Transcript File

The Grandeur
that was
Rome
Geography
 Italy is a peninsula (water
on 3 sides)
 Apennines Mountains down
the middle of the peninsula
divide east and west
 Less rugged than the
mountains of Greece and
did not divide Rome into
isolated city-states
Republican Government
Ruled by a senate and the people
 Senate (patricians – aristocratic land owners)
 Foreign affairs and the military
 Direct access by the people to the consul
 People (plebs) organized
by tribes and they elected 10
tribunes or representatives
Senate
Balance of Power
 Council of Elders about 300 men
 Served for life
 Had power to appoint people
Consuls
 Two Consuls
 Commanded army
 Limited power only served for one year
 The Roman state was an
aristocratic republic controlled by a
small group, the wealthy
Roman Law
Natural Law – Based on Reason
 The twelve tablets of 450 BCE, was the first
Roman code of law
 A system of civil law was later developed
from them
 Innocent until proven guilty
 Accused had the right to defend
themselves before a Judge
 The expansion of the Empire and interaction
with foreigners gave rise to – Law of Nations
 Law applied to both Romans and
Foreigners
Military Organization
 All citizens who owned land were
required to serve in the military
 Legions
 5,000 men
 Supported by light cavalry (men on
horse back)
 Discipline
 Death for individual insubordination
 Death for cowards
Roman Expansion Outside Italy
Conquest of the East and West
 Allies rather than
servants or slaves
 Greek city-states
 Fast, direct attacks with
strong determination and
discipline
 Outnumbered in most
battles
Collapse of the Republic
Marius
 Re-election to consulate (many times)
 New system of military – placed power with
generals
Lucius Cornelius Sulla
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Assumption of dictator powers
Use of the army to override councils
Proscription list
Restored power to Senate
The Roman Empire
Roman Empire at its height 117 C.E.
Building an Empire
 Structure of the "empire"
 Still a republican form of government
 Checks and balances
 Two parties emerged
 Optimares (conservatives, Cato and Cicero)
 Populares (power to people)
 Family Values (according to the Romans)
 Piety
 Discipline
 Frugality (Not greedy)
 Righteous Wars
 Never quit
Triumvirate
Crassus
 Richest man in Rome
 Given a command in Syria
Pompey
 Successful military command in
Spain 71 BCE, hailed hero
 Received land for veterans
and command in Spain
Julius Caesar
 Also had military command in Spain in 60 BCE
 Military command in Gaul (modern day France)
Julius Caesar
 Gained fame, military experience,
wealth and his own loyal soldiers
 Crassus killed in battle 53 BCE
 Senators decide Pompey would be less of a threat and
voted Caesar to give up command in Gaul and return to
Rome
 Instead Caesar marched on Rome defeating Pompey and
gaining control
 Veni, vidi, vici - I came, I saw, I conquered
Julius Caesar
Dictator (rule by one man)
 Officially made dictator in 47 BCE
 Three years later dictator for life
Caesar’s plans for Rome
 Calendar – Egyptian Solar year of
365 days (later changes and becomes
basis for our calendar)
 Libraries, theaters, other public works
 Gave citizenship to people in Spain and Gaul
 Increased size of Senate to 900
Murder of Caesar
 Killed by senatorial opponents
 Instigated by his rise to power and
their fear that he would not restore
the republic
 Died March 15, 44 BC
 Ides of March
 Stabbed by 20 senators
 Mark Anthony and Octavian
 Rallied against the
conspirators
Caesar Augustus
 Mark Antony and Octavian struggle for
power
 Octavian takes name Caesar Augustus
 Pax Romana – 207 yrs of peace
 Augustinian Code
 Roman Law was rewritten and
solidified
 Basis of western laws today
 Equity
 Added to the road system
 53,000 miles of paved roads
 Postal system and other city
infrastructure
 Standard currency system
 Use of curve – arch,
vault and dome
Art
 First to use concrete on
a large scale
 buildings – public
baths, amphitheaters
(seat 1000’s) and roads
 The Pantheon
Status of Women
 Patriarchal Society
 Women were required to have
guardians until the late second
century
 Eventually upper class Women
gained economic freedom
 Right to acquire property
 Ability to divorce and retain property
Slaves
 Slavery was a vital part
of the Roman economy
 Considered property
 Slavery was used more in
Rome than any other civilization
 Slaves were conquered people
(men, women and children)
Gladiator Games
 Colosseum-called the Flavian
Amphitheater held 50,000 people
 Gladiators – were slaves or
condemned criminals who became
professional fighters for entertainment
 Fought to the death,
sometimes from sun up to sun down
Rise of Christianity
 Jesus taught monotheism the belief in
one god and Jewish traditions such as
the ten commandments.
 Information about Jesus was
recorded by his followers the
apostles.
Christianity Continued
 Jesus increasing fame worried both Romans
and Jews.
 Pontius Pilate ordered Jesus arrested and put to
death by crucifixion.
 According to the apostles Jesus died and rose
from the dead.
 For this reason they believed he was the
messiah or savior.
Christianity Spreads
 Christos – Greek for messiah, this is why
Jesus is known as Christ.
 Christianity comes from the word Christ.
 The apostles spread Christianity through
out the Roman world.
Expansion of Christianity
Fall of the Roman Empire
 235 to 284 CE the Roman
Empire falls into chaos and civil war
 At the same time the Empire is
also invaded
 Germanic tribes, Goths and
other invaders took over parts of
the Empire
 Monetary system becomes unstable
 Population decreases drastically
 Rome is never the same, the once strong
Empire is weakened and deteriorates over the
years