Download Roman Republic and Roman Empire

Outcome: SWBAT identify the different characteristics that made
up the empires in the classical world.
Agenda:
1)
Reading Quiz 3.3, 3.5, & 6.2
2)
Journal Entry
3)
Share/Correct
4)
Webquest
5)
Work on homework
Homework: Read pgs.
168-172; 190-194; Take
Cornell Notes
In APE style paragraph, what do think is the
most effective way to govern an empire?
Through authoritarian (dictatorship) rule or a
democracy? Why or why not?
In APE style paragraph, What is the most
important reason empire's decline and
eventually fall?
 Roman history is divided into two parts:
 The Republic
 The Empire
 Settlers arrived in the Italian Peninsula in prehistoric times.
 From about 1000 to 500 BCE three groups inhabited the region:
 Latins
 Etruscans
 Greeks
 These three groups eventually battled for control of the area
 According to legend the city was founded in 753 BCE by
Romulus and Remus.
 These two were the twin sons of the god Mars and a Roman
Princess
 They were abandoned on the Tiber River
 The infant boys were found by a she wolf and taken care of.
 When they were older they decided to build the city of Rome at
the place which they were raised.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qegAAhhH7Ao
 Rome kicked out their Etruscan Ruler in 509 BCE creating the
“first” Roman State
 The Roman’s were afraid of having a king like they did under
the Etruscans and established a republic
 Rome shifted from a Monarchy to a Republic
 In this form of government the citizens choose representatives
to run government.
 The Romans believed this would prevent any one person from
gaining too much power. (Checks and balances)
 Republic =indirect democracy =
representative government
citizens elect representatives to represent their interests and
make government decisions
Most modern democracies are indirect
 Citizens = free-born adult males only
 Just like Greece… women & slaves not allowed to vote
 Citizens had to pay taxes and serve in the military
Patricians
Plebeians
1. Wealthy land owners
1. Majority of the population
2. Nobles that made up the
ruling class
2. Artisans, shopkeepers, small
farm owners
3. Citizens (male)– could
vote, had to pay taxes and
serve in the army
4. Could not marry a Plebian
5. Could serve in government
3. Citizens (male)– could vote, pay
taxes, serve in army
4. Could not marry a Patrician
5. Could not serve in government
 Solution- Plebeians fought for
and gained more power
Patricians
Plebeians
Legions
(Soldiers)
Slaves
How the Roman
Republic works
3 branches of government
• Executive = 2 Consuls
(patricians)
• Legislative = the SENATE
(patricians)
• Assembly (patricians &
plebeians)
How the Republic Works
Division of Power
Dictator
.
Consuls
Senate
Assembly
Refer to handout
Look familiar?
Law of the 12 Tables c. 450 BCE
When laws were not written down,
patricians often “interpreted” laws in
whatever ways suited them.
Plebeians went on strike for more
say in the government and demanded
that laws be written down.
Patricians compromised and passed
a written code of law called the
TWELVE TABLES.
 The Twelve Tables were
posted in the Roman Forum for
all to see.
Importance: all free citizens had the
right to protection of law & LAWS
APPLY EQUALLY TO EVERYONE
Result
•Tribunes were finally developed to
protect the rights of plebeians from
unfair patricians
•The tribunes had veto power over
other branches of government
 Power in the hands of the people…people choose who governs them
 The LAW governs!!!
Influential Roman Laws:
 Laws apply equally to all citizens
 A person is considered innocent until proven guilty
 The burden of proof rests with the accuser
 A person is punished only for actions, not for thoughts
 Unreasonable or unfair laws can be set aside
1.
Vast expansion of land
2.
Widening gap between rich & poor
 Wealthy landowners increasingly used slaves which put
small farmers and laborers out of work
3.
Social unrest: growing
 Overcrowding in cities, few jobs, shortage in grain
supply, riots, Senators using violence
 In an effort to suppress riots… “bread and circuses”
4.
