The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire

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The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire
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Rome built great stuff

• Rome built great roads to travel on and
  aqueducts to bring water into the city.
• Rome also built great stadiums and amphitheaters
  for the entertainment of the people.
• Romans also developed the use of the arch.

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Rome was a Republic

• A republic is a form of government where people
  elect representatives.
• The United States has a representative
  government. We learned about this form of
  government from the Romans.
• Everyone voted to choose representatives.
• And by everyone we mean..????

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The Senate

• The Senate led the Roman Empire.
• They made the laws for the republic.

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Roman Law and Rights

• Roman laws stressed fairness and common sense.
• There was equal treatment under the law in Rome
  and people were considered innocent until proved
  guilty when accused of a crime.
• We took much of our system of government from the
  Romans.

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Patricians and Plebeians

• Two groups struggled for power in the new
  republicthe patricians and the plebeians.
• Patricians were the wealthy, land-owning class
  that held most power.
• - Made up a very small portion of the population
• Plebeians were common farmers, artisans and
  merchants
• - Most people fell into this class

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Patricians and Plebeians

• In time, plebeians were able to win more rights.
• Plebeians elected tribunes to represent them.
• Tribunes protected the rights of common people
  from the unfair acts of the patricians.
• Laws at this time were unwritten so the people
  developed the Twelve Tables.
• The Twelve Tables became the basis of law in Rome
  and protected all citizens, including the
  plebeians.

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Roman Government

• Roman government had three parts.
• First, Romans elected 2 consuls.
• Consuls were like kings. One led the government,
  the other led the army.
• They could veto each others decisions.

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Romes first emperor

• Octavian is Romes first emperor.
• He took the name Augustus Caesar.
• Under his rule, Rome expanded and enjoyed a
  period of peace.

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Pax Romana

• Rome lived in peace for 200 years.
• It was called the Pax Romana, the Peace of Rome.
  Unfortunately for Rome, the peace would not last.

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The Punic Wars

• From 264 to 146 B.C., Rome and Carthage fought
  three bitter wars.
• The conflict is better known as the Punic Wars
  and was fought over control of trade in the
  Mediterranean Sea.

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Rome grew weak

• Size leading to invasion
• Taxes
• Slavery
• Corruption
• Civil wars

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Barbarians at the gates

• Romans called the people who destroyed Rome
  Barbarians. BAR BAR BAR BAR
• The Roman Empire fell in 476 AD.
• The eastern part of the empire would survive.

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Byzantium

• The eastern part of the Roman Empire became known
  as the Byzantine Empire or Byzantium.