Transcript ANCIENT ROME - Class Notes For Mr. Pantano

Workbook Pages for
Romanization Unit:
Pg. 114 – 3 & 4
Pg. 118 - all
Pg. 119 - 7 only
Pg. 123 1, 2 & 3
Pg. 129 all
Pg. 130 7 & 8
Pg. 131 all
Pg. 134 1, 2 & 3
Pg. 135 5, 6 & 7
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Rome was the powerful empire.
60-100 million people lived in the empire.
Romans were proud and loyal.
Peace existed in the empire (30BC to 180BC) known as “Pax Romana”
a)
Made up of many territories and peoples
b)
These territories are controlled by 1 government.
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Spoke many languages
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Came from different ethnic and
cultural backgrounds (Multiethnic).
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Romans had lots of advantages
living under Rome (even those who
had been conquered!).
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System of laws were
effective (had good
results).
Network of imperial
roads led to trade.

Aqueducts provided a
constant water supply.
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People enjoyed peace
and wealth.

This meant that you lived like Romans,
learned Latin, adopted Roman customs and
were loyal to Rome.
STAGE 1: Monarchy
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At first, Rome was ruled
by kings.

In 509 BC, a bad king
(Tarquin) was driven out
and the people set up a
republic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=vkpi1dlDk1g
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The power is held by the people and their
elected representatives.
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Julius Caesar was a successful Roman general.
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In 46 BCE, he became dictator of Rome.
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He was assassinated by jealous rivals on March 15,
44 BC.
https://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=7FvgP5hO99o
https://www.youtube.com
/watch?v=F8hNaCnOdc
w
Julius
Caesar’s adopted son,
Octavian, became the first
emperor of Rome in 31 BC.
He
controlled everything & set
up an imperial system of
overnment.
Rome
was ruled by emperors
for about 500 years – some were
good; others were monsters.

a)
b)
c)
d)
Army:
Highly trained
Disciplined
Tough
Organized into
legions (ranging
between 5000
and 6000) of
infantrymen
(foot soldiers).
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Legionaries (soldiers) were supported by some
100 to 200 cavalry (soldiers who fought on
horseback).
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Also supported by auxiliaries (helpers) who
served as archers, slingers, scouts, and cavalry.
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To conquer other peoples & expand the empire.
To defend its frontiers against enemy invasions.
The Praetorian Guard, an elite group of about 10 000
troops, stayed close to Rome to guard the emperor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=ygsa6iO8X9o
The empire reached its
height while Trajan was
emperor (98-117 AD).
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a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
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Only Roman citizens could volunteer.
They signed for at least 20 years.
Reasons for joining:
Travel
Prestige
Glory
Be fed and cared for
Earn money
Auxiliaries served for 25 years and then they
could become Roman citizens.

Each fighting ship carried marines to do the fighting
when an enemy ship was boarded.

The Roman navy got rid of the many pirates who
plagued the Mediterranean Sea (Mare Nostrum).
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Imperial roads were built by the Roman army.
The main purpose of this road system was
military.
In all, there were some 85 000 km of main roads
in the empire.
The roads followed as straight a line as possible
between two points.
Soldiers could march 30 to 50 km a day along
them to reach trouble spots.
https://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=Yu94sFmNwMw
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The roads had a hard stone surface and solidly built
foundations.
Slaves often did much of the heavy work.
Along the roads milestones, placed 1 000 doublepaces apart, indicated distances between points.
The road system allowed the emperor, who lived in
Rome, to keep in touch with his vast empire.
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a)
b)
c)
d)
The emperors divided the territory into many
provinces.
Each province was ruled by a governor (chosen
by the emperor).
Role of governor:
Made reports to Rome
Referred major decisions to the emperor
Supervised the collection of taxes and the
construction of bridges and other public works
projects.
Responsible for the fair administration of justice
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They were expert builders
Made great use of the arch which bears a load better
than the beams used by the Greeks.
They also mastered the techniques of making different
types of concrete.
These innovations made buildings so strong that they still
stand some 2 000 years later.
https://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=8sLy5VCMuKM
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Romans used their engineering skills to build
aqueducts to carry water (for many kilometers)
from the mountains to the cities.
Every day, eleven aqueducts delivered over a
billion liters of water to Rome.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN1v5FYkTLQ
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Roman engineers also made tunnels and
sewers.
The Cloaca maxima was a 5.5 meter wide main
drain for Rome’s sewer system (still functions
today!).
Roman Republic:
3 main parts of government
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The two consuls were elected
for one year at a time.
They shared power.
Each consul could veto (reject)
decisions made by the other.
They headed the government.
They commanded the army.
They administered justice and
saw that the laws were upheld.
They had the power to flog or
execute those who broke the
law.
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It was composed of 300 members who advised
the consuls.
Its members served for life.
They were almost exclusively patricians (rich,
powerful, land-owning upper class).
The Senate was the real seat of power.
It could veto (reject) laws.
It passed laws and controlled finances ($).
ADVISE: to give an opinion or
suggestion to someone about
what should be done : to give
advice to (someone).
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Ordinary citizens could attend assembly
meetings.
It had little power.
Their actions were limited.
The assemblies just gave an impression that
ordinary people had some say in government.
He was the head of the army
and government
 He controlled all institutions
 He was chosen by the army
 He appointed* the senators,
the governors and senior
officials.
 He proposed laws to the
magistrates.
*Chose someone for a position
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The people had to pay heavy
taxes.
Money was needed to pay for the
costs of operating a big army and
many public building projects (ex:
sewers, aqueducts, public baths,
etc.).
An emperor had an expensive
court and many administrators to
pay.
There were sales taxes and taxes
on slaves, estates, and crops.

