Download Roman Empire Notes 1-1 - Blaine School District

Rome
aqueducts
Colosseum
Circus Maximus
Roads
Chariot races
gladiators
Roman forum
Notes 3-1
• ROMAN EMPIRE 509 BC - 476 AD
– Location
– Three groups of people Influenced Rome
• Latins 1000-600 BC
• Greeks 750-600 BC.
• Etruscans 600 BC
Roman Republic
• 509 BC. Romans drive out Etruscan king
and develop a republic
• 3 part system (lasted 500 years)
– Consuls (patrician)
• 2 men elected annually
– Senate (patrician)
• 300 member elected body
– Assemblies (plebeians)
• Tribune officials
Roman Army
• Roman empire is built primarily by the
exceptional strength of its army.
• soldiers could march 30 miles a day carrying 60
pounds of armor
• Most important was superior discipline and
organization. Roman soldiers fought in legions,
groups of 3000-6000 infantry and 100
horsemen. They used strict discipline and tight
battle formations to defeat opponents.
• Rome used the same weapons as its enemies,
but simply fought better and smarter
Punic Wars - 264-146 BC.
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hardest fought wars in Rome's history
lasted over 120 yrs.
Rome lost over 500,000 men
war was over control of Sicily and the
Mediterranean Sea
Carthage
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-250,000 pop. three times that of Rome
-huge navy (500 ships)
-Carthage was one of the Med. Sea
wealthiest cities and had
conquered much of Spain.
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-each year collected over 1 million
pounds of gold from tribute and tariffs
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-because of wealth, army consisted of
mercenaries not Carthaginians
Rome
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-had access to more troops (500,000)
-soldiers more loyal
-life was built on war not wealth
-Roman ship: long gangplank with huge
hook at the end. It would hook the
enemies ship and then army would rush
over the plank and kill the enemy. Not in
use, stand straight up
1st Punic War- 246-241BC
• Carthaginians had a much stronger navy,
though Rome had a better army.
• Rome quickly builds a navy, drives
Carthage from Sicily, and claims its first
province
– adapted land tactics to them (catapults,
gangplank)
2nd Punic War - 219-202
• Carthaginians expand into Spain.
• Hannibal
– considered equal to Alexander the Great
– great military geniuses
– age 29 assembled 50,000 infantry, 9,000 Cavalry, 60 war
elephants and tries to capture Rome. Never loses a battle in 15
years. Lost all elephants but one and half of his men crossing
the Alps. Causes massive destruction. One battle with Romans:
between 40,000 to 70,000 Romans die out of 86,000 Romans.
-most lopsided victory in military history
-lack of supplies kept Hannibal form defeating the Romans
•To counter, Rome sends armies into Spain
and North Africa. Fearful for his home land,
Hannibal retreats and is defeated by Scipio
(Rome's most outstanding general)
•Hannibal survived. Becomes governor of
Carthage for 7 yrs then kills himself. Carthage
lost all of its colonies and retained only the city
state itself
•This battle increases Roman territory into
parts of Spain.
•Rome defeats Macedonians in 205 BC.,
takes their territory, then defeats Syrians for
control of much of Asia Minor.
3rd Punic War - 149-146 BC.
• Rome, now vastly stronger than
Carthage, attacks city, burns it to the
ground and sells survivors for slavery
• Rome hated Carthage because many
Romans died because of Hannibal.
Plowed salt into their soil. So crops would
never come up.
Gracchus Brothers
Tiberius Gracchus
– seek reforms 133 BC.
– wanted to help the farmers
soldiers had nothing when returned from war (farms destroyed)
– rich that did not fight bought most of land and became
richer
– limit the size of farms
– he and 300 followers were killed by a group of
senators that did not want reforms
– clubbed to death and flung his body into the Tiber
River
-Gaius Gracchus (10 yrs later)
-Tiberius younger brother
-urged for more reforms
-wanted to help the middle class
-he along with several thousand are
killed in 122 BC.
-huge reward for his death, some say
killed in battle other say he had his slave
kill him (commit suicide)
Spartacus
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-Leads a massive slave revolt 73 BC. to 71
BC
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-trained in a gladiatorial school with 70
gladiators, escaped from gladiatorial training
school
- 90,000 slaves join him
- they defeat Roman forces in Southern Italy
for two years
-Spartacus is finally killed
-Crassus defeats him with the help of
Pompey
-6,000 slaves are crucified (explain
crucifixion)
The First Triumvirate
• Pompey
– Very powerful man who had won major military
victories in Asia Minor
– marries Caesar's daughter Julia for an alliance with
Caesar
• Crassus
– One of richest men in Rome, defeated Spartacus and
slave revolt
– biggest property owner in Rome. Owns silver mines
and is in control of the slave trade. Even has his own
fire department. Horse drawn water tank. Negotiate
price for his services. Common result acquire
property. Owner pay rent.
• Julius Caesar
– Young, brilliant, former governor of Spain and Gaul