Download An Age of Empires: Rome and Han China, 753 BCE-600 CE

An Age of Empires: Rome pt. 1
753 B.C.E-600 C.E.
Unit 2-2
Rome’s Mediterranean Empire
• Central location was an advantage. Why?
A Republic of Farmers 753 B.C.E.-31
B.C.E.
• Romulus founded city of Rome; occupied
as early as 1000 B.C.E.
– Latin
– Several hilltop communities
• Population from Etruscan immigrants;
housing exiles and outcasts.
• Agriculture was basis of wealth. Result:
– Early Romans were self sufficient farmers
– “Council of Elders”=senate
Status of Women
As a child
Dependent on male guardian
Compare to Greek women
• Religion was diverse
– Mostly polytheists; No state religion until 4th
century.
• “Cult of Isis”
Expansion in Italy and the
Mediterranean
• Why did expansion of the Republic
increase?
– Structure of state led to more war
• Landowners subject battle
• Roman v. Greek citizenship
• War with Carthaginians 264 B.C.E.-202
B.C.E.
– Result:
• War Hellenistic kingdoms in eastern
Mediterranean 200 B.C.E.- 146 B.C.E.
• Conquest of Celtic peoples of Gaul 59
B.C.E.-51 B.C.E.
– Gaius Julius Caesar
– First territorial acquisition in Europe’s heartland
Roman Empire
• Conquered people were given autonomy
• Dispatched governor
– Collected taxes
– Defended province
– Proved inadequate. Why?
The Failure of the Republic
Peasant farmers
Lost land. How?
Farmers replaced by latifundia
Slave labor pushed out peasants
Poverty and idleness
Lack of military service
The Roman Principate 31 B.C.E.330 B.C.E.
 Augustus/Octavian (63 B.C.E.-14 C.E.) eliminated his
rivals and maintained forms of the Republic.
 Princeps
 Roman Principate
 Added Egypt, Middle East,
and Central Europe
 Equites
 Emperors chosen by the armies
 Adoption
Used his power discretely
PraetorsEmperor became a major source of laws
• Pax romana– Other goods were exported
• Romanization
– Granted Roman citizenship
• Reward for good service
The Rise of Christianity
• Jewish homeland of Judea, was under Roman
control.
– Increased tensions by Rome
• Jesus (views)
– Rabbi opposed with politics and greed, prescribed
return to personal faith and spirituality.
– Apocalyptic fervor, prophet
– Turned over to Roman authorities,( Pontus Pilate)
then crucified.
• Paul
– Claimed to have received a message from
Jesus. He redirected his efforts, and set up
Christian communities in eastern
Mediterranean.
• Roman Judaea revolt
– Left field open for Paul’s conversion of nonJewish converts.
• He began to diverge from Jewish teachings
• Theological doctrine; disenfranchised
groups. Why?
– It grew because of thirst for spiritual hunger
not satisfied by traditional pagan practices.
Technology and Transformation
– Advance in travel allowed Christianity to
spread quickly.
– Roads, engineering, aqueducts, arches,
concerete
• “third-century crisis”
– Frequent change in rulers
• Invaders took advantage
– Expensive defense
– Fall of municipal aristocracy
• Personal liability
• Decline in trade
• What were Diocletian reforms in 284?
• Constantine 306-337
– Saw cross in dream
– Edict of Milan
– Unity
– Convert for political advantage
– “City of Constantinople”
Byzantines and Germans
325 Nicaea council
Resolve disputes over doctrine
Julian
Theodosius
Gaul, Rome, Spain, Britain, N. Africa fell to
Germanic rulers.
Noble families competed for title of Pope
Evolution of Latin