Download Inference and Roman Republic

The Rise and Fall of Rome
Pax
Romana
500
BC
©2012, TESCCC
476
AD
Rise of Rome
Roman Republic
Expands: The
Roman Empire
Roman Republic is
Established at
around 509 BC
Early Settlement of Rome
in the Italian Peninsula at
around 700 BC along the
Tiber River
©2012, TESCCC
Pax Romana
“Roman Peace”
(lasting about 200
years from 27 BC
to 395 AD)
Early Romans:
• Latin- Early settlers of Rome
• Etruscans- Northern Italy
– Eventually take control of Rome and
build it into a great city.
– Build it on 7 hills for protection.
• 509 BC- Romans drive Etruscans
out.
©2012, TESCCC
Roman Government: Republic
• Republic - a government
with elected representatives
• Twelve Tables
• Patricians
• Plebeians
• Senate
• Consuls
©2012, TESCCC
Roman government
• Patricians- wealthy landowners
that controlled the republic.
• Consuls- two individuals that
directed the daily affairs of
government and led the army.
– One-year terms
©2012, TESCCC
The Senate
• 300-member council of
patricians that made laws and
served Rome
–Most powerful part
of the Republic
©2012, TESCCC
The Plebeians
• The common people (common farmers, artisans, merchants)
• Had no say in government
• Allowed to take part in the assembly, but had less power than
the Senate.
• Twelve Tables- 451 BCE
– Plebeians have Roman laws written.
– Gives common people some protection against unfair
patrician decisions.
©2012, TESCCC
The Punic Wars
• 264-202 BCE- Series of wars between
Rome and Carthage for control of
Mediterranean
– Carthage – North African city founded by
Phoenicians.
• First Punic War (Rome wins)
– Rome-superior army/Carthage-superior
navy
– Rome gains Sicily – makes it a province
• Second Punic War (Rome wins)
– Hannibal invades Italy.
©2012, TESCCC
Hannibal
• Carthaginian general
• Invades Italy from the north via the Alps with
elephants.
• Battle of Cannae
– Hannibal pulls back from Rome.
– Romans believe he is retreating and follow.
– Hannibal surrounds and defeats.
• Scipio- Roman general attacks Carthage
– Hannibal tries to return home.
– Defeats Hannibal at the Battle of Zama.
©2012, TESCCC
Destruction of Carthage
• Romans burn it because it represented
Hannibal.
• Survivors sold into slavery.
• Becomes a Roman province along with
Greece and the Mediterranean.
©2012, TESCCC
©2012, TESCCC
The Roman Republic in Crisis
• Hannibal’s invasion destroyed the farms.
• Newly conquered lands begin to import
food into Rome.
– Farmer income declines.
– Latifundia (large estates) created.
©2012, TESCCC
The Gracchus Brothers
• Tiberius Gracchus
– Elected to tribune promising aid to the
farmers
– Called for taking land and distributing it to
the landless
• Limit farm size
• Gaius Gracchus
– Gives grain to the poor
– Opened more land to farmers
– Secured more rights for the middle class
©2012, TESCCC
More turmoil…
• Romans originally stayed united due
to their fear of Carthage
– No Carthage – nothing to fear
• Senate unable to provide effective
leadership
– Patricians become more concerned w/
keeping their power and wealth.
• Slave revolts!
©2012, TESCCC
Spartacus
• 73 BCE
• Proclaims war on Rome in attempt to
free the slaves.
• 2 years of successful revolts
• Eventually killed along with 6000
followers.
©2012, TESCCC
The rise of dictators
• Dictator- one person w/ absolute power
• Military loyalty came from loyalty to Rome.
• Gaius Marius
– Ensures loyalty of troops by promising loot from
conquered lands.
• Lucius Sulla
– Rival to Marius
– Bloody wars over power
– Kills Marius and becomes dictator of Rome.
©2012, TESCCC
First triumvirate
• 60 BCE- Three army generals unite to rule Rome.
