Download Ancient Rome - Mesa Public Schools

Ancient Rome
The Center of Civilization
Beginnings
• Started when twin brothers
(Romulus/Remus) built a city on
the Tiber river between 7 hills
• Around 600 BC, people known
as the Etruscan’s (people north
of Rome) take over Rome
• Under Etruscan rule, Rome
became a large city
• 509 BC- Romans drive out the
Etruscan King, Tarquin the
Proud
– Vowed they’d never have a king
again
The Republic
• The new government that the Romans set up was a Republicwhere citizens can vote for their leaders
– Only Free born males could vote
• Two political groups rose out of this
– Patricians- wealthy landowners
– Plebeians- farmers, artisans, craftsman, merchants
• The Patricians ran the show because of their money and social
status.
– Eventually, they allow Tribunes- elected officials meant to protect the
rights of the Plebeians
Government structure
Dictator
Consuls- elected 2 every
year
- could only be consul
once every 10 years
Senate- chosen from the
upper class of Roman
society
Dictator- in times of criseshad absolute power for
only 6 months
Consol
Consol
Senate
Tribunes
Patricians
Plebeians
• All land owners were required to
serve in the army
Roman
• Legion- military unit of 5,000 men
– divided into groups of 80 men called
century’s
• Roman army’s success was
due to being disciplined and
well trained.
Army
Rome Spreads Her Power
• Rome power spread as the
legions battled for control of the
Italian peninsula
• By 265 BC, the Romans had
defeated nearly all of Italy
• As Rome took over an area, they
had different laws:
– The Latins became full citizens and
got full rights
– Those farther from Rome got all
rights of citizenship, except to vote
– All others were considered allies
and were left alone, as long as they
supplied troops to the army
Rome’s
Trade
• Because of her position, Rome could trade with
just about anyone in the Mediterranean
– Traded olive oil & wine for food and other
manufactured goods from other lands
• Eventually, a rival city began to rise in power,
Carthage
Punic Wars
• A series of 3 wars between Rome and Carthage
• Fought between 264 and 146 BC
First Punic War
– Fought for control of Sicily
– Lasted for 23 years
– After almost losing, Rome pushes Carthage back and
defeats her
Hannibal, Carthage General assembled a large army to
invade Rome
Second Punic War
– Started in 218 BC
– Hannibal manages to defeat the Romans several
times, first general ever to do so.
– However never is able to conquer the city of Rome
itself
– Hannibal ends up losing the war.
Third Punic War
• Rome invades
Carthage to end
conflict
• In 146 BC, eventually
captures the city,
killing or enslaving all
it citizens
• Ends the Punic Wars
Julius Caesar
• Strong Leader and Ruler, polarizing Figure
– Most people loved him, some hated him
• By 59 BC- he was elected to Consul (Rome’s
version of President)
• Joins forces with Crassus (rich man) and
Pompey (famous general ) and three become
the Triumvirate- or a group of three rulers
who controlled most power in nation
Caesar Makes Changes
• Granted citizenship to many people in the
provinces (territories)
• Expanded the Senate (increased it up to
600 men)
• Created jobs, mainly by building public
buildings
• Had colonies for people who had no land
to get land
• Increased pay for soldiers
The Death of a Dictator
• As Caesar’s power grew,
many senator’s became
jealous
• Some thought he was a
tyrant or ruler abuses power,
others didn’t want to lose
their popularity
• On March 15, 44 BC Caesar
was stabbed to death in the
senate chamber
The Rise of the
Roman Empire
• Caesar’s supporters
banded together to
crush his assassins
• In 43 BC, Caesar’s
adopted son,
Octavian joined Mark
Antony and a
politician named
Lepidus to form the
second triumvirate
• Both Mark Antony and Lepidus are
killed/assassinated.
• This left Octavian the sole ruler of Rome
• He gave himself the title Augustus (exalted
one) and Imperator (supreme military
commander)
The Empire
• For 207 years, peace was in the empire.
• This peace is known as Pax Romana or
Roman Peace
– Time of prosperity
Roman Life
Slaves
• Slaves played a major role
in Roman life
• Slaves accounted for 1/3 of
the 1,000,000 people living
in Rome
• Most were conquered
people and were owned by
master
• Worked in cities and on
farms and were treated
cruelly
• No slave revolt succeedabout 1,000,000 slaves died
revolting
• Slaves worked everywhere
–
–
–
–
Schools- as teachers (usually Greek)
Mines
Fields
Governments
• Slaves were never freed unless it was granted
freedom by master or until he bought freedom
Roman Life
Gods/Goddesses
• Government and religion were
interconnected
• Each family had powerful family gods that
they worshiped regularly and built shrines
to
• Most important Roman Gods
– Jupiter (Father of Gods) Juno (wife)
– Worship of the Emperor eventually became a
part of the Roman religion
Roman Life
Society/Culture
• Rich and poor lived very
differently
– Rich had large gardens, homes,
many slaves.
– Had banquets that lasted for hours
that had very rare food
• Many poor lived in fire hazard
tenets (large apartment type
buildings.
• To distract the poor from daily life,
the government offered free
games in the Colosseum
Gladiators
• From the Latin gladius (sword)
• Professional fighters that fought against
each other, wild animals, and condemned
criminals, often to the death
• Made up of criminals, slaves, poor, and
many other types of men
Christianity
• Jesus- Jew from Judea that
taught about salvationbecame a huge influence in
the Empire.
• After his death, his followers
became known as Christians
• One follower Paul-an
Apostle (follower) of Jesus
spread his teachings
• Missionary – People who
went around spreading
Christianity to people who
had never heard it
Christian Growth
• Despite Christian persecution, the religion grew
–
–
–
–
included all people
gave hope to powerless
offered a relationship with God
offered eternal life after death
Constantine
• In 312 AD,
Constantine- a Roman
Emperor was fighting for
control of Rome
• Before battle, he
claimed to see the cross
(a Christian symbol)
• He won the battle and
gave credit to the
Christian God
• Made Christianity the
official religion of Rome
• Constantine outlawed
Christian persecution
Basic Church Setup
• Bishops were
leaders of many local
churches
• Peter was the leader
of the Church and the
first Bishop in Rome
• His “successors”
claimed to be his
heirs called Popes –
Leaders of Catholic
Church
The Fall of an Empire
• After Marcus Aurelius died, Pax
Romana ended
• The emperors that followed
weren’t very good as governing
the Empire
• Invaders from Europe (mainly
Germany) and Asia begin to
conquer Rome
Rome’s Legacy
• Rome had a big impact on culture &
Influenced
– art
– government
– architecture
• When Roman culture mixed with Greek
and Hellenistic culture, a super-culture
was formed
– Greco-Roman culture
Art
• Romans got a lot of their art style and ideas from
the Greeks
• Used sculptures to tell stories
• Skilled in mosaics - pictures made by arranging
small stones, pieces of glass, or tile together
• Excellent in painting
Architecture
• Roman’s also had lasting effect on
architecture:
– Arch
– Dome
– concrete
• Had vast network of paved roads
– Allowed for fast military movement
– Helped with trade
– United whole empire
Aqueduct
• Brought water from
mountains to the cities
• Carried water up to 50
miles on a slight
downward slope
• Allowed for large city
populations
Government
• Roman law was meant to strengthen the
rights of individual citizens
– All citizens had rights to equal treatment
– All persons were innocent until proven guilty
– Accuser needed to have proof of crime
committed
– Persons could only be punished for actions, not
thoughts
– Veto - Any law that was thought unfair could be
set aside or turned down