Download Rome and Byzantine Lessons of Power

Rome and Byzantine
Lessons of Power
Rome - The World’s First Republic
A republic is a government where political powers are vested in the hands of
representatives elected by citizens.
Elected leaders, called Consuls ruled the city with the help of the elected Senate.
• Consuls – The 2 Elected Rulers of Rome
• Senators – The 300 Elected Council Members
• Patricians - Wealthy Elite
• Plebeians - Common Citizens
• Freemen
• Slaves - People with No Rights
Punic Wars
264 -149 BC - Rome and Carthage fought a series of three wars, known as the Punic
Wars. Rome won all three of these wars. In the end, they leveled Carthage and sold all of
its citizens into slavery.
Roman Conquest
By 50 BC, Rome had conquered Spain, Greece, Egypt, Gaul (France), North Africa, and
Asia Minor.
Provinces
All conquered territory became provinces. These provinces provided taxes, trade, crops,
and served as buffer zones.
Julius Caesar
59 BC - Julius Caesar was elected a Consul of Rome. He then took command of an army and
spent nine years conquering the Gauls. While he was away, Julius Caesar’s enemies began
conspiring against him and the Senate ordered him back to Rome. January 11, 49 BC - Julius
Caesar crossed the Rubicon river and marched on Rome. After 3 years of Civil War, Julius
Caesar prevailed. He declared himself the Dictator for Life.
“Veni Vidi Vici.” (I came. I saw. I conquered.) – Julius Caesar
Ides of March
March 15, 44 BC - Julius Caesar was stabbed to death by a group of Senators on the steps
of the Roman Forum. 13 Years of civil war followed.
Octavian Caesar
31 BC - Julius Caesar’s adopted son, Octavian, defeated his rivals and took control of
Rome. The senate renamed him Augustus Caesar - the first Roman emperor.
1
First Emperors
The first emperors of Rome were literally considered gods and ruled with absolute power.
• Augustus
• Tiberius
• Caligula
• Claudius
• Nero
Roman Imperialism
Roman society was built upon the imperial necessities of trade and conquest. At its
height, one quarter of the world’s population lived and died under the dominion of the
Caesars.
Roman Trade
Trade within the Roman Empire spread into three continents.
Pax Romana (Roman Peace)
Rome kept the peace through the sword. Its legionnaires numbered in the hundreds of
thousands. Over the next two hundred years, the emperors led a campaign of conquest
across the known world from Britain to the Sahara desert, and from Spain to the Arabian
desert.
Eventually the widespread borders of the empire made it impossible for the Caesars and
the Roman legions to maintain effective control. The territories were too vast and the cost
of the military was too expensive.
Problems with the empire
External:
Barbarians (those peoples who did not speak Latin) rebelled against the empire. Rome
began losing control of its extensive trade routes.
Internal:
• Corruption of the Government
• Power struggles
• Economics
o high cost of army
o wars cause food shortages
o mixing cheaper metals into coins
The Empire Began to Fail
The rise of autonomous military powers led to an undermining of Roman citizenship.
• the growth of corruption
• slavery
• lack of education
• poor distribution of news
2
Diocletian - 284 AD
In response to the weakening of Rome, emperor Diocletian divided the rule of the Empire
among 4 men.
Constantine - 324 AD
Emperor Constantine moved the capital from the failing western city of Rome to the
growing city of Byzantium in the East. Byzantium was renamed Constantinople.
Edict of Milan - Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman empire.
Theodosius - 395 AD
Emperor Theodosius realized the empire was too large to survive intact; so upon his
death, he split the empire into two halves.
The West remained the Roman Empire. The East became the Byzantine Empire.
Fall of the Western Empire
Rome, already failing, was overrun by invaders: Visigoths, Huns, Vandals, and Vikings.
476 AD – Romulus Augustulus, the last emperor was overthrown. The Western Empire
fell apart. Cities and infrastructure were destroyed. Education, art, and knowledge
disappeared.Western Europe entered the Dark Ages.
Transfer of Power
As Rome fell, Constantinople rose.
3
Byzantine Empire
• Reconquered some of the territory of the old Roman empire.
• Became the center of culture in the East as the West fell into the Dark Ages.
• Traded with Africa, China, and the Islamic Empire; which in turn, infused
Byzantine with new knowledge.
Art and Architecture
Pictures in the Byzantine empire were largely mosaics, which where images made with
cut tiles or glass. The Hagia Sophia was the grand church of Constantinople; its dome
was an architectural masterpiece.
Justinian - 528 AD
Emperor Justinian was the greatest Byzantine emperor.
After a three day long sports riot destroyed the city of Constantinople, Justinian rebuilt
the city to be the greatest in Europe.
• triple walls around the city
• 60 foot moat
• street lights
• water and sewage system
• public baths and theaters
• fire department
Justinian Code
Justinian revised the old Roman laws, editing them down from 1600 books to just 4652
laws. The Justinian Code became the model for modern law.
The Great Schism - 1054
The first schism (split) in Christianity occurred between the Pope of Rome & the Patriarch of
Constantinople. Officially, they were arguing over the use of icons in the Western churches;
however, this was merely an excuse. This was really a power struggle. Pope Leo IX and
Patriarch Michael Cerularius excommunicated each other.
West = Roman Catholic church
East = Eastern Orthodox church
Fall of Byzantine
The Persian wars:
The Byzantine and Persian empires battled each other for 500 years. Centuries of fighting
left Byzantine weakened.
Invaders:
Constantinople was sacked by Crusaders in 1204 AD.
Ottoman Turks (Muslims) captured the empire in 1453 AD. The city of Constantinople
was renamed Istanbul.
4
Roman Contributions
Ideals of Citizenship and the Rights of Citizens under the Law
Art, Music, Literature, and Philosophy
Architecture and Engineering
Irrigation, Aqueducts, Sewers
Preservation and Spread of Christianity
The Romance (Latin-based) Languages
Sports, Coliseums, and Amphitheaters
Military Science
Political Science - Republics & Imperialism
Western Laws
Lessons of Power
The combined might of Rome and Byzantine lasted for over 1500 years. The study of
their titanic and historic power yields important lessons for the world today.
• Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
• Human Power is not created nor destroyed; power merely transfers.
• Knowledge is power, and the infusion of knowledge is survival.
5