Transcript The destruction of Carthage during the Punic Wars. New

The Roman Republic
& the Punic Wars
Hypothetical reconstruction of Roman Forum in Imperial times.
Watercolor (18th century), Giuseppe Becchetti
Why were the Romans able to conquer Italy
& the Mediterranean World?
-Journal: 3 Ideas
Ancient Italy
(c. 6th century B.C.)
PEOPLE:
The Latins
-Rome: “The First Romans”
The Etruscans
-Northern Italy
-Urbanized Rome:
Building Programs (the Forum)
-Influence on Romans:
the arch, alphabet
The Greeks
-Southern Italy and Sicily
-Influence on Romans:
art, architecture, literature,
..government, engineering
GEOGRAPHY:
-Tiber River & Mediterranean Sea
-Fertile Soil & Strategic Location
The Roman Republic (509 B.C. – 27 B.C.)
• 509 B.C., Romans rejected Etruscan king
(monarchy) and established a republic.
– Power rests with the citizens who have the right to
vote for their leaders.
– In Rome, citizenship with voting rights was granted
only to free-born male citizens.
The Roman Republic (509 B.C. – 27 B.C.)
STRUGGLE FOR POWER: CLASS
CONFLICT
• Patricians- wealthy landowners who held most
of the power: inherited power and social status
• Plebeians- (Plebs) common farmers, artisans
and merchants who made up the majority of
the population: can vote, but can’t rule
– Tribunes- elected representatives who
protect plebeians’ political rights.
The Roman Republic (509 B.C. – 27 B.C.)
A “Balanced” Government
• Rome elects two consuls– one to lead army, one
to direct government
• Senate- chosen from patricians (Roman upper
class), make foreign and domestic policy
• Popular assemblies elect tribunes, make laws for
plebeians (commoners)
• Dictators- leaders appointed briefly in times of
crisis (appt. by consuls and senate)
The Roman Republic (509 B.C. – 27 B.C.)
THE TWELVE TABLES
• 451 B.C., officials carve Roman laws on
twelve tablets and hung in Forum.
• Laws confirm right of all free citizens to
protection of the law
• Become the basis for later Roman law
The Twelve Tables:
Primary Source Review
• What can we infer about Roman values
based on the laws cited in the Twelve
Tables?
• How do the Twelve Tables compare to
modern laws in the United States?
Why were the Romans able to conquer Italy
& the Mediterranean World?
The Roman Army
• All citizens were required
to serve
• Army was powerful:
– Organization & fighting skill
• Legion- military unit of
5,000 infantry (foot
soldiers) supported by
cavalry (horseback)
Rome Spreads its Power
• Romans defeat
Etruscans in north
and Greek city-states
in south
• Treatment of
Conquered:
– Forge alliances
– Offer citizenship
• By 265 B.C., Rome
controls Italian
peninsula
Rome’s Commercial Network
• Rome establishes a large trading network
• Access to Mediterranean Sea provides many
trade routes
• Carthage, powerful city-state in North
Africa, soon rivals Rome
Punic Wars (264-146 B.C.)
• Three Wars between
Rome and Carthage
• 1st Punic War- Rome
gains control of Sicily &
western Mediterranean
Sea.
The destruction of Carthage during the Punic Wars.
New York Public Library Picture Collection
Punic Wars (264-146 B.C.)
• 2nd Punic WarCarthaginian General
Hannibal’s “surprise” attack
through Spain & France
The destruction of Carthage during the Punic Wars.
New York Public Library Picture Collection
– 60,000 soldiers and 60
elephants
– Romans experience severe
losses, but eventually ward
off attacks & invade North
Africa
Hannibal's troops crossing the Rhone River on their way to attack northern Italy.
Punic Wars (264-146 B.C.)
• 3rd Punic War- Rome seizes
Carthage
– Scipio- Roman Strategist
– Conquered people sold into
slavery
The destruction of Carthage during the Punic Wars.
