Download How Geography Led to the Rise and Fall of Rome

Geography and the Rise
and Fall of Rome
The Early Beginnings
• Settled by the Greeks around 753 B.C.
– Favorable climate, good farmland, strategic location
• City was built on seven hills
– Farms at bottom of hills, dwellings on top of hills
• Close to Mediterranean Sea and its trade routes
– Tiber River aided in trade and provided protection
The Italian Peninsula
• Being surrounded on three sides by water helped
Rome’s development
• Easy access to other lands surrounding the
Mediterranean
– Conquered new territories and developed new trade routes
• Alps and Apennines protected, but did not isolate
• Large plains made farming easier than in Greece
Early Roman Life
• Farmers grew wheat, barley, fruits, vegetables, etc. and
raised oxen, pigs, goats, sheep, and chickens.
• Landowning farmers served in the army.
• Some farmers got very rich and built huge estates.
– Increased gap between rich and poor.
• Hard work, loyalty, and discipline became strong
Roman qualities
– Helped the Roman army conquer Italy
Small Steps in Conquest
• First Punic War (241 B.C.)
– Rome conquers most of Sicily
• Annexation of Corsica
• Annexation of Sardinia
• Second Punic War (218 B.C.)
Roman Empire circa 218 B.C.
Results of the Second Punic War
• Complete control of Sicily
• Conquest of Carthaginian
Spain
• Creation of Hispania
Citerior and Hispania
Ulterior
• Establishes province in
Africa
Roman Empire circa 100 B.C
Julius Caesar
• Elected to consul in 59 B.C.
• Conquers all of Gaul in 57 B.C.
• Crushes revolt of Vercingetorix in
Gaul in 51 B.C.
• Crosses the Rubicon, defeats
Pompey, becomes sole dictator of
Rome
– Refers to himself as ‘imperator’
• Invades Egypt in 49 B.C., declares
Cleopatra queen
• Killed in 44 B.C.
Death of Julius Caesar 44 B.C.
Reign of Augustus
• Defeats Mark Anthony, becomes first
Roman emperor
• Cleopatra commits suicide, Egypt is
annexed to Rome
• Boundary between Roman and
Persian Empires is settled at the
Euphrates
• Expands borders to the Danube in 13
B.C.
• Expands borders to the Balkans in 6
A.D.
Death of Augustus 14 A.D.
Period of Many Emperors
• Tiberius succeeds Augustus 14 A.D. to 37 A.D.
• Caligula 37 A.D. to 41 A.D.
– Assassinated
• Claudius 41 A.D. to 54 A.D.
– Invades Britain, founds Londinium
• Nero 54 A.D. to 68 A.D.
– Conquers Armenia
– Sets fire to Rome, blames Christians
– Commits Suicide
More Emperors
• Vespasianus 68 A.D. to 79 A.D.
• Tito 79 A.D. to 98 A.D.
– Destroys Jerusalem; Jews flee to Armenia, Iraq, Iran, Arabia,
Egypt, Italy, Spain, and Greece
– Romans invade Caledonia (Scotland)
• Trajan 98 A.D. to 117 A.D.
– Captures Petra (Jordan) and turns it into an Arabian province
– Dies on a journey to the Persian Gulf
Roman Empire circa 117 A.D.
The Empire at its Largest
Hadrian
• Builds a wall (Hadrian’s Wall) along the Northern
frontier to keep barbarians out.
• Crushes Jewish resistance, forbids Jews from entering
Jerusalem and changes the name to Aelia Capitolina
• Antoninus Pius succeeds Hadrian and repels the antiJewish laws
Slow Decline
• Divisions between East and West develop by 275 B.C.
• Western provinces break away to form Gallic Empire
• Palmyrene Empire gains control of Eastern provinces
Roman Empire circa 275 A.D.
East and West
• The Strong East
– Constantinople traded with Africa, Asia, and Europe
– Eastern cities were larger and well fortified
• The Black Sea provided a natural barrier from attack.
• The Weak West
– Western cities were smaller, poorer, and far from trade routes
– Northern invaders were a constant threat
• No money to pay for defense
Roman Empire circa 337 A.D.
Constantine’s Divisions
The Fall of Rome 476 A.D.