid in praise of
  Rome and Roman virtues
• 3. Livy history of Rome

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• C. The Legacy of Rome
• 1. language
• 2. architecture
• i. dome
• ii. Colosseum
• iii. aqueducts use of the arch to bring
  water into the city
• iv. Roman roads

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Aqueducts carried water into city
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Clay pipes (lower right) tapped into Aqua Claudia
Photo by Wilke Schram
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The entire system was gravity-fed. Very subtle
gradients maintained the flow of water.
Occasionally, a system of pressurized pipe,
called an inverted siphon, was used to push the
water a short distance uphill.
Similar aqueducts were constructed all over the
empire. Some are still in use today.
Roman aqueduct, ca. 19 BCE, Pont du Gard, France
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Legacy of Rome continued

• 3. System of Law most lasting and widespread
  contribution of Romans
• i. laws should be fair and apply equally
• ii. principles of Roman law form basic legal
  system in many European countries
  the United States

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Medieval map of Rome showing the Colosseum
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Roads trade, troops, connecting with East