Download A Brief Guide to Roman History File

A BRIEF GUIDE TO ROMAN HISTORY.
Rome was mythically founded in 753 BC by Romulus and Remus, two
brothers who were nursed by a wolf. The Romans established their
independence from the Etruscans in 510 BC and set up a republic ruled by
a Senate and Consuls. The Romans gradually established themselves first
as an Italian, and then as a Mediterranean power in a series of wars. Their
main adversary was Carthage in North Africa. The invasion of Italy by the
Carthaginian General Hannibal between 218 and 211 BC nearly finished
Rome. In 202 BC Carthage was destroyed and the Romans conquered
Spain. Between 73 BC and 71 BC the slave rebellion under Spartacus was
a serious threat in Italy. By 51 BC Julius Caesar had conquered Gaul
(France) and in 54 and 55 BC attempted to invade Britain. Caesar was
murdered in 44 BC and after a long period of Civil War Augustus became
Emperor in 31 BC. In 43 AD Britain was successfully conquered by Claudius
and very nearly lost again in the Boudiccan Revolt in 60-61 AD. The
eruption of Vesuvius which covered Pompeii was in 79 AD. With the
conquest of Parthia (Iraq) in 116 AD by Trajan the Empire was at it’s largest
extent. In 330 AD Christianity became the official religion of the Empire. After
350 AD the Empire came under constant pressure from barbarians and huge
areas were lost. It divided into a western part based in Rome and an eastern
part based in Constantinople (now Istanbul). In 410 AD Rome was sacked
by the Goths and around AD 416 Britain ceased to be part of the Empire. In
455 AD Rome was sacked again by the Vandals. 476 AD is considered to be
the end of the Western Empire. The Eastern Empire survived until
Constantinople was sacked by the Fourth Crusade in 1204 AD.
HOW DID THE ROMANS ESTABLISH CONTROL OVER VIRTUALLY ALL
OF THE KNOWN WORLD AND KEEP THAT CONTROL FOR HALF A
MILLENNIUM?
1. A highly efficient regular army. The Legions and Auxiliaries were
almost unbeatable by anyone else at that time.
2. A superb organizational system. This ensured that the Empire ran
itself even when rival emperors were fighting or an emperor was unfit
to rule.
3. Expertise at building, engineering and science.
4. The Pax Romana had huge benefits especially for the wealthy in
society. Roman rule was largely by consent not force.
WHAT DO WE OWE TO THE ROMANS?
1. The Latin language is the base of many European languages
2. Roman Law is the basis for the government of many continental
European Countries.
3. Many Roman achievements in Building and Science were only equaled
in the eighteenth century
WHAT WEBSITES WILL HELP ME?
http://www.iol.ie/~coolmine/typ/romans/intro.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/index.shtml
Both of these websites contain plenty of information about the Romans.
There are lots of others.