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Ancient Rome
Chapter 6 Notes
Geography of Rome
Centrally located in the Mediterranean Basin & distant from east Mediterranean
powers
1. Protected: could develop into a great civilization without invasion
1. Alps in north protected against land invasion
2. Mediterranean Sea surrounded Italian Peninsula
2. Well positioned: access to other areas, could spread influence to much of
known world
Mediterranean Sea provided protection and access to trade
Roman Mythology
Based on Greek polytheistic religion and was integral to culture, politics, and art
Explained natural phenomena, human qualities, and life events
Roman gods and goddesses
1. Jupiter: King of the gods, most powerful
2. Juno: Queen of gods, goddess of marriage
3. Apollo: God of music and poetry
4. Diana: Goddess of the hunt
5. Minerva: Goddess of wisdom & war and peace
6. Venus: Goddess of love
Gods and goddesses represent symbols & images in literature, art and
architecture
Roman Republic
Republic: Form of government in which power rests with the citizens who have
the right to select their leaders
Roman republic made major strides in the development of a representative
democracy
1. Became a foundation of modern democracy
2. Excluded women, most aliens (non-Romans living in the Republic) and
slaves from the governing process
Social Structure of the Roman Republic
Patricians
– Powerful nobility (few in numbers)
Plebeians
– Majority of population
– Non-Aristocrats: farmers, artisans, merchants
Slaves: not based on race
Citizenship
– Patrician & Plebeian men
– Selected foreigners
– Rights and responsibilities of citizenship
1. Taxes
2. Military Service
Features of Democracy
Representative Democracy
– Senate (300 members)
Comprised of Patricians and would later include Plebeians
– The Assembly (100 members)
More democratic, less powerful than Senate
– Consuls (Like our President today)
Two consuls elected to one year term (could veto other’s
decision)
Commanded & directed army
Twelve Tables
– Written laws of Rome codified
Representative democracy more stable than direct democracy of Greeks
The Punic Wars
Rome v. Carthage 264-146 B.C.
Rome and Carthage were in competition for trade
Fought Three Wars
1st War
1. Fought for control of Sicily (Rome’s 1st Province) and Western
Mediterranean
2. Rome wins: built huge navy
3. Romans boarded Carthaginian boats and fought hand to hand combat.
Second Punic War
Carthaginian general Hannibal behind 2nd war
Brilliant military strategist: wanted revenge for 1st war
Assembled 50K infantry, 9K cavalry, & 47 elephants: intended on capturing Rome
Hannibal invaded Italian Peninsula, crossed through Alps from northern Italy
Rome holds off Hannibal: Carthaginians lose lands in Spain
Third Punic War
Instigated by Rome: invaded Carthage, burnt the city to the ground, sold
survivors into slavery & plowed salt into fields so nothing would grow
Rome now controls Mediterranean
Consequences of Punic Wars
1. Victory over Carthage allowed Rome, over the next 100 years, to dominate
Mediterranean Basin, leading to a diffusion of Roman culture
2. Roman victory, the destruction of Carthage, and expanded trade and wealth for
Rome
3. Built roads, aqueducts, expanded navy: became very wealthy due to trade &
conquest
Evolution of Rome and the Spread of Roman culture
Mediterranean basin (Africa, Asia, Europe, including the Hellenistic world of the
Eastern Mediterranean
Western Europe
1. Gaul
2. British Isles
Expansion of Rome
Expansion created problems leading to the decline of Roman Republic
1. Spread of slavery into agricultural system: pushed farmers into cities: too
many Plebeians, not enough jobs
2. Migration of small farmers into cities-unemployment
3. Civil War over the power of Julius Caesar
4. Inflation: devaluation of Roman currency- didn’t have enough money to
buy things they previously could
The Origin and Evolution of Imperial Rome
Julius Caesar takes control: joined with Crassus and Pompey: known as 1st
Triumvirate: group of three rulers
Obtained power through military conquest: Civil War between Senate & Caesar
pushed Pompey and Crassus out: Caesar became dictator for life in 44 B.C.