Military upheaval
 Soldiers loyalty gradually changed from the Roman state to
their generals
 What’s the problem with this?
 Rome's most infamous general
 The Republics government was not able to maintain peace, so Caesar
divided the duties of ruling between himself and two other generals.
 Eventually he marched his army into Rome and defeated the other
generals. He declared himself dictator for life.
 He made reforms, created jobs, redistributed land to the poor.
 Eventually the senators assassinate him (stabbed 23 times). They grew
weary of his ego and power trip.
http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/julius-caesar/videos/ask-historywhat-does-it-mean-to-cross-the-rubicon
 The Roman Empire became
huge!
 It covered most of Europe,
North Africa, and some of Asia
Turn and Talk: Is expansion
good or bad?
What are some problems that an
empire or country might have
by being stretched out too far?
1) Political Problems:
 By 180 CE Poor leadership weakened the government such as
frequent fights for power and officials taking bribes
2) Social Problems:
 Large number of people were enslaved
 Plague (disease) spread throughout Rome, killing 1 in 10
3) Economic Problems
 Farmers lost land, unable to grow and sell crops, out of work, which
led to famine
 People bought fewer goods, shops closed
4) Military Problems
 Military only in it for money (mercenaries)
 Weak military, unable to stop border invasions
 284 CE, Diocletian became emperor
 He tried reforms (political changes)
Dividing the Empire
 Diocletian felt that the only way to save the
empire was to divide it in half
 Created two empires: Western and Eastern
 Western Empire: Europe/ North Africa and city of
Rome
 Eastern Empire: Turkey/ Asia and city of
Byzantium
 Two emperors, emperor in charge of Rome was
senior
 Diocletian retired and Constantine took his place as emperor
 Constantine (312 CE) united the empire again under one ruler
 First Christian emperor
 Attempted reforms
Constantinople
 Rome continued to decline
 Constantine moved the capital from Rome to city of Byzantium
 City name changed to Constantinople (today is Istanbul)
 Constantine died in 337 CE,
replaced by Theodosius
 Theodosius could not rule the
empire, divided in two again
 Western Roman Empire with
capital in Rome
 Eastern Rome Empire with
capital in Constantinople
 The Western Empire was unable to hold off German tribes on
its borders
 Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Franks, Vandals, Saxons
 German tribes wanted warmer areas, Roman riches, and were
seeking refuge from the Huns
Visigoths
 Rome agreed to allow the Visigoths to live inside of Roman
boundaries
 Romans treated Visigoths badly
 Visigoths rebelled and defeated the Romans in 410 CE
Vandals
Vandals followed Visigoths and spent
12 days stripping Rome of valuables
(vandalism)
Many more German invaders followed
Finally, a German general defeated the
Western Roman Emperor in 476 CE
Result:
 Feudal Lords/Christian Church replace
government in Europe
 Western half of old Roman Empire fell into
“Dark Ages”
 This was a period of disorder and a weak
central government
 Although the Western Empire fell
in 476 CE, the Eastern Roman
Empire continued to prosper for
1,000 more years
 Became known as the Byzantine
Empire
 Still thought of themselves as the
Roman Empire
Continuity
• Rulers viewed
themselves as Roman
emperors
• Entertainment
• Chariot Races
Gladiator Fights
• Trade
• Civil Law
Changes
• Spoke Greek
• Christianity widely
practiced
• Emperor believed to
be ordained by God
• Heads the state &
church
• Women in politics
The height of the first period of Byzantine history was the
reign of Emperor Justinian and his wife Empress Theodora
 Justinian was a autocratic ruler, or single
ruler with complete authority.
 He sought to reunite the East and West
 Successful at first; the Byzantine Empire
reached its greatest size under his rule
 Eventually, he couldn’t maintain it
 Heavy military and financial burden led to
public resentment
Achievements:
 Reformed Legal Code


Some problems with Roman law code
Goal: create unified law code known as
Justinian's Code
One God
One Empire
One Religion