Download From Republic to Empire

The Roman Empire
HIS 101
The Second Triumvirate
Second Triumvirate: Octavian, Marcus
Lepidus and Marc Antony (43 B.C.)
Killed over 2,000 opponents (including Cicero) &
defeated assassins at Philippi
Marcus Lepidus shunted aside as Pontifex
Maximus; Octavian & Antony divided empire
Antony fell in love with Queen Cleopatra of Egypt
After defeat at Battle of Actium (31 B.C.), Marc
Antony & Cleopatra committed suicide
Octavian proclaimed restoration of the republic,
but Senate named him Caesar Augustus in 27
B.C.
Copyright 2000, Wadsworth/Thomson Learning
Caesar Augustus
(31 B.C. – 14 A.D.)
Senate became lawmaking
body, but under Octavian’s
control
Served as Consul until 23 B.C.,
then given maius imperium as
chief proconsul & unofficial
tribune
He chose title of Princeps (first
among equals)
Successors became known as
Imperators (Emperors)
Named Pontifex Maximus in 12
B.C. & accepted worship as a god
Caesar Augustus (cont.)
Reorganized the Roman Legions
28 Legions with 5,400 men each
150,000 men; drawn only from citizenry
Served 20 years
Noncitizens used as Auxiliaries – 130,000 men
Praetorian Guard – 9,000 elite troops that
personally served & protected Augustus
Tried to conquer Germania, but Varus’ army
defeated at Teutoburg Forest
Augustan Society
Social Stratification
Senators owned property worth 1 million sesterces
Equestrians owned property worth 400,000 sesterces
Lower Class had little political power
Augustus introduced moral legislation to end
decadence & increase birth rate
Banished daughter Julia & Ovid for affair
Adopted Tiberius as son & successor
Julio-Claudian Dynasty
Tiberius (14-37) tried to involve Senate more at first, but
gradually consolidated power
Grandnephew Caligula (37-41) was insane
Committed incest with sisters Drusilla & Agrippina
Assassinated by Praetorian Guard, setting precedent
Claudius (41-54) was able administrator
est. imperial bureaucracy, further undermining Senate’s power
Agrippina killed him & his heir to make her son ruler
Nero (54-68) began well under influence of Seneca, but
became self-indulgent & corrupt
Believed he was a great actor & singer
Blamed Great Fire (64 A.D.) on Christians, launching persecution that
killed Peter & Paul
Revolt by Spanish Gov. Galba prompted him to commit suicide
Civil War – Year of the Four Emperors (69)
Flavian Dynasty
Vespasian (6979) formally
took title of
Imperator
Put down
Jewish revolt
(66 - 70 A.D.)
Succeeded by
sons Titus (7981) & Domitian
(81-96)
The Colosseum
The Five “Good” Emperors
Nerva (96-98) introduced alimenta - assistance to
poor parents in raising & educating children
Trajan (98-117) was 1st emperor born outside Italy
conquered Dacia, Mesopotamia & the Sinai Peninsula
Built Forum in Rome to celebrate his victories
Hadrian (117-138) retrenched
built wall across northern Britain
Built Pantheon in Rome
Put down Bar Kochba revolt in 133 & dispersed
remaining Jews
Antonius Pius (138-161) – nicest of the lot
Marcus Aurelius (161-180) – Stoic who wrote
Meditations
Copyright 2000, Wadsworth/Thomson Learning
Imperial Rome
Overcrowded and Noisy City of 1 million people
Poor lived in Insulae (apartment blocks)
Made of concrete & wood
Danger of fire and building collapse
Public Buildings
Temples, Forums, Markets, Baths, Theaters, Govt.
Buildings and Amphitheaters
Food & entertainment for the poor kept them from
rioting (Bread and Circuses)
Chariot races at the Circus Maximus
Gladiator contests at the Colosseum
Roman Amphitheater with Animal Pit in
the Middle, Syracuse
Gladiator Mosaic, 4th century
Imperial Rome,
nd
2
Century A.D.
Roman Culture
Golden Age:
Virgil (70-19 B.C.) – Aeneid
Horace (65-8 B.C.) – Satires
Ovid (43 B.C. – 18 A.D.) – Metamorphoses
Livy (59 B.C. – 17 A.D.) – History of Rome
Silver Age:
Tacitus (56-120 A.D.) – Annals, Histories
Juvenal (55-128 A.D.) - Satires
Copyright 2000, Wadsworth/Thomson Learning
The Terrible Third Century
Commodus (180-192) = cruel son of Marcus Aurelius;
assassinated
Septimius Severus (193-211) – North African general who
used army to seize power
Decius (249-251) blamed problems on Christians for failing
to honor gods
Valerian (253-260) was captured by Sassanid Persians &
died in captivity
Aurelian (270-275) restored boundaries after invasions of
Goths, Franks & Alemanni
The Empire Strikes Back
Diocletian (284-305) restructured empire
into tetrarchy
4 prefectures, divided into 4 dioceses
Each prefecture ruled by an Augustus, with a
lieutenant called a Caesar
Diocletian had ultimate authority
Diocletian ruled eastern half of empire;
Maximian ruled western half
Diocletian est. wage & price controls to
regulate economy
Copyright 2000, Wadsworth/Thomson Learning
Constantine (306-337)
Had vision of cross
before Battle of Milvian
Bridge (312)
Issued Edict of Milan
(313) – officially
tolerating Christianity
Created new capital at
Constantinople
Greatly expanded
army & civil service