Download CHAPTER 8 Ancient Rome

CHAPTER 8 & 9
ROME
Section 1- Rome’s Beginnings
The Origins of Rome

Italy is a boot-shaped peninsula in the
middle of the Mediterranean Sea.

The Apennine mountain range in Italy
was easy to cross so, unlike Greece,
people in Italy were not as separated.
Italy also had farmland and was able
to sustain more people than Greece.

The Tiber River gave the Romans a
source of water and a way to the rest
of the Mediterranean Sea.

Rome built it’s cities on top of hills for
protection against enemy attacks.
Traditional Story
Remus & Romulus
Twin brothers, Remus and
Romulus, were abandoned near
the Tiber, rescued by a wolf and
adopted by a shepherd. Romulus
and Remus quarreled often until
Romulus killed Remus. He then
became king and name the city
after himself.
THE AENEID
AENAES
THE TROJAN AENAES SAILED THE
MEDITERRANEAN SEA AFTER THE GREEKS
CAPTURED TROY. AFTER MANY
ADVENTURES THEY LANDED AT THE
MOUTH OF THE TIBER. THROUGH
WARFARE AND MARRIAGE, AENAES
UNITED THE NATIVE LATINS AND THE
TROJANS. HE BECAME THE “FATHER” OF
THE ROMANS.
The Greeks and Etruscans

Greeks and Etruscans played a major role in shaping
Roman Civilization.

Greeks went to Southern Italy and Sicily between
750-550 B.C. Romans learned to grow olives and
grapes and adopted the Greek alphabet. Romans
also modeled their architecture, sculpture and
literature after the Greeks.

Etruscans lived North of Rome in Etruria but moved
south and took control of Rome. Etruscans were
successful in mining and trade and had slaves. They
transformed Rome into an organized city.

The Etruscan army served as a model for the mighty
Roman army.
The Birth of a
Republic

The ruling Etruscan family,the Tarquins, became
very cruel. Romans rebelled and overthrew them
to start a republic. A republic is a form of
government in which the leader is not a king or
queen but someone put in office by citizens with
the right to vote.

Over the next 200 years, the Romans fought war
after war defeating the Latins and Greeks, taking
over most of Italy.

Romans were excellent soldiers. Soldiers were
treated with tough discipline and they were taught
not to give up easily.

They also divided their army into smaller groups or
legions of about 6,000 men. By splitting into smaller
groups, they were more successful in cutting
through enemy lines.

Under the Roman Confederation, Romans gave full
citizenship to some people, like the Latins. Allies
had freedoms but had to pay taxes, and any
revolts were swiftly put down.
Section 2-
THE ROMAN REPUBLIC

Two social classes for Roman
citizens: Patricians- Wealthy
landowners & Plebeians- Artisans,
Shopkeepers, and owners of
small farms.

They could vote, had to pay taxes
and had to serve in the army.
ROMAN GOVERNMENT

TRIPARTITE
1. People who ran
the government

2. Made laws

3. Acted as judges

Checks &
Balances- No one
group would get
too much power.

Top government officials2 Consuls-Patricians
chosen every year. They
headed the army and ran
the government.

Veto- Consuls had the
power to veto or reject
each other’s decisions.

Praetors- Interpreted the
law (judges)
Patricians vs. Plebeians

Plebeians complained about
having little power in the Roman
Republic.

Went on strike & left to start their
own republic

Patricians gradually began giving
them equal rights. Eventually the
Roman Republic become more
representative in theory but it was
still far from a full-fledged
democracy (true equal rights)
Cincinnatus

A dictator in present times is known as an
oppressive ruler. In the Roman Republic, a
dictator did have complete rule, but served the
people and ruled temporarily in times of an
emergency.

Cincinnatus was a farmer when the Romans
decided he should become dictator. As
dictator in 460 B.C., he defeated Rome’s enemy
and later returned to farming.

Civic Duty- Citizens have a responsibility to help
their country.
Roman Law

Romans believed the law should apply to
everyone equally “rule of law”.
Twelve Tables- First
written laws that
were the basis for
all of Rome’s laws.
(Romans only)

Some people in lower classes had few or no
rights.
Law of NationsPrinciples of justice
that applied to all
people
everywhere.
(Everyone)
Rome vs Carthage

Rome took over Italy and the Phoenicians from the
Middle East took over North Africa.

Both Carthaginians and Romans wanted control of Sicily.

