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Moving Toward Empire
In this lesson, students will be able to identify
various factors which led to the demise of the
Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman
Empire.
Students will be able to identify and/or define
the following terms:
Punic Wars
Empire
Pax Romana
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The Romans were
successful conquerors.
They copied the battle
tactics of the Greeks
and Macedonians.
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Roman Conquerors
• The Romans split their legions into
smaller, highly mobile forces of 100 men
called centuries.
• The Romans were successful conquerors.
• They allowed some conquered people to
govern themselves while granting limited
citizenship to others.
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The Romans
also conscripted
conquered soldiers
into their legions.
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The Punic Wars
• In 264 B.C., Rome came into conflict with
another great Mediterranean power-the
Phoenician city of Carthage in North
Africa.
• In three Punic Wars, Rome struggled with
Carthage for control of the Western
Mediterranean Sea.
• Ultimately, Rome destroyed Carthage.
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During the second
Punic War, the
great Carthaginian
general, Hannibal,
attacked Rome
from the North.
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Initially, Hannibal
experienced military
success. However,
he could not conquer
the Italian peninsula.
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Hannibal even
used elephants
in his military
campaign.
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A Total Defeat
• Ultimately, Rome destroyed Carthage.
• The Roman army ruined the land of
Carthage and sold its surviving people into
slavery.
• The Romans became kings of the
Mediterranean Sea.
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As the Roman army
experienced greater
success, Roman
generals became
increasingly powerful
and popular. Generals,
like Julius Caesar,
wanted more power.
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The End of the Republic
• As generals became increasingly
powerful, Rome ceased to be a republic
and became an empire.
• An empire is a state that rules over
different cultures.
• Eventually, an emperor ruled Rome.
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Julius Caesar
threatened to seize
power and become a
dictator. However,
Senators assassinated
him in 44 B.C.
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Eventually, Caesar’s
adopted son, Octavian,
became the first Roman
emperor. He was called
Augustus Caesar and
his rule began a long
period of peace in the
Roman Empire known as
the Pax Romana or Roman
Peace.
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Questions for Reflection:
• Why was the Roman army successful?
• What were the Punic Wars?
• How did Rome treat Carthage after its
victory?
• Who was Julius Caesar and what did he
do?
• Why did Rome become an empire?
• Who was Augustus Caesar and what was
the Pax Romana?
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