Transcript The Roman Empire Part II - Saugerties Central Schools

The Roman Empire
Part II
Greco-Roman Civilization
• Rome absorbed ideas from Greek colonists.
• Adapted Greek and Hellenistic achievements
• Civilization spread during Pax Romana from
trade and travel.
Literature
• Many Romans spoke Greek and imitated Greek
styles of prose and poetry.
• Greatest Roman writers used Latin to create their
own literature.
• Epic poem the Aeneid, by Virgil linked to Homer
– Told of the founding of Rome.
– Hoped it would create patriotism and unity in Rome.
History
• Great Roman historians
– Livy, wanted to rouse patriotic feelings and restore
traditional Roman virtues
– Tacitus, wrote about Augustus and successors,
whom he felt had destroyed Roman liberty
Philosophy
• The Hellenistic philosophy of Stoicism impressed
many in Rome, including emperor Marcus Aurelius.
• It stressed the importance of duty and acceptance
of one’s fate.
• Showed concern for well-being of all people.
Art
• Like Greeks, Romans sculptors stressed realism.
– Broke new ground by showing individual character
• Beautified homes with art
– Scenes from literature and daily life were depicted in
frescoes and mosaics.
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Architecture
Romans emphasized grandeur .
Mighty monuments to Rome’s power and dignity
Improved the arch and column
Used concrete
Developed rounded dome to roof large spaces
Pantheon – temple to Roman gods, still stands
today
Technology
• Romans excelled at engineering.
• Many roads and bridges were built.
• Aqueducts
– Bridge like stone structure that
brought water from hills to
Roman cities.
Science
• Galen- Greek doctor
• Advanced medical science by insisting on
experiments to prove a conclusion.
• Compiled a medical encyclopedia.
Law
Greatest legacy of Rome• Its commitment to rule of law and justice
• Created unity and stability
• Basis for legal systems in Europe and Latin America
Two systems of law
• Civil law- applied to citizens
• Law of the Nations- applied to citizens
and non-citizens under Roman rule
• Merged when citizenship was
extended across the empire
Common principles of the law
• An accused person was presumed innocent
until proven guilty.
• The accused were allowed to face the accuser
and offer defense against the charge.
• Guilt had to be established through evidence.
• Judges interpreted laws and made fair
decisions.
Crisis
• Emperor Marcus Aurelius died in 180.
• The golden age of the Pax Romana ended.
• Next 100 years brought political and
economic turmoil.
Political trouble
• Power was seized with
support of troops.
• Generals/ political
troublemakers ruled for a
few months/ years then
were assassinated or
overthrown.
• Violence and instability
Economic trouble
• High taxes were needed to
support army and bureaucracy.
• Heavy burdens on businesses
and farmers.
• Farmland was over-cultivated,
and lost its productivity.
• Many poor farmers left their
land.
Diocletian
• In 284 to restore order emperor Diocletian divided empire
into 2 parts
• He controlled wealthier eastern part
• Co-emperor (responsible to Diocletian) ruled western part
• Tried to slow inflation by fixing prices
• Laws to ensure steady production of food and goods
Constantine
• 312, talented general Constantine
gained the throne.
• Continued Diocletian’s reforms.
• Granted toleration to Christians ( encouraged rapid
growth of religion, and guaranteed its future
success) .
• Built a new capital – Constantinople, in eastern part
of empire.
Foreign Invasion
• Huns, nomadic people migrating across Central
Asia, reached Eastern Europe in 350.
• Germanic peoples, including Visigoths, and
Ostrogoths crossed into Roman territory seeking
safety.
• Roman empire in decline,
could not fight off invaders,
surrendered:
Britain, France, Spain,
then Italy and finally Rome.
Attila the Hun
• In 434 the Huns lead by Attila
embarked on savage campaign
of conquest across Europe
• Attila died 453, his empire soon
collapsed, but invasions forced
more Germanic peoples into
Roman empire
• 476 Odoacer, Germanic leader,
conquered emperor in Rome –
Official Fall of Rome
Causes for the Fall of Rome
• Military:
– couldn’t fight Germanic invasions because army
lacked discipline and training
– To meet need for soldiers hired mercenaries
( foreign soldiers paid to fight, many were
German warriors with little loyalty to Rome)
• Political:
– government more oppressive ,
lost support of people
– Corrupt officials, frequent civil wars,
dividing empire
• Economic:
– heavy taxes to support government and army
– Reliance on slave labor- did not explore new
technology
– Farmers abandoned land
– Middle class sank into poverty
– Population decrease from war and disease
– Possible climate change reduced agriculture
production
• Social:
– decline in values
– Need to replace citizen soldiers with mercenaries
– Upper class devoted to luxury and self-interest
– Costly “bread and circuses” undermined selfreliance of masses.
Byzantine Empire
• Eastern Roman Empire became Byzantine Empire, lasted another
1000 years
• In Italy people continued to live much as they had before, though
under new rulers
• Still spoke Latin and obeyed Roman laws
• Over time German customs and languages replaced much of Roman
culture
• Christian church preserved elements of Roman civilization