Julius Caesar
Governed as an absolute ruler: reformed Rome
Gave land and created jobs for poor
Granted citizenship to many in conquered provinces, expanded Senate so
provinces could elect senators
Killed March 15, 44 B.C.-Ides of March
1. Senators troubled by growing power, success, and popularity
2. Number of important senators led by Marcus Brutus and Gaius Cassius
plot assassination: stabbed Caesar to death
Beginning of Roman Empire
The Roman Republic ended with the assassination of Julius Caesar and Rome fell
into civil war.
Second Triumvirate: Octavian, Marc Anthony, and Lepidus
1. Ended in jealousy and violence
2. Octavian rose to power: assumed name Augustus Caesar
Augustus Caesar
1. Defeated Marc Anthony to become Rome’s 1st Emperor
2. Senate & Assembly cease to exist
3. Augustus unified and enlarged empire using imperial authority and the
military
Pax Romana
Period of 200 years of peace & prosperity under imperial rule
Augustus established Roman Empire by instituting civil service, rule by law,
common coinage, and secure travel & trade throughout the empire
Expansion and solidification of Roman Empire, particularly in the Near East
Succession
1. Rome’s peace and prosperity depended on a peaceful succession of
power
2. Augustus failed to provide a peaceful succession of emperors
Impact of Pax Romana
Economic Impact
1. Established uniform system of money, which helped to expand trade
2. Guaranteed safe travel & trade on Roman roads
3. Promoted prosperity and safety
Social Impact
1. Returned stability to social classes
2. Increased emphasis on family
Political Impact
1. Created civil service
2. Developed uniform rule of law
Christianity: Jewish Roots
The Jewish homeland of Palestine had been conquered by the Assyrians,
Babylonians, Persians, and Greeks.
The Romans came to Judea 63 B.C. and made it a province in A.D. 6.
The Jews were expecting a King to come and set them free.
Jesus of Nazareth
Jesus was a Jew and Roman subject born in 5-6 B.C.
Poor traveling rabbi (Jewish teacher)
The message of Jesus
1. Taught the Torah
2. God’s love for all people, including the poor, and sinful
3. God’s invitation to live the life people were made to live (Kingdom of
God)
4. People should treat each other with love
5. Conflicted with polytheistic beliefs of Roman Empire
Jesus of Nazareth was proclaimed to be Messiah (liberating King)
Essential Beliefs, Traditions, and Customs of Christianity
1. Monotheism
2. Jesus as both son and incarnation of God
3. Life after death
4. New Testament, containing accounts of life & teachings of Jesus, as well as
writings of early Christians
5. Christian doctrine established by early Church Councils
Spread of Christianity
Carried out by Apostles: followers of Jesus who spread his teachings, including
Paul, throughout Roman Empire
Popularity of message: Appealed to the poor, ignored wealth and status
Pax Romana made Christianity easy to spread
1. Excellent Road system
2. Common languages: Latin and Greek
Persecution of Christians
Christianity & Judaism initially tolerated
Became problem for Roman rulers: refused to worship Roman gods: seen as
opposition to Roman rule
Emperor Nero
1. Persecuted Christians to point of killing: crucified, burned, or killed by
wild animals
2. Exiled, imprisoned, executed Christians for not worshipping Roman gods
3. Early martyrs (a person who willingly suffers death rather than renounce
his or her religion) inspired others
Despite persecution, Christianity grew.
