Transcript SWC1_s8

The American University of Rome
HST 201 - Survey of Western Civilization
Session 8
Roman Empire and the Strategies of an
Imperial Power
I
> What was the Neolithic Agricultural Revolution and what
role did it play in the development of early societies?
> As the societal organization transitioned from tribe to state,
how did the economy and modes of production change?
> Archaic Athens saw a rather drastic (and very important)
transition between different forms of government. Discuss the
transformation in Athens from a monarchy, to the Athenian
aristocracy, then to tyranny, and finally to the beginning of
Athenian democracy. Discuss also the main characteristics of
each "stage". What finally led to the establishment of a more
democratic government?
> How does the depiction of the human body in Greek art
reflect the social-political culture of the Greeks?
> What Was the Hebrew Transition from Polytheism to
Monotheism, and How Did it Impact Western Civilization?
> How did ancient civilizations like, the Sumerians in
Mesopotamia benefit from agriculture?
> What is the importance of art when trying examining these
early societies?
> Why does the state have to develop ways of control in a
specifically hierarchical means? Is the notion of a democracy
counter to the idea of the state?
> How did the Persian empire change the face of international
relations and to what extent did Zoroastrianism play a role in
Persian diplomacy and administration of the empire?
> Athens vs. Sparta…
> How did Monotheism develop in the Iron Age Near East and
why has it lasted for thousands of years?
> Expansion of the Greek culture and development of the
Hellenic world
> During the Persian wars, what was the cause of the defeats
of the Persian armies by smaller city states? Did this happen
again?
> Discuss the Athenian plague of 430 B.C. What was the
manner in which they spread? What were the consequences of
the survivors?
> The Phoenician Civilization of Palermo and its Evolution. What
was the evolution of the Phoenician colony of Palermo?
> What events caused a religion like Judaism to be a
monotheistic cult rather that associated with a political structure?
> What is importance of educational institutes in the development
of a complex civilization.?
> Athens vs. Sparta – Compare & Contrast the different Social
Organizations
> What was the main reason Xerxes invaded Greece? and How
would you compare Xerxes´ invasion with nowadays politics and
international relations?
> The Persian Wars were a huge mark in time for Greece,
defeating the much larger Persians. What causes the war and
what events explain how the Greeks were able to defeat the
much larger Persians?
The Emperor… the Augustus (the
Imperator)… the Caesar… the concept of
protector (caretaker) of the Republic… the
Principate in the early Empire.
Principate
27 BC – 180 AD
Julio-Claudian
Military
Golden Age
Crisis
27 BC-69 AD
70 > (except Antoninus)
100-180 AD
180 – 284 AD
Succession? Management? Autocracy?
Slavery?
Decline and Constantine
http://byfiles.storage.live.com/y1p4iRkswKU_U9yfAUElks2H6CXgAGblb0duJt3FSmdlU1WBWC7MJW7nyjhvg7d00XpQip9iP67j8
http://en.allexperts.com/e/r/ro/roman_empire.htm
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?