Transcript Ancient Rome and Early Christianity

Ancient Rome and
Early Christianity
CHAPTER 6 
 The Roman Republic
 The Roman Empire
 The Rise of Christianity
 The Fall of the Roman Empire
 Our Major Players:
 1. Hannibal
 2. Julius Caesar
 3. Augustus
4. Jesus
5. Constantine
6. Diocletian
THE ROMAN REPUBLIC
 Greece is in decline
 Rome was developing!
 Grew from a small settlement to a civilization
 ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL AND FAMOUS
EMPIRES IN HISTORY.
FYI According to legend
 The city of Rome was founded by Romulus and
Remus
 Twin sons of the God Mars and a Latin princess
 Abandoned on the Tiber River and raised by a shewolf
 The twins decided to build a city
Reality…
 Earliest settlers arrived in Prehistoric times
 But from 1000-500 BC, 3 groups established the
region
 Battled for control
 LATINS, GREEKS and ETRUSCANS
 Latins were the originals in Rome (1st Romans)
The Greeks Arrive!
 750-600 BC  The
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Greeks establish colonies
along southern Italy and
Sicily
Now Romans are in
closer contact with
Greeks
ETRUSCANS  native
to Italy
Influenced the Romans
Alphabet, architecture
Rome is growing…
 From a collection of hilltop villages to…
 A city that covered nearly 500 square miles
 FORUM  heart of Roman political life
 Last king of Rome  Tarquin the Proud
 Harsh tyrant  Romans were OVER IT.
 Established: RES PUBLICA (Public Affairs)
 REPUBLIC  a form of government in which power
rests with citizens who have the right to vote for their
leaders. (free-born male citizens)
Power Struggle
 PATRICIANS  wealthy landowners that held the
most power
 PLEBEIANS  common farmers, artisans, and
merchants
Patricians  claimed inherent power
Plebeians  could vote but not hold office
Plebeians could elect representatives! TRIBUNES
Tribunes protected the rights of the Plebeians
The 12 Tablets
 Important victory for the Plebeians
 Creation of Rome’s written laws!!!
 Established the idea that all free citizens had a right
to the protection of the law
 Who does this sound like?...set of laws?
 Draco
Government under the Republic
 Romans writers  Rome achieved a balanced gov.
 FYI: taken the best features of:
 MONARCHY  gov. by a King
 ARISTOCRACY  gov. by nobles
 DEMOCRACY  gov. by the people
 Instead of a King…
 Consuls  two officials with limited power
 Senate  upper class. Had great influence (300
members)
In times of Crisis….
 The Republic
would choose a…
 DICTATOR  a
leader with
absolute power to
make laws and
control the army
 Power lasted 6
months
The Roman Army
 Great value on army
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strength
FYI: If you owned land 
you served
LEGIONS: large military
units
Infantry + cavalry = key
factor to Rome’s rise to
greatness
MILITARY
ORGANIZATION
Rome spreads its power…
 By 265  masters of all of Italy
 Lenient policy for conquered
people
 Helped to establish a long
lasting empire
 GREAT LOCATION FOR
TRADE
 Other large cities were
developing…CARTHAGE
 North African coast  direct
opposition to Rome
Punic Wars
 Total of 3 Wars
 1st  Carthage defeated, Rome
takes control of Sicily
 2nd  HANNIBAL
 29 year old brilliant
Carthaginian general
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50,000 men
9,000 cavalry
60 elephants
CAPTURE ROME
Hannibal crosses the Alps
 Loses half of his men and
elephants
 Inflicts enormous losses on
the Romans
 However, Rome regroups
with the aid from allies
 Prevents Hannibal from
capturing Rome
SCIPIO
 Roman military leader
 Attacks Carthage
 forces Hannibal to return home
 3rd Punic War  Rome takes
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Carthage
City set on fire, people sold into
slavery
Aftermath?
DOMINANCE
GROWING EMPIRE….
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