Appeal of Christianity
1. Gave hope to the powerless
2. Appealed to those repelled by the extravagancy of Rome
Emperor Constantine
Prayed for help during battle and saw a sign
Ordered Christian symbol on soldiers’ shields
Constantine converted to Christianity and made it legal in the Empire
1. Ended persecution of the Christians
2. Edict of Milan: legalized Christianity, freedom to follow religion they
chose
3. Christianity later became the official state religion
Impact of Early Church
As Roman Empire declined in West, the church in Rome grew in importance,
membership, and influence
The church became a source of moral authority
Loyalty to the church became more important than loyalty to the Emperor
The church became the main unifying force in Western Europe
Council of Nicea
Beginnings of organized religion of Christianity
Transformed from faith into organized religion
Beginning of the End for the Roman Empire
All three sources of prosperity evaporated
1. Rome’s treasuries from conquered territories spent on luxury goods
2. Bustling trade by Roman ships disrupted by pirates on Med. Sea
3. Grain to feed empire
1. Overworked soil lost fertility
2. Farmland destroyed by warfare
3. Higher taxes forces people off land
Causes of decline of Western Roman Empire
1. Geographic size: difficulty of defense and administration
2. Economy
 Cost of defense & devaluation of Roman currency
 Minted coins with less silver: Led to inflation
3. Military
 Army membership started to include non-Romans, resulting in decline in
discipline
 Military spread too thin: empire too big to defend
4. Moral Decay: People’s loss of faith in Rome and the family
5. Political Problems: civil conflict & weak administration
 Corruption
 Unstable government
6. Invasion: attack on borders (Barbarians)
Emperor Diocletian Works for Reform
Changed empire
1. Doubled size of Roman armies
2. Set fixed prices for goods to combat inflation
3. Ordered farmers to stay on their land
Believed empire had grown too large & complex for one ruler: divided into
eastern and western half
1. Most invasions occurring on western half: focused on defending east
2. East: most of empire’s great cities and trade centers
3. Slowed decline of empire
Emperor Constantine Reunites Rome
Moved capital from Rome to Byzantium, renaming it Constantinople
1. Easier to defend, not corrupt like Rome
2. Power shifted from Rome to east
Constantinople (now Istanbul) served as headquarters of Byzantine Empire:
Eastern Roman half
After Constantine’s death empire would divide again: eastern half would survive,
west would fall
End of the Roman Empire
Rome’s last emperor: 14 year old boy named Romulus Augustulus: overthrown
by German general and sent into exile
Western Roman Empire survived until 476 A.D. (C.E.) when it ceased to have a
Roman Emperor
Eastern Roman Empire: Byzantine Empire
1. Flourished
2. Ruled from Constantinople: saw themselves as heirs to power of
Augustus Caesar: lasted until 1453
Contributions of Ancient Rome
Art & Architecture
– Pantheon: built as Roman temple and later consecrated as a Catholic
Church
–
–
Colosseum (see p. 182)
Amphitheater in Rome once used for Gladiator combat
Capable of seating 50,000 spectators
Forum (also see p. 156)
Political & economic center of Rome during the Republic
Served as meeting place for Senate as well as a place where public
meetings were held
Technology
Roads: made it possible for the army to march from one place to another quickly
Aqueducts (see p. 181)
1. Designed by Roman engineers to bring water into cities and towns
2. Emphasis on public health: public bath and water systems
Roman arches
1. “signature of Rome”
2. Supported bridges and often used for the aqueducts to maintain a steady
slope over hilly terrain
Ptolemy
Roman astronomer, mathematician, and geographer who developed the
geocentric (earth centered) model of the solar system
Literature
Virgil’s epic poem Aeneid tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Trojan, who
travelled to Italy where he became the ancestor of the Romans.
Aeneas displayed the ideal characteristics of a Roman citizen.
Medicine
Emphasis on public health, public baths, public water system and medical
schools
Many Romans visited baths to socialize or for cleanliness
Many Romans believed diseases were brought on by disfavor of gods
Military doctors learned on battlefield, then would teach in medical schools
Language
Spoke Latin
Romance languages: Languages descended from Latin: French, Spanish, Italian
Law
Earliest known attempt by Romans to create a code of law was the Twelve
Tables
The principle “Innocent until proven guilty” (Twelve Tables)
Equal treatment under the law