Download ANCIENT ROME

ANCIENT ROME
AND THE RISE OF CHRISTIANITY
 Roman civilization arises in Italy
 The Italian peninsula is centrally located in
the Mediterranean Sea
 Rome sits toward the center of Italy
 Unifying the lands of
Italy
 Italy’s geography
makes it easier to
unify than Greece.
 Italy is not broken up into isolated valleys.
 The Apennine mountains are less rugged.
 There are broad, fertile plains in the north
and west.
 Great for planting
 Able to support a growing population.
 Early settlers
 Latins
 Settled along the Tiber River
 Small villages over 7 hills
o Villages grow together into Rome
The Legend of Romulus and Remus
 Said to be twin sons of a Latin
woman and the war god Mars.
o Romans loved this legend
because it gave the Romans a
divine origin.
 Etruscans
 Lived to the north of Rome
 Origins are uncertain
 Ruled much of
central Italy,
including Rome
o Rome learned much
from the Etruscan
civilization
1. Alphabet
• From Greeks
2. Architecture
• Arch
3. Engineering
• Drained the
land along the
Tiber River
Etruscan art
Etruscan temple
Etruscan burial
mound
Structuring the Republic
Senate
Senate nominates 2 consuls who oversee
the government. They can only serve for
one term.
In times of war dictator may be chosen.
Landholding upper-class.
Originally the only ones eligible to
serve in the Senate.
Patricians
Plebeians
Farmers, merchants, traders,
etc. made up the bulk of the
population. Had little
influence.
 Plebeians' Fight For Their Rights
 The efforts of plebeians to protect
their rights shaped the early Republic.
 In time, they gained certain rights:
1. Elect tribunes
• Could veto certain laws
2. Forced the Senate to choose some
plebs as consuls
3. Election to the Senate
4. The Twelve Tables
ROME CONQUERS THE MEDITERRANEAN AND
ROMAN CONFEDERATION
 By 264 BC Rome had conquered virtually all of Italy
Set up the Roman confederation to help with rule
•Latins were made citizens
•Others were made allies
Free to run local matters
Had to provide soldiers for Rome
Loyal allies could become citizens
Peoples conquered by Rome were made to feel
a part of Rome’s success
Carthage: Large trading empire
Western Mediterranean Sea
Carthaginian Empire extends to Sicily
Rome cannot have this!
Second Punic War
Hannibal nearly defeats Rome, but is unable
to finish the job
Carthage loses Spain
Rome becomes dominant in the
Mediterranean
Third Punic War
Rome completely
destroys Carthage
City wiped out
and fields plowed
under with salt
133 B.C.: Macedonia,
Greece, Pergamum
are all defeated.
Rome is now the
master of the Med.
Sea.
 The Impact at Home
 Control of Med. Sea means
increased trade.
 A new class of rich emerge
 They build latifundia and drive
smaller farmers out of business.
 Poor and unemployed farmers
flock to Rome.
 The gap between rich and
poor widens
 Causing riots
 Increase in corruption
 Greed and self-interest
replace hard work and
devotion to duty.
The Deline of the Roman Republic
and Rise of Julius Caesar
 The Roman Republic Declines
 Rome is plunged into a series of civil war:
 Who should rule:
• Senators? (Stay the same)
• Popular political leaders? (reforms)
 Rome’s citizen soldiers have become
professional soldiers.
 More loyal to their commanders than to
the Roman government
• Commanders took better care of their
men than the gov’t did.
 Julius Caesar the Dictator
 Caesar vs. Pompey
 Two ambitious commanders
 Dominated Roman politics
• Caesar had conquered France and
Gaul-Pompey alarmed.
• Pompey gets the Senate to order
Caesar to disband his armies
• Caesar marches on Rome and takes
it.
• Forces the Senate to make him
dictator.
• Caesar makes reforms but his
enemies distrust him.
 Caesar Killed