New York Public Library Picture Collection
Republic’s Last Gasp
• First Triumvirate: Julius Caesar, Pompey,
Crassus
• Julius Caesar challenges the Senate; crosses
the Rubicon
• 47 BCE virtual ruler, increased Senate to
900
• 44 BCE assassinated, Second Triumvirate
– Octavius, Marc Antony, Lepidus
– Battle of Actium 31 BCE End of an era
Beware the Ides of March…
The Roman Empire
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Caesar Augustus- purpose “to restore the republic”
27 BC Augustus becomes “First Citizen” Princeps
ended strife- beginning of Pax Romanae
tried to impact life- morality, building
sculpture- deified him, literature as well
Consolidation- of power/ Senate limited
SPQR Senatus Populusque Romanus- banner
The Roman World
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Ever expanding- see maps- spread Pax Romanae
Politically - emperor/ dictatorship
Extended Roman citizenship as they spread
The Roman family- gradual less influence for fathers
– family strong unit- run like the state
– women become more independent- socially and
ownership
– politically active as wives of emperors- Livia, wife of
CA
The Roman World (cont)
• Golden Age- literature Horace, Virgil, Ovid and
Livy
• Religion- state religion, Roman gods reflected
Greek
• emperor became “divine” - connection to gods
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tolerant of other religions Mithras, Persian god of light
Christianity-”And there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus”
persecutions not as many as thought- made stronger
sometimes combined with others- e.g. Celtic gods
Slavery in the Roman World
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Important to building projects and way of life
Conquests supplied slaves so came from all over
Not related to ethnicity or skin color
Greek slaves educated and highly prized
Rebellions like Sparticus 73BCE occurred- Crassius
– put down, crucified slaves and held a 10 day party for
Rome
– Slaves gradually won freedom and numbers decreased
The Roman Builders- All over the
Empire
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Amazing accomplishments- Roads that still last
Aqueducts- bringing water to every important city
Temples for the gods- copied Greek style- massive
Forum- public area of the city- center- oration etc.
Theaters- for entertainment- drama
Coliseums- more fun, fights, gladiators, animals
Baths- public places- series of rooms dif temps
Extent of the Roman Empire –
14AD
The Roman Emperors- the Good,
Bad and Ugly
• Good- Marcus Aurelius-phil “citizen of the world”
• Calm and unified- Trajan, Hadrian, walls and
rebels
• Bad- Caligula- named horse “consul”, Commodus,
fought gladiators with blunted weapons, Nero,
mass murder- ing his mother, pregnant wife,
brother
• Many later emperors were generals- most powerful
could become emperor
The Roman legacy- writing and
the law
• alphabet- should look familiar to us
• Romans wrote down everything- very literate, passed on to use use
every day, alma mater, alter ego, per capita, vice versa, a.m/, p.m., RIP
,list goes on ad infinitum
• some consider the statutes and case law most important legacy- took
idea that a written law can protect one person from another- put it into
practice- Because it’s the laws means something to us- not necessarily
in other cultures.
• tried to appeal to people through argument- idea of people deciding
• magistrates important in Rome- e.g. of Apostle Paul
Why a Roman “Fall”
• Instability caused by no real plan of
succession
• Trouble on the borders
• Morally bankrupt?
• Division of Empire- Diocletian
• Later Constantine- new capitolConstantinople-
Christianity and Rome
• Helped Christianity spread- communication
• Appeal- unrest, questioning of polytheism
– explained spiritual aspects, Christ’s teachings
– emphasis of eternal life
– community exclusive (mystery religion)
• Persecution- under Nero, blamed for fire
– mostly tolerant, Christians refused to worship state
• Effect- spread slowly- letters formed New Testament
– officially tolerated 313 Edict of Milan
Spread of Christianity
The Barbarians at the Gates
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Pressure from Germanic tribes looking for safety
Huns pressured the Visogoths-410- ran into the empire
Vandals- 455- sacked Rome
Series of invasions- physical damage, but also intellectual
– established German kingdoms in West- illiterate,look at
art
• The East survives- becomes Byzantium- keeps the learning
from the ancient world
Barbarians in the 3rd Century
Rome in Crisis
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Death of Marcus Aurelius
Political turmoil
Generals fought for power
In one 50-year period there were 26 rulers
Attempts at Reform
• Diocletian
• Divided the empire
into Eastern and
Western regions so it
would be easier to
govern
• Fixed the prices of
goods and services so
people could afford
them
Attempts at Reform
• Constantine
• Religious toleration of
the Christians
• Built a new capital at
Constantinople
• Diocletian and
Constantine slowed
decline but could not
stop it.
Invasion
• Hun invasion of Europe displaced many
Europeans
• Displaced Europeans fled into Rome
Causes of the Fall of Rome
• Economic Causes
• High cost to maintain
Army led to high taxes
• Farmers left land and the
middle classes fell into
poverty
• Military Causes
• Changes in army
membership
• Loosened discipline
• Moral Decay
• Loss of faith in Rome
• Values such as patriotism,
discipline, and devotion to
duty declined
• Political Causes
• Political turmoil
• Fights for power
• Government became
autocratic and people
revolted
Causes of the Fall of Rome
• Invasion
• Invaded by Europeans when already
weakened by other factors
• Rome fell in 476 A.D. when Odoacer, a
Germanic leader, took over Rome
• However, the Eastern Roman Empire
continued to exist