Transcript Ancient Rome

700 BCE to 500 CE
#1. Based on location alone, how
would Rome’s location be beneficial?
 Located on the Italian Peninsula (vocab).
◦ Created a crossroads for trade, cultural exchange, and
conquest in the Mediterranean basin.

The Alps provided Italy with protection, as
did the seas (Mediterranean) surrounding the
Italian Peninsula.
◦ Distant from eastern Mediterranean powers

City of Rome lies on the Tiber River.
#2 Why are myths and legends
created?
 Religion
was polytheistic.
◦ Religion was part of Rome’s culture, politics,
and art.
 Roman
gods and goddesses were
based on Greek mythology
 Explained
natural phenomena,
human events and life events.

Roman gods
Jupiter
Juno
Neptune
Mars
Venus
Greek Name
Zeus
Hera
Poseidon
Ares
Aphrodite
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Manerva
Athena
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Diana
Artemis

Apollo
Apollo

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Role
King of gods
Queen of gods
God of Seas
God of War
Goddess of
Love
Goddess of
Wisdom
Goddess of the
hunt and the moon
Music
 Romans
also deified some
emperors during the Age of
Empires.
◦ Deified – gave “godlike” status to
emperors.
#3. Why do you think people believed
some of their leaders were gods?

The Roman Republic contained 3 social
classes:
◦ Patricians – wealthy – held public office
◦ Plebeians – majority of population consisting of
landowners, townspeople, merchants, and farmers.
– could not hold public office
◦ Slaves – people forced into servant class by
conquest, birth or debt (not race)
– was held by patrician
and plebeian men
 Citizenship
◦ And selected foreigners (Athens?)

Citizens had rights not extended to slaves and
non-Romans.
◦ Citizen responsibilities:
 vote
 pay taxes
 serve in the military.
 Consuls
– at the top of government.
◦ 2 people elected by the Assembly each
year.
◦ Served one year terms.
◦ Could veto (reject) decisions by the
Assembly.
◦ Ran the government.
#4. What would the U.S. equivalent (the
same/equal) be of a Roman consul?


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How many people serve as president of the
U.S. at one time?
How long is a president’s term?
How many terms can a president serve?
 Two
bodies made up the
representative branch of government
◦ Senate
◦ Assemblies

Senate – patricians that controlled the
finances and foreign affairs of Rome.
Advised the consuls. (#5)

Assembly – made laws for Rome
◦ Tribunes – part of the assembly that was
made up of plebeians.
◦ Could veto (reject) actions of the Senate
and Consuls. (#6)
 The
Republic became more
democratic as plebeians gained rights
and power. (#7)
Twelve Tables – First codified set
of Roman laws (451 BCE).
 The
◦ Defined laws and gave plebeians more
rights.
◦ Established that all citizens had the right
to legal protection.
Roman Republic Government
Consuls
Served 1 year
Elected by Assembly
Could veto Assembly
Consuls
Served 1 year
Elected by Assembly
Could veto Assembly
Senate
Made of Patricians
Controlled finance
and foreign affairs
Citizens Elected
Senate
Patricians and
Plebians
Assembly
Made of Patricians
Made laws
Citizens Elected
Assembly
Patricians and
Plebians
Tribunes
Could Address Senate and Assembly
Made up of Plebians
Could veto Senate and Consuls

Rome fought Carthage in 3 wars that
lasted over 100 years, to determine who
would dominate the Mediterranean trade
Intro Video

#2 Who controlled most of Sicily
by 264 BC?
2nd Punic War (Punic war video)

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Hannibal, Carthaginian general,
commanded a mixed army of
North Africans and Europeans
against Rome.
218 BCE – led troops with
elephants across Pyrenees
Mountains of Spain, through
France, and over the Alps of
Italy into northern Italy
◦ Trek took 15 years – arrived with
most of his men and most of the
elephants.
◦ Roman army had expected a
southern invasion. (#3)
Hannibal Song
Video
Hannibal got to Rome but never defeated
the city of Rome. (#4)
 Rome counter-attacked the city of
Carthage.

◦ Hannibal left Italy to defend Carthage and was
defeated outside of Carthage.

Carthage gave up all land except in Africa.
◦ Rome now ruled most of the Mediterranean.

Hannibal was later tracked down and
committed suicide.
3rd Punic War

Rome was still angry from the 2nd Punic
War and Carthage was mounting forces
for an attack of Rome.

Rome attacked Carthage first and
completely destroyed the city.

Romans destroyed its major political and
economic competitor.
 Able to expand trade and wealth
Roman culture would now follow
conquest.
 Now Rome dominated the Mediterranean.
 Romans would remain unchallenged and
go on to conquer Western Europe (Gaul
and British Isles)
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
Large landowners began to use more
slaves.
◦ Caused small farmers to lose their lands
and move to cities.
 As cities grew, these people were unable to
find work.
The Middle Class (plebeians)
demanded more rights.
 Rome entered into a time of civil war for
100 years. (#5)
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◦ Slave and plebeians uprising.
2
Wealth and Slaves
flood into Rome
1
The empire expands
5
The unemployed mob cause
increased corruption
& military commanders
become too influential as the
army
becomes dependent on
the spoils of war
3
Senators buy up vast
properties
4
Smallholders move
to Rome to try
and find work

Julius Caesar began as a leader of the
Roman Army.
◦ Popular for his military conquest.

60 BCE Caesar joined with Pompey
(military hero) and Crassus (the richest
man in Rome) to form the First
Triumvirate.
 Together
they ruled Rome, but
jealousies soon turned them
against each other.
 Caesar turned his army towards
Rome and crushed Pompey and
the Senate.
◦ “Veni, Vidi, Vici” – I came, I saw, I
conquered.
 Caesar
for life.
then made himself dictator

Maintained the Senate but Caesar had the
real power.
◦ Packed the Senate with his followers.
Public works of Rome (roads, aqueducts,
buildings) to employ the poor.
 Public land to the poor.
 Extended citizenship to conquered people.
 Julian Calendar – based on Egyptian
calendar and used for 1600 years.
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Senate grew more fearful of Caesar’s power.
March 15, 44 BCE – “Beware of the Ides of
March!”
Caesar was murdered by members of the Senate.
Rome broke out into a new civil war.
Julius Caesar
Video
 Spread
of slavery into farming
 Migration of unemployed farmers to cities
 Assassination of Julius Caesar
 Civil wars as Caesar gained power and
after his assassination.
k
e
 Devaluation of Roman Currency - Inflation

After Caesar died
◦ His 18 year old
grandnephew Octavian
joined forces with Marc
Antony (Caesar’s
general) and Marcus
Octavian
Lepidus

Second triumvirate
defeated Caesar’s
assassins in 42BCE
#1
Antony
Lepidus


Octavian forced Lepidus to
retire from political life
Octavian declared war on Marc
Antony when he married
Cleopatra
◦ Antony and Cleopatra committed
suicide in Egypt to avoid capture

Octavian became undisputed
ruler of Rome
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Octavian believed Rome needed one strong leader
◦ Senate agreed and appointed Octavian consul,
tribune, and commander in chief for life - 27BCE
Octavian gave himself the title of Augustus-Majestic
One

Augustus
Caesar
Rome became an
Empire and
Augustus was the
Emperor.

Imperial = empire = large area under
single ruler and military

Failure to have change of power from one
emperor to the next.

Civil war giving rise to Octavian
(Augustus)

http://videopediaworld.com/video/17886/Ancient
-Civilizations-Rise-of-the-Roman-Empire