Transcript SWC1_s7

The American University of Rome
HST 201 - Survey of Western Civilization
Session 7
The Evolution of Roman Political
Organization, from Monarchy to Empire.
I
The aftermath of Alex: Division of the empire and
perseverance of Greek culture
> Evaluation: Ego trip? Planned empire? Power of Greek
Culture? Vengeance?
> The three successors seem to adopt the local traditions in
support of their political process of legitimacy;
> Two-faced power: to locals and to Greeks;
> Ptolemaic power in Alexandria and Egypt for 3 c. The city
evolves and prospers; the countryside is exploited; any
different from the real Pharaohs?
> Revival of the Persian Empire;
> The less fortunate: Macedonia;
> Explosive growth of (free & unregulated) trade;
> Cultural advances, the birth of Hellenism.
Hellenistic Art: syncretism between Greek Classical art
and Oriental traditions
> What were the principal themes of Hellenistic architecture and sculpture?
150 BC
150 BC Rhodes (copy?)
150-100 BC
Chronology: General Political Evolution
>Foundation of the city and
establishment of the monarchy
> Roman Republic established
> Establishment of the Latin Right
> Law of the 12 tables
> Equestrian order established
> Concilium Plebis gains power
> Empire established
> Golden Age of Rome
> Diocletian partitions the empire
> Constantine and the decline
753 BC
ca 500
493
450
ca 300
287
27
100-180 AD
280 AD
320 AD
> Fall of the Western Empire
476 AD
Chronology: Wars and Expansion
> Against its neighbors, initial expansion, monarchy
> 1st Samnite war 343-341
> The Latin War, 340-338
> 2nd & 3rd Samnite wars 329-290
> The Punic Wars: Carthage
1st 264-241 / 2nd 218-201 / 3rd149-146
“Delenda est Cartago” as the Cato the Great repeated
constantly…Carthage must be destroyed
Chronology: Social issues of the the Republic
> Slaves revolt In Sicily
> Gracchian reforms
> Rule of Marius
> Marsian War, revolts, rights
> Sulla dictator, aristocracy
> Spartacus leads slave revolt
> 1st Triumvirate, JC P C
> Pompey becomes sole consul
> Caesar becomes sole consul
> Caesar becomes sole dictator
> J.C., Dictator, assassinated
> 2nd Triumvirate, O MA L
> Octavian becomes sole consul
134-104
133-122
107-100, 86
91-87
82
73-71
60
52
48
46
44
42-31
27
Hierarchical system
Patricians
Plebeians
Equestrian class, commercial
Freedmen
Foreigners
Slaves
Q of chapter 5 on the Evolution of the Roman Society
> How did the Etruscans and Greeks influence early Roman
society?
> How democratic was the early Roman society?
> What were the consequences of the Roman territorial
expansion during the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC?
> What issues caused the social struggles of the late
Republic?
> Why did the "Augustan system" succeed?
> What impact did Rome's expanding empire have on Roman society and
culture?
> Why did so many critics of Roman life during the Principate focus their
criticism on the behavior of women?
> What factors brought the Roman empire to the brink of ruin?
> Did Rome fall? Why or why not?