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Chapter 6: Rome and Early Christianity
Section 1: The Foundations of Rome
According to legend, Rome was founded by Romulus and Remus. They were left in a basket
and put in the Tiber River where they washed ashore and were taken care of by a wolf. They
were soon adopted by a shepherd and when they grew up, they decided to build a city on the spot
that they were found by the wolf. Rome was founded in 753 BC.
Italy’s geography allowed it to prosper easily. It was protected to the north by the Alps and to the
south, east, and west by water. It also had very rich soil and a mild climate, good to support a
large population.
Latin kings ruled Rome at first but by 616 BC it would fall under the rule of the Etruscans of
northern Italy. The Etruscans built Rome’s first city walls and sewers, introduced alphabet and
number system, and introduced gladiator games and chariot races.
The Etruscans would be overthrown in 509 BC and the Romans established a new type of
government-a republic. This is when elected officials govern a state. The patricians, elected
officials among themselves, controlled every aspect of Roman life. They were able to keep their
power by using a patronage in which wealthy Romans provided support for lower ranking
families in return for loyalty.
The common people or plebeians, challenged the upper class from the start of the republic. They
would not gain many rights until 494 BC when Rome was threatened with invasion. They then
formed the Plebeian Council which had the responsibility of overseeing and protecting plebeian
rights. Plebeians also gained the right to elect elected officials known as tribunes. They were
responsible for protecting plebeians against unjust treatment. They later gained the right of veto.
Around 450 BC, the patricians were forced to write down all laws. This was displayed at the
center of town and became known as the Twelve Tables. One law banned marriage between a
patrician and plebeian and another allowed 30 days to pay a debt.
An unwritten constitution was also created. The government would consist of three parts:
1. Senate: Body of 300 members who advised elected officials, controlled public finances,
and handled all foreign relations.
2. Assembly: All citizens voted on laws and elected officials.
3. Magistrate: Put laws into practice, governed in the name of the Senate and the people,
and acted as priests.
Two magistrates called consuls would act as chief executive and commander of the army,
serving for one year. Censors would have the ability to appoint Senators when vacancies
appeared. The Roman government worked because it had a system of checks and balances.
The Forum was at the heart of the city and housed the important government buildings.
Farming and land ownership were considered the noblest ways to make money.
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Rome’s military power enabled it to expand successfully. All men between the ages of 17 and 46
who owned property were required to serve in the army during times of war. The army was
organized into units called legions. By the 260s BC, Rome had taken control of Italy and Sicily.
Rome and Carthage would go to war in 264 BC, starting the First Punic War. Carthage had the
early advantage because they had a navy and most of the fighting happened at sea. Rome then
built their own navy and defeated Carthage.
In 218 BC, Carthage, led by Hannibal, decided to attack Italy again. They crossed the Alps. The
Romans would invade Carthage 202 BC and force Hannibal to return to defend his city. The
Romans would easily defeat Hannibal and win the Second Punic War.
In 149 BC, Rome decided to defeat Carthage once and for all. They would attack Carthage for
three years before it finally fell. The Romans enslaved the entire population and banned people
from living in the area. This was the Third Punic War.
The Romans and the Greeks would defeat Macedonia and Persia. The Romans then decided to
annex Greece as well. The Romans would adopt many of the Greeks ideas such as religion.
They adopted the stories of the gods as their own, but gave them Roman names. Zeus became
Jupiter and Poseidon became Neptune.
Section 2: From Republic to Empire
By the mid 100s BC, tension grew within Rome between the Gracchi. Brothers Tiberius and
Gaius tried to bring peace to Rome. They gained support from the lower class by redistributing
public land to farmers. They would soon be killed at the urging of the Senate.
Rome would soon have a series of military rulers and a civil war would break out. Lucius Sulla
would become victorious in the war and become dictator of Rome.
In 60 BC, Julius Caesar, Gnaeus Pompey, and Licinius Crassus would form the First
Triumvirate. Crassus would soon die and Caesar’s army defeated Pompey’s and Caesar would
declare himself dictator for life in 44 BC. He would give citizenship to the people in Rome’s
provinces and give public land to veterans. Many Senators feared Caesar was trying to make
himself a king, so they murdered him on March 15, 44 BC.
The Second Triumvirate would then take power consisting of Octavian, Marc Antony, and
Lepidus. Lepidus would soon be pushed out and Octavian and Antony would divide the empire
among themselves. A civil war would soon break out between the two with Octavian defeating
Antony and Cleopatra in 31 BC. Octavian would be given the name Augustus and rule Rome
for 40 years. He would die in AD 14 and for the next 54 years, relatives of Caesar would rule
Rome.