His enemies feared he planned
to make himself King
 The death of Caesar means Rome is
again plunged into the civil war.
 Marc Antony vs Octavian
 Antony = Caesar’s chief general.
 Octavian = Caesar’s grandnephew
 At first they meant to track down the murderers
 They soon quarreled.
 This set off a bitter struggle for power.
 Octavian defeats Antony and Cleopatra
Octavian
Marc Antony
Cleopatra
THE ROMAN EMPIRE
THE ROMAN EMPIRE
 The age of the Roman Empire dawns.
 Octavian wins the power struggle
with Marc Antony.
 The Senate gives him the title of
“The exalted one” or Augustus and
declare him the “first citizen”
 Augustus is very careful to NOT
call himself king but…
 He did have absolute power and he
could name his successor.
 The Roman Republic was dead.
 Augustus builds a stable government.
 Used firm but moderate policies
 Left the senate in place
 Created a well-trained civil service to
enforce laws
 High-level jobs were open to men
of talent regardless of class
 Allows cities and provinces to selfgovern themselves
• This creates loyalty
 Economic reforms
 Created a census to make the tax
system more fair
 The post office issued new coins
• Made trade easier
 Put the jobless to work building
temples, etc.
 Augustus’ government survived over 200
years but…
 Who would rule after the emperor died?
 This could be a problem.
 Emperor’s vary
 Not all of Augustus’ successors were great
rulers.
 Weak
 Incompetent
 EVIL! INSANE!
• Caligula
 Appointed his horse consul
• Nero
 Persecuted Christians
 Sometimes blamed for torching Rome
 Some are good rulers
 Hadrian
• codified Roman law.
• Built a wall to keep Celts in Scotland
from attacking Roman territory
 Marcus Aurelius
• Came close to the philosopher-king
Plato had wanted.
 Pax Romana
 200 years of peace and prosperity
 Expansion of trade and Roman culture.
The Rise of Christianity
The teachings of Jesus
Jesus was a Jewish prophet from Galilee
Believed his mission was to complete
the salvation that god had promised to
Israel.
He believed he was the messiah.
Transformation of the inner person
was more important than blindly
following the law.
His preaching caused controversy.
Some though they could lead to a
revolt.
Jesus is welcomed by
some in Jerusalem.
Others see him as a
dangerous
troublemaker.
 Some Jewish priest
believed he was
challenging their
leadership.
 Roman authorities
saw him as a
revolutionary who
might lead the
Jews to revolt.
 Jesus is arrested, tried
and sentenced to death.
 Crucifixion
• Slow, tortuous
death.
 The Message of Christianity Spreads
 Jesus is called “The Christ” or anointed
one.
 Belief in him will lead to eternal life.
 Christians.
 His teachings are spread in nearby
Jewish communities.
 Two men spread the word even
farther.
St. Peter
 Brought the religion
to the city of Rome
itself. Might this
have been risky?
YES
 St. Paul
 Spreads the word
through Asia
Minor, Africa,
and Europe.
 Paul is the most
influential person
in Christianity.
The Decline and Fall
 The Empire
Divides
 180 ADMarcus
Aurelius dies
 Pax
Romana
ends
 The next
100 years =
economic
and political
turmoil.
 Political violence becomes common
 Disruptive political patterns emerge
• Emperors are overthrown
 Generals
 “intriguers”
 Violence and instability are now the
rule
 Social and economic problems arise
 Heavy taxes needed to support the
army
• Paid for by business people and
farmers
 Many Problems Cause Rome to Fall
 Military attacks
 Barbarian invasions
• Roman legions lack discipline and
training
• Mercenaries are hired
• Little/no loyalty to Rome
 Political turmoil
 Gov’t becomes oppressive
• loses the support of the people
 Corrupt officials
 Civil war
 Rival armies
• Loyal to commanders

Divided empire
• Weakened the empire beyond repair
• Richer Eastern Empire did not help
 Economic weakness
 Heavy taxes needed
• To support the military
• Vast bureaucracy
• Reliance on slave labor slowed technological
advances
• Climate change?
• Population decrease
 Social decay
 Lack of:
• Patriotism
• Discipline
• Devotion to duty
Did Rome Fall?
 Rome does not disappear completely in
476
• Eastern Roman Empire flourishes for
another 1000 years
Byzantine Empire
 Rome shifts from one way of life to
another
 People in Italy do not change much
 Germanic customs, languages and
culture replace the Roman ones
 Christian Church maintains much of the
Roman ways.