Download Fusion Rome Becomes An Empire

Rome Become an Empire
World History/Napp
“As Rome grew, the gap between rich and poor grew wider. Many of Rome’s rich
landowners lived on huge estates. Thousands of enslaved persons – many of whom had
been captured peoples in various wars – were forced to work on these estates. By 100 B.C.,
enslaved persons formed perhaps one-third of Rome’s population. Small farmers found it
difficult to compete with the large estates run by the labor of enslaved people. Two
brothers, Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus, attempted to help Rome’s poor. As tribunes, they
proposed such reforms as limiting the size of estates and giving land to the poor. The
brothers made enemies of numerous senators. Both met violent deaths.
Adding to the growing turmoil within the republic was a breakdown of the once-loyal
military. As the republic grew more unstable, generals began seizing greater power for
themselves. They recruited soldiers from the landless poor by promising them land. These
soldiers fought for pay and owed allegiance only to their commander. They replaced the
citizen-soldiers. It now was possible for a military leader supported by his own troops to
take over by force. Eventually, one would do just that. In 60 B.C., a military leader named
Julius Caesar joined forces with Crassus, a wealthy Roman, and Pompey, a popular
general. With their help, Caesar was elected consul in 59 B.C.
The reports of Caesar’s successes in Gaul made him very popular with the people of
Rome. Pompey, who had become his political rival, feared Caesar’s ambitions. In 50 B.C.,
the senate, at Pompey’s urgings, ordered Caesar to disband his legions and return home.
Caesar defied the senate’s order. On the night of January 10, 49 B.C., he took his army
across the Rubicon River in Italy. He marched his army swiftly toward Rome, and Pompey
fled. In 44 B.C., Julius Caesar was named dictator for life. Many nobles and senators
expressed concern over Caesar’s growing power. A number of important senators, led by
Marcus Brutus and Gaius Cassius, plotted his assassination. On March 15, 44 B.C., they
stabbed him to death in the senate chamber.” ~ World History
1- What happened as Rome conquered more land?
2- Why were small farmers unable to compete with large estates?
3- How did Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus attempt to help Rome’s poor?
4- What happened to Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus? Why?
5- How did the army change as the republic became more unstable?
6- Why could a military leader take over the government by force?
7- How did Julius Caesar become consul?
8- How did Julius Caesar become dictator? Why was he assassinated?
Becoming an Empire
After Julius Caesar’s death,
civil war broke out
Caesar’s grandnephew,
Octavian, Lepidus, and
Mark Antony struggled for
power
Octavian defeated the
combined forces of Antony
and Cleopatra at the naval
battle of Actium in 31 B.C
While he restored some
aspects of the republic,
Octavian became the
unchallenged ruler of Rome
Eventually he
accepted the title of
Augustus, or “exalted
one”
He also kept the title
imperator, or “supreme
military commander,” a
term from which emperor is
derived
Rome was now an empire
ruled by one man
Pax Romana
Rome was at the peak of its
power from the beginning of
Augustus’s rule in 27 B.C. to
A.D. 180
Agriculture and Trade
About 90 percent of people
were engaged in farming
Most Romans survived on
produce from local areas
For 207 years, peace
reigned in the empire, except Additional food and luxury
for some fighting with tribes items for the rich were
along the borders
obtained through trade
This period of peace and
prosperity is the Pax
Romana – “Roman peace”
In Augustus’s time,
a silver coin called a
denarius used
During this time, the Roman
Empire included more than
3 million square miles
Having common coinage
made trade easier
Its population numbered
between 60 and 80 million
Augustus was Rome’s ablest
emperor; stabilizing the
frontier, glorified Rome with
splendid public buildings,
and set up a civil service
He paid workers to
manage government affairs,
such as the grain supply, tax
collection, and postal system
Rome had a vast trading
network
Rome also traded with
China and India
A complex network of roads
linked the empire to such
far-flung places as Persia
and southern Russia
These roads were originally
built by the Roman army for
military purposes
1- Who was Octavian and how did he change Rome?
2- How does an emperor differ from a republic?
3- What was the Pax Romana?
4- Prove that Augustus was an able emperor.
5- How did Rome’s civil service work?
6- Why did a common coinage make trade easier?
7- How did roads benefit the Roman empire? Why were Roman roads built?
1- Identify three bad emperors.
2- Identify five good emperors.
3- Why do Christians even today consider Nero a bad emperor?
4- Why was Trajan a good emperor?
5- What was unique about Marcus Aurelius?
6- Why did people fear Domitian?
7- Why was Caligula not suited for his role as emperor?
8- What did Nerva contribute to Roman government?
Augustus 63 B.C. - A.D. 14
“Augustus was the most powerful ruler of the mightiest empire of the ancient world. Yet,
amid the pomp of Rome, he lived a simple and frugal life. His home was modest by Roman
standards. His favorite meal consisted of coarse bread, a few sardines, and a piece of cheese
– the usual food of a common laborer. Augustus was also a very religious and familyoriented man. He held to a strict moral code. He had his only child, Julia, exiled from
Rome for not being faithful in her marriage.” ~ World History
1- Why was it surprising that Augustus lived a simple and frugal life?
2- What in the passage proves that Augustus lived a simple and frugal life.
3- What in the passage proves that Augustus held to a strict moral code?
4- How did Augustus Caesar differ from the bad emperors in the chart above?
5- Why was it critical for Rome’s emperor to be good? What is the danger of having an
emperor?
The Gracchi brothers are known for being
1. owners of latifundia.
2. reformers.
3. powerful generals.
4. emperors.
Augustus’s government was
1. a republic disguised as a monarchy.
2. a monarchy disguised as a republic.
3. a democracy disguised as an empire.
4. an empire disguised as a republic.
The term empire is best defined as
1. a political unit that has a common
religious faith
2. a government ruled by the consent of
the people
3. an extensive territory under the rule
of a single authority
4. a country that requires conquered
peoples to assimilate
How did the geography of the Italian
peninsula influence the development of the
Roman Empire?
1. The unnavigable rivers in the
northern part of the peninsula
protected the Romans from their
neighbors.
2. The harsh climate prevented
agricultural production on the
Italian peninsula.
3. The lengthy, rugged seacoast
encouraged frequent invasions of the
Italian peninsula.
4. The location of the peninsula
contributed to Roman control of the
Mediterranean region.
Which ancient civilization is associated with
an extensive road system?
1. Babylonian
2. Greek
3. Phoenician
4. Roman
The political system of the ancient Roman
Empire was characterized by
1.a strong central government
2.rule by a coalition of emperors and
religious leaders
3.universal suffrage in national elections
4.a strict adherence to constitutional
principles
The ancient Romans’ most significant
contribution to Europe has been in the area
of
1. economics
2. poetry
3. drama
4. law
The Code of Hammurabi and the Twelve
Tables were designed to
1. create a stable society
2. promote peaceful relations with
other cultures
3. provide a framework for the
development of democracy
4. emphasize the importance of life
after death


Roman women could own property.
Roman women could make wills
A valid conclusion drawn from these facts is
that Roman women
1. had the right to vote
2. enjoyed some legal rights
3. were equal to men
4. could hold political offices
An empire differs from a republic in that
1. In an empire, power resides in the hands
of an emperor
2. In an empire, power resides in the hands
of the people
3. In an empire, power resides in the hands
of a few wealthy men
4. None of the above