Transcript Rome`s beginnings

Rome’s beginnings
Mythical Version: about 800 BC
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Romulus & Remus
Left to die
Adopted by she-wolf
Raised by shepherd
Fought
Rome named after Romulus
Historical Version:
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1200 BC groups of people begin invading around Mediterranean.
One group, Latins, settle on Palatine - farmers
Around 800 BC Etruscans settle in Etruria
Feared as Pirates, admired as traders – more advanced culture
By 600 BC Etruscans dominated northern Italy, including the
Palatine
Etruscans taught Latins things like arch building, gods in human
form, an alphabet, slave fights at funerals, and the triumph.
Etruscans ruled Latins for more than 200 years – Latins had no
rights
509 BC Latins overthrew Etruscan king (Rex)
Latins were afraid Etruscans would come back, so crossed Tiber
and conquered several other Etruscan cities. To protect their area,
they either conquered or formed alliances with those around them.
By 275 BC Rome ruled the peninsula.
Expansion of the Republic
• Social order in the Republic:
– Patrician
– Equestrian
– Plebians
Expansion
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By 264 BC Romans in Southern Italy and in contact with Carthage
Carthage controlled N. Africa, Spain, some of Sicily.
Romans felt threatened by Carthaginians
Punic wars started in Sicily
Rome builds a navy – but with a twist
241 BC Carthage agrees to leave Sicily
218 BC – Hannibal attacks via Spain & Gaul
Roams Italy for 15 years
Romans attack Carthage to get Hannibal out of Italy
201 BC Carthage agrees to give Spain to Rome & pay
149 BC Romans attack Carthage because becoming a threat
146 BC Carthage destroyed completely
146 BC Romans attack and burn Corinth to ground.
Romans rule Greece, Syria, Macedonia – the Mediterranean region.
Final Years of the Republic
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By 135 BC problem – gap between rich & poor
Gracchi bros. – land & wheat to poor & hungry
Senate had them killed
Gen. Gaius Marius – power to army
Gen. Lucius Cornelius Sulla – power to Senate
79BC – Sulla retires
The first triumvirate – Crassus, Pompey & Caesar
58 BC Caesar governor of Gaul – expanded empire into Britain
50 BC Senate orders him to disban
Caesar’s reaction – Pompey’s reaction
Caesar – good or bad?
March 15, 44BC
The Empire
• Another triumvirate – Octavian, Antony, &
Lepidus
• Antony & Cleo in Egypt
• Octavian wanted one Empire
• 31 BC Octavian v. Antony
• End of Antony & Cleo
• Octavian becomes Augustus
• Augustus & Pax Romana
After Augustus
• 5 good emperors – AD 96 – AD 186
• Of the 5 – 3 outstanding, Hadrian, Trajan & Marcus
Aurelius
• M. Aurelius – last of the good, dies in AD 186
• Civil War – Army v. Senate – Emperors are puppets (26
in 50 yrs)
• AD 284 Diocletian – wanted peace, established
successor & had himself proclaimed a god. Divided
Rome in ½
• After his retirement, civil war again
• AD 312 Constantine – moved capital to Constantinople,
religious freedom
• Why do some say the gladiatorial games
are a sign of the decline of Rome?