Download File - Ms. Rutledge`s Class Social Studies

Ancient Rome
509BCE – 476CE
Italy’s Geography
The Roman World Takes Shape
I. Geography and People of
Italy
- Two geographic factors—central
location and lack of geographic
barriers (less rugged
mountains)—easier to unify
under one common name.
- Broad fertile plains – good place
to settle in Italy.
- Latins (800BCE) – settled on the
Tiber River in small villages
on low hills (Rome – The City
on Seven Hills).
- Etruscans lived North of Rome –
adopted their culture (arched
architecture, God/Goddesses,
alphabet).
II. The Roman Republic
- 509BCE – Romans drove out their
Etruscan king.
- Romans set up a republic, in which
officials were chosen by the people.
- Governing bodies – senate made up of
patricians (landholding upper
class), consuls (two yearly elected
leaders). Senate and Consuls
created checks and balances for the
Roman Republic.
- In the event of war, dictators were
allowed to have complete rule for six
months.
- 450BCE – Plebeians (farmers,
artisans, merchants, etc) first started
to gain power with The Laws of the
12 tables set up in the
forum/marketplace.
- Plebeians could eventually elect their
own leaders (tribunes – could veto
anything that was hurtful to the
common people).
III. Roman Society
- Men – father was head of the
household and the dominant
role.
- Women – Dutiful, loving, and
gentle. Earned respect by
supporting festivals. Went to
public baths and attended
public entertainment with
husbands.
- Education – boy and girls were
taught to read (tutors) and
studied the history of Rome
and Rhetoric.
- Religion: Roman
gods/goddesses were similar
to Greek with different names
and they had many feasts and
celebrations to honor the
Gods.
IV. Expansion in Italy
- Highly trained army (legion –
basic military unit of 5k men)
with harsh punishment and
high rewards for actions.
- Conquered peoples would
acknowledge Roman control,
pay taxes, and give supplies
to the army and they could
keep their customs and local
gov’t.
- Full citizenship was prized and
offers of partial citizenship, as
well as protection of the
Roman army kept areas loyal
to Rome.
- By 133 BCE, Roman territory
extended from Spain to
Egypt, and Rome was the
undisputed leader of the
Mediterranean world.
From Republic to Empire
I. Winning an Empire
- 264-146BCE – Carthaginian Wars (also
called the Punic Wars).
- First war – Rome won Sicily, Corsica,
and Sardinia.
- Second war – Carthage wanted revenge
and sent Hannibal to defeat the
Romans. Marched across the
Pyrenees Mountains in France with
war elephants and lost half his army.
Rome attacked Carthage and defeated
them.
- Third War – destroyed Carthage and
destroyed the earth to stop growth.
- Imperialist – control over foreign regions
(Rome was the supreme power).
- Created Provinces (lands under Roman
rule) to help control their regions.
- From conquest, new wealthy class
(commerce, trade, taxes) emerged
and lived in huge houses (latifundia)
where slaves worked. They caused
small farmers to go into debt and they
also were corrupt (led to riots).
II. Decline of the Republic
- Led to Civil Wars (slave riots,
revolts) and the senate was
weakened.
- Julius Caesar emerges as military
leader in Gaul (France) – Pompey
tried to have him disbanded – led
his army across the Rubicon
River (North of Rome).
- Triumvirate – three leaders working
together to rule.
- He became dictator with a senate in
place for appearances.
- Reforms – reorged the provinces,
created public works for the
unemployed, Egyptian calendar,
and granted more Roman
citizenship.
- 44BCE - Assassinated by a group of
senators.
- Mark Anthony and Octavian fought
over dictatorship – Octavian won!
III. Roman Empire and Roman
Peace
- Augustus (Exalted One) Octavian was
named Princeps (First Citizen) –
brought Republic to an end and
created a 500 year empire.
- Reforms: high level jobs, civil service
enforcers, postal service, new coins
for trade, and a census (population
count).
- Bad emperors: Caligula (horse as
consul) and Nero (Christian
persecution).
- Good emperors: Hadrian (Codify
Roman Law) and Marcus Aurelius
(philosopher king).
- Pax Romana – roman peace – soldiers
maintained safe roads and seas.
- Entertainment: Circus Maximus (chariot
races) and Colusseum (gladiators)
- “Bread and Circuses” kept the peace in
tact.
Roman Empire in 14 CE
The Roman Achievement
I. Greco-Roman Civilization
- Rome blended Greek, Hellenistic,
and Roman achievements to
produce Greco-Roman civilization
through trade and travel during Pax
Romana.
- Poetry – Aeneid by Virgil, satires
(make fun of Roman culture).
- Historians/Philosophy: Livy, Virgil,
Tacitus, and Stoicism.
- Mosaic – picture made by chips of
colored stone or glass.
- Aqueduct – bridge like stone
structures that brought water to
Rome.
- Engineering – use of science and
math to create structures and
machines.
- The Romans excelled in the practical
arts of building, perfecting their
engineering skills as they built
roads, bridges, and harbors
throughout the empire.
II. Roman Law
- A commitment to
justice and law kept
Rome stable and
united.
- Civil Law (applied to
citizens) and the law
of nations (both
citizens and noncitizens).
- Romans also believed
in the idea of
“Innocent until
proven guilty.”
The Empire Splits
The Long Decline
I. Crisis and Reform
- After the Pax Romana,
Emperors were
overthrown and replaced
by military leaders
(50years – 26 ruled).
- Low producing farmland
and high taxes created
unhappy conditions for
citizens.
- Reforming emperors tried
to reverse the decline,
but in the end, internal
problems combined with
foreign invasion (Huns –
from Central Asia and
Germanic tribes) to
bring about the “fall” of
Rome.
Historians identify a number of
causes for Rome’s downfall:
- Military causes include German invasions and lack of
discipline (mercenaries – hired men) among the
empire’s soldiers.
- Political causes include an increasingly authoritarian
and corrupt government and division of the empire into
two parts.
- Economic causes include heavy taxation, diminishing
wealth of the empire’s citizens, reliance on slave labor,
and a population decline.
- Social causes include a decline in moral values, a
devotion to luxury and self-interest among the upper
classes, and a loss of self-reliance among the masses.
The New Rome: Constantinople