– Pompey
– Crassus
– Julius Caesar
• Caesar becomes consul and commands the
Roman legions in Gaul.
– Conquers Gaul (France) and England.
• Pompey gets support from Senate.
– Orders Caesar to return home w/out the army.
• Caesar invades Rome w/ army and defeats
Pompey.
– Becomes a “hero of the empire.”
©2012, TESCCC
Julius Caesar
•
•
Reforms Rome
1. Reorganized government with him as dictator.
2. Lowered taxes.
3. Makes governors responsible to him.
4. Grants citizenship to conquered peoples.
March 15, 44 BCE- Caesar assassinated
– Stabbed in the Senate as many became jelious
– Augustus Caesar becomes next ruler
– Pax Romana (a period of peace: 27 BC to 395 AD)
©2012, TESCCC
The Roman Empire
• Augustus Caesar gains control of the
following:
– Military
• Takes complete control of army
• Gives veterans bonuses of land.
– Provinces
• Supervised all the governors.
– Loyalty to Rome
• Granted citizenship to more conquered
peoples of Europe.
©2012, TESCCC
Second triumvirate
•
•
•
•
Mark Antony
Lepidus
Octavian
Created by Mark Antony
– Falls in love w/ Cleopatra, queen
of Egypt
• Octavian crushes the
combined fleet of Antony and
Cleopatra.
©2012, TESCCC
Octavian
• 31 BCE- creates the Roman Empire
• Allows Senate to keep some power,
but he would retain sole rulership.
• Changes name to Augustus
– “honored and majestic”
• Takes title of “Caesar”
– “first citizen”
©2012, TESCCC
Pax Romana
• “The Roman Peace”- 27-180 AD
– Period of peace and prosperity.
©2012, TESCCC
Tiberius
• 14-37 AD
• Augustus’ stepson
• Plots and violence become
common in Roman politics.
©2012, TESCCC
Caligula
• Cruel and insane
• Rules for 4 years
–Assassinated by his imperial
guard.
©2012, TESCCC
Claudius
• 41-54 AD
• Restores order
to the Roman
Empire.
©2012, TESCCC
Nero
• Claudius’ stepson
• Becomes Emperor at age 17.
• Becomes bloodthirsty and violent.
– Murders own mother for criticizing his mistress.
• Rome burns in 64 AD.
– Nero blames the Christians.
• Army rebels against him, and he commits suicide.
©2012, TESCCC
Vespasian
• The year after Nero’s death, 2
emperors are assassinated and 1
commits suicide.
• Chosen by military as emperor of
Rome.
• Restores discipline in the army and the
administration of the Empire.
– Puts down revolts in Judaea and Gaul.
©2012, TESCCC
Nerva
• Vespasian's sons rule for almost
10 years.
• Senate chooses Nerva as the
new emperor in 96 AD.
• Establishes the adoptive system.
– Adopts a son and declares him the
heir to the throne.
©2012, TESCCC
Trajan
•
•
•
•
98-117 AD
Adopted son of Nerva.
Spanish-born
Wise and popular
– Eases tax burden.
• Empire reaches its greatest size.
©2012, TESCCC
Hadrian
• 117-138 AD
• Devoted to protecting the Empire, rather
than expanding it.
• Creates Palestine out of Jewish
territory.
– Encourages non-Jews to live there.
©2012, TESCCC
Marcus Aurelius
• Last of the adopted emperors
– “Good Emperors”
• Abandons the adoptive system and
chooses his own son as the new
emperor
– Commodus – unfit to rule
– End of the Pax Romana
©2012, TESCCC
Roman Empire is divided into the Western Empire and the
Eastern Empire by Diocletian and Constantine
©2012, TESCCC
Fall of Rome
Invasions
Weak military
• Empire was too
large
• Increase use of
slaves put Romans
out of work
• Prices increased
• Corruption
• Decrease in trade
• Invasions: Franks,
Visigoths, Huns,
Vandals, Saxons
Failure to collect
taxes
Bad leadership
476 AD marks the
official fall of Rome
©2012, TESCCC