Transcript The Roman Empire

THE ROMAN EMPIRE
THE PAX ROMANA
Period of Peace and Prosperity (27 B.C. to 180
A.D)
 Empire was size of U.S.A. with 70-90 mil people
 Augustus implemented this time of peace by
returning to old values: simplicity, sober
conduct, patriotism

TRADE DURING TIME OF AUGUSTUS
Used a common currency (the denarius), making
trade easier throughout different part of the
empire
 Removed tariffs between provinces making trade
more successful
 Built roads: one of the most important and lasting
aspects of Rome
 Also discovered & engineered aqueducts to cities,
making them more inviting for trade centers

AQUEDUCTS
CIVIL SERVICE
Senators kept titles and salaries, but no real
power
 Gave most work of running the city to Plebeians
and Slaves
 These were salaried positions needed to keep
the empire running and strong: road repair,
postal work, grain supply, etc.
 These jobs prevented slaves from revolting

JULIAN EMPERORS
Four emperors all from family lineage of Caesar
 None as talented as Augustus but maintained
the peace of the Pax Romana

SUCCESSION

Who was to rule once an emperor died and whose
decision was it?
Dying emperor?
 Senate?
 Succesful military leader?
 Praetorian Guard (guards of the city of Rome and body
guards to the emperor)?

Arguments, disagreements, civil war, and murder
often ensued
 In one 18 month period, they were 4 emperors
due to constant assassination

THE GOOD EMPERORS
Each chose their successor before death
 Transition occurred for 85 years without
bloodshed
 Only some were actually “good” leaders, but
called Good Emperors because avoided turmoil
for the state
 Last Good Emperor, Marcus Aurelius, died in
180 A.D. bringing an end to the Pax Romana

DEPICTION OF GOOD EMPERORS
LITERATURE OF THE EARLY EMPIRE
Greek inspiration led to strong Roman writers
 Augustus expected Patriotism
 Livy: Wrote patriotic history of Rome
 Virgil: Epic Poet who wrote most famous body of
Latin work, The Aeneid (copied style from
Homer and even traced Roman history back to
the Trojan War)

SILVER AGE OF LITERATURE
Criticism replaced patriotism
 Satire
 Juvenal: satirical writer who wrote morals of
individuals in Rome
 Tacitus: satirical writer who condemned Rome’s
government
 No punishment for satire because Rome was
so secure and thriving, not threatened by
disapproval

LAW OF THE ROMAN REPUBLIC

Based on stoicism
 Innocent
until proven guilty
 Right to face your accusers and defend yourself
 Reasonable Doubt = innocent
 Ability to change laws

Influenced throughout Western Civilization until
current day
DRASTIC DIFFERENCE FOR RICH AND POOR
Wealthy threw large parties with so many
courses of food they built a vomitorium in their
home
 Poor lived in awful, rat-infested, conditions
 Empire provided food and housing for those in
need, however

VILLA OF THE RICH
HOUSING TENEMENTS OF THE POOR
RELIGION IN THE EMPIRE
Greco-roman gods no longer believed in but
were symbolic of loyalty to the empire
 Religious toleration as long as respected
tradition of the gods and held emperor
acclaimed as a god
 BIG problem for monotheists: Jews and
Christians

JEWS IN THE EMPIRE
Jews not willing to worship emperor as god
 Romans were fairly tolerant of Jews allowing
freedom of religion and excused from
worshipping emperor
 Jews still opposed Roman rule and Zealots
rebelled in 66 A.D.
 Romans defeated rebellion and ended Jewish
state for 2,000 (but religion endured)

JESUS
Jesus was a Jew
 Began ministry at age 30
 He was a wondering prophet and teacher
 Not impressed by wealth or status, so became very
popular among the poor
 He valued morals and ethics
 He was hailed as a Messiah
 Many Romans believed he threatened Roman
authority and he was crucified

PAUL
Never knew Jesus
 Most profoundly influenced spread of Christianity
 Paul traveled freely throughout empire to spread
word due to stability of Pax Romana
 Claimed Jesus was son of God
 Believers will be saved by faith in Gog and grace of
God
 Christianity was open to all– Jews and non-Jews

CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION
Nero persecuted the Christians
 Then many emperors persecuted Christians upon
fall of the Pax Romana
 Emperors wanted to be gods
 Christians could recant their belief or maintain
their beliefs and be tortured and killed
 This showed weakness of Empire (think satire)
 By 200 A.D., about 10% of Empire was Christian

PETER
Disciple selected by Jesus
 Served as Rome’s first bishop
 Later there were bishops in all major cities, but
the bishop of Rome was considered most
important
 Eventually the Roman bisho become Pope
 This belief in a pope become the Petrine
Doctrine

THE FALL OF THE EMPIRE
The decline happened in three stages
 “Crisis of the Third Century”

 Political,

Division of the Empire
 Empire

economic, and military problems
divided into east and west
Barbarian Invasion
 Empire
collapses in 476 A.D.
CRISIS OF THE 3RD CENTURY

Economic
 Trade
routes ended due to barbarians and pirates
 Gold and silver gone from buying luxuries in foreign
lands
 Inflation due to coins no longer having value of
silver
 Agriculture declined, possibly from over-worked soil
CRISIS OF THE 3RD CENTURY

Military
 Losses
to the Goths
 Loss to Persia
 Began using mercenary soldiers
CRISIS OF THE 3RD CENTURY

Political
 Lack
of loyalty due to lack of political participation
 Those that did serve were required to collect taxes;
if unable, they had to pay themselves
 Armies became interested in politics and tried to
use force to govern the empire
DIVISION OF THE EMPIRE

Diocletian
 Became
Emperor in 284 A.D. for 21 yrs.
 Greatly attempted reform to restore strength to the
empire
 Doubled
size of army
 Price and wage control to halt inflation
 Restore old gods, persecute Christians
 Split the Empire into East and West for manageability
 These
reforms were not all successful but did halt
the decline of Rome during his reign
DIVISION OF THE EMPIRE

Constantine
Military commander who was fighting for control of
empire after Diocletian’s rule
 Implemented Edict of Milan (freedom of religion) after
winning Battle at Milvian Bridge
 He then gained control of both eastern and western
halves
 Moved capital to eastern half and named it
Constantinople
 Empire still split, but eastern half now more powerful

BARBARIAN INVASIONS
Invasions for a century by Germanic tribes
 Germanic tribes feared the Huns who moved
west from Asia, forcing them south into Rome
 Huns came to Rome but Pope Leo I convinced
Attila to leave
 14 yr. old, Romulus Augustulus, was last
emperor who lost to Odoacer