In AD 96, a new line of emperors would come to power known as the Good Emperors. They
would help bring good times to the empire and expand Rome all the way to Britain.
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The period from 27 BC to AD 180 is known as the Pax Romana. This was a peaceful time in
Rome. This was possible because Rome had a stable government, strong legal system, and
widespread trade.
Section 3: Roman Society and Culture
Even though the Pax Romana was a time of prosperity and peace, not everyone shared in it.
Wealthy residents lived in villas and spend most of the time involved in politics. 1 million of
Rome’s residents were poor and lived in cramped houses.
For entertainment, Romans enjoyed circuses, where chariot races took place. They also enjoyed
battles between people and animals. They also enjoyed watching gladiator battles.
The head of the Roman family would be the oldest living male. He had power over everything.
Families with no sons would adopt a teenage boy so they would have an heir. Roman women
could no little without the intervention of their husband. All children were taught at home but
wealthy people sent their children to schools. The Romans also believed that gods sent signs and
warnings to humans.
Rome also made many advances in science and engineering. Galen wrote books that contained
all of the medical knowledge of the day. Ptolemy said that the Earth was the center of the
universe. Romans needed water in their cities. In order to have this, they built aqueducts. These
were channels which were used to bring water into cities. They were built out of concrete.
Romans spoke Latin and several languages such as French and Italian came from Latin. Satire
was created by the Romans as well. Romans also developed civil law, which are laws based on a
written code. Many European nations adopted this type of law.
Section 4: The Rise of Christianity
Judea would be conquered in 63 BC by Pompey. The Jews were supposed to start worshiping
Roman religion. To avoid trouble, Rome allowed them to practice their own religion as long as
they maintained civic order.
Most Jews decided to take up arms against the Romans. In response to one uprising in
Jerusalem between AD 66-70, the Romans sacked the city and killed thousands of Jews. Other
Jews preferred to wait for the Messiah to bring them peace.
Jesus of Nazareth preached that people need to seek forgiveness for their sins. Most of our
knowledge of Jesus comes from the first four books of the New Testament. He was born in
Bethlehem and as a boy learned carpentry. He would go around preaching a message of
redemption and warning. As he traveled he gained a group of disciples. Jesus became popular
in part because it was reported that he was performing miracles. Jesus would soon be arrested,
tried, and sentenced to death.
Christianity would spread throughout the Roman world. The message of eternal life after death
appealed to many Romans. By the year 300, 10 percent of Romans were Christian. As
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Christianity spread, Rome’s leaders begin to get worried. Christians would be persecuted
throughout the empire.
In the early 300s, the Roman emperor, Constantine decided to convert to Christianity, ending
most of the persecution in Rome. He did this on the battlefield. This would cause polytheism to
disappear from Rome.
Section 5: The Fall of Rome
When the last of the Good Emperors died, Rome was left without a strong leader and as a result a
series of civil wars broke out. Rome suffered long economic crisis because of increased funding
of the military because of feared invasions.
The end of the Roman Empire looked to be in sight by the 200s, until a couple a couple of
emperors came to power. The first of these was Diocletian, who came to power in 284. He
changed the Roman Empire into an monarchy. He would then divide the empire into two parts.
Diocletian ruled the eastern part and appointed co emperors to rule the west.
Diocletian also changed Roman society. Sons were expected to follow the trades and social
positions of their fathers. Peasants were permanently tied to the land they farmed. He also
would increase the size of the army.
A civil war started in Rome in 305 and would not be resolved until 312 when Constantine was
named the new emperor by his troops. He would continue Diocletian’s policies of state control
over society. He would also make two choices that would change the Roman Empire forever.
The first was that he supported Christianity. The second decision Constantine made was moving
the capital of the empire to Constantinople. The eastern half of the empire was better defended
so he decided to move the capital there.
Germanic tribes had been attacked for centuries and they were pushed back into the Roman
Empire. The Huns from Central Asia would send Germanic tribes fleeing into Rome in the late
300s. In the mid 400s, Attila, the leader of the Huns would lead an attack on Gaul (France). The
Roman army would defeat the Huns in 451. Attila then turned his attention towards Rome but
was persuaded not to attack and he left Rome altogether.
The Roman army was in shambles because of all of the attacks. In 476, barbarians overthrew
the last emperor of the western part of the Roman Empire. The eastern part lived on for a couple
of more centuries, but it was known as a new name: Byzantine Empire.
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