Censuses were
taken to have
accurate
population counts
for taxation
purposes.

The emperor
preferred to be
paid in cash.

Failure to pay tax
resulted in severe
punishments.
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Men only
They completed military training and pay taxes.
As the Empire expanded, the right to Roman
citizenship was extended to people of conquered
territories
Criteria for Candidates:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Be an ally and settle in Rome
Report someone who had misbehaved or render a service
to the city
Serve in the army
Be considered Romanized (adopted Latin & way of life)
1.
Roman Citizens were either patricians (rich nobles) or
plebeians (merchants, farmers, artisans).
2.
Peregrins - Free foreigners/immigrants
3.
o
Freed slaves
freed by their masters
had bought their freedom
1.
Slaves
o
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Only the patricians were
allowed to lead the city.
Laws were unfair because
they were not applied the
same way for all citizens.
To fix this situation, the Law
of the Twelve Tables was
established. This was a
written code of laws that gave
new powers to the plebeians.
1.
Law of the Twelve Tables (451BC- 449 BC)
It stated the following:
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All citizens were equal before the law.
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All privileges ended.
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Arbitrary decisions also ended.
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Based only on personal feelings, opinions, or wishes
and not on law or good judgment.
Civil law:
 Set of laws dealing
with the rights of
private citizens.
Criminal law:
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Set of laws that apply to
crimes.
The code of laws was
secular (non-religious).
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Emperor Hadrian created it.
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It ensured equal justice for all.
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All the Roman provinces
followed the same rule of law
(laws were uniform throughout
the empire).
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It defended slaves against
their masters.
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Created by Emperor Justinian (527 AD).
This code reformed (changed) Roman law.
This code set the foundation for modern civil law.
Established Principles:
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
It stated that one can only be judged for one’s actions
and not for one’s thoughts.
The accuser was responsible for proving the guilt of the
accused.
1. Public Health Programs were created
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Ex: offered free bread to workers.
2. Reduction in Crime:
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Streets were policed by legionaries
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Criminals feared legionaries.
3. Improvements for Women:
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It became legal for women to own land, run
businesses, free slaves, make wills, inherit wealth,
and get a paid job.
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It started to spread in Rome
in the first century.
They refused to worship the
Roman gods.
Since this was against the
law, they were hunted as
criminals.
They had a great appeal to
Rome's poor.
It promised life after death in
heaven.
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In 313 AD, Emperor Constantine ruled that Christianity
was legal and that Christians would no longer be
persecuted (tortured) for their beliefs.
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a.
b.
c.
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The empire continued to expand mainly for the
following reasons:
well-built roads,
strong Roman army
good leadership (emperors and generals)
Rome´s expansion did cause problems in the long
run because the provinces did not always do what
they were told.
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Barbarian was any people who
lived outside the Roman Empire
or who did not speak Latin.
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Valens tried to be a good
emperor, but he inherited many
problems:
Rome was broke:

Roman roads started to fall
into disrepair (no money to
fix them!).

Without good roads, soldiers
and goods did not always
reach the far ends of the
empire.
Barbarian Raids:
 Barbarian raids on the
Roman provinces were
becoming more successful.
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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There were five main
barbarian tribes in
Europe that wanted to
conquer the Roman
Empire.
Huns
Franks
Vandals
Saxons
Visigoths
They were all
successfully attacking
various pieces of the
Western Roman Empire
at the same time.
Atilla the Hun