First Punic War- Romans invaded Carthaginians of Sicily.

Second Punic War- After first loss, Carthaginians
expanded empire to Southern Spain. Romans did not like
the Carthaginians expanding throughout mainland
Europe & attacked the Carthagianians. The
Carthaginians then sent their greatest General Hannibal
to attack Rome.

Roman’s sent general Scipio to attack Carthage and
Romans conquered Carthage. During Third Punic War,
Romans destroyed Carthage.

Roman’s eventually ruled all of the Mediterranean,
calling it “mare nostrum”, “Our Sea”.
Chapter 8, Section 3
THE FALL OF THE REPUBLIC
Trouble in the Republic

Rome’s armies were victorious but
many corrupt officials weakened
Rome.

Wealthy Romans created large
farming estates called “latifundia”.
This made small farmers go out of
business.

“Bread & Circuses”-Cheap food
and entertainment helped many
dishonest rulers come to power.
Tiberius and
Gaius Gracchus
•
•
TWO BROTHERS THAT BELIEVED
ROMES PROBLEMS WERE
CAUSED BY THE LOSS OF
SMALL FARMS
THESE TWO BROTHERS WERE
KILLED WHEN THEY TRIED TO
REDISTRIBUTE LAND FROM
WEALTHY LANDOWNERS
(WHO WERE ALSO THE
DECISION MAKING
SENATORS) AND GIVE IT
BACK TO THE PEOPLE.
• In 107 B.C. a consul member named Marius
hired the poor as soldiers. The soldiers were
motivated by material rewards rather than
a sense of duty.
• Soldiers for hire led to soldiers being loyal to
their generals for money and land. Soon,
this led to civil wars between ambitious
men who wanted to seize power.
Julius Caesar

In 60 B.C. three men were at the
most powerful of Rome: Crassus,
Pompey, and Julius Caesar.

These men created a triumviratepolitical alliance of three people.


Pompey ruled Spain

Crassus ruled Syria

Caesar ruled Gaul
Caesar won many battles and
became a hero to lower classes.
Senators feared he was becoming
too popular and was going to seize
power.
 After Crassus was killed, the
Senate decided Pompey should
return to Italy and rule alone.
 Caesar was faced with the
decision to either obey the
Senate and give up his army or
march on Rome with his army,
“Crossing the Rubicon” to start
a civil war. Caesar fought
against Pompey and defeated
him.

Caesar declared himself dictator for life in 44 B.C. He
also filled the Senate with people that were loyal to
him.

He granted citizenship to outside Italians, started new
colonies and provided land for the landless which
created jobs. This made Caesar very popular with
Rome’s poor population.

He created a new calendar with 12 months and 365
days and a leap year. The Julian calendar was used
until 1582, where it was then modified and called
Gregorian calendar.

Caesar had many enemies that feared he wanted to
be king. Senators Brutus and Cassius along with others
stabbed Caesar to death on March 15, 44 B.C.
Rome Becomes an Empire

Caesar’s grandnephew Octavian, Antony and
Lepidus created the second triumvirate in 43.
B.C.

After forcing Lepidus to retire, Octavian ruled the
west and Antony ruled the east. Antony fell in
love with Cleopatra VII and formed an alliance
with her. Octavian then declared war on Antony.

Octavian crushed Antony and Cleopatra’s army
and navy. They soon committed suicide as they
realized Octavian was going to kill them too.

Octavian knew people favored a republican
form of government and reinstated the republic.
He then named himself imperator or
“Commander in Chief” and took the title
Augustus- The revered or majestic one.
Chapter 8,
Section 4
THE EARLY EMPIRE
Emperor Octavian/Augustus

Augustus started an era of peace and the peak of the
Roman Empire. This time was called “Pax Romana” or
Roman Peace.

Achievements:

Built permanent, professional army of 150,000 men &
Praetorian guard

Expanded Rome’s empire

Rebuilt Rome’s palaces, fountains and public buildings

Re-organized government and reformed the Roman tax
system

Reformed legal system
Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius & Nero

Tiberius and Claudius ran Rome well.

Caligula was mentally ill. He had
many people murdered, wasted
money and gave his favorite horse a
position of consul. He was eventually
killed by the Praetorian Guard and
replaced by Claudius.

Nero killed his mother and two wives.
He played music as Rome burned
and eventually killed himself.
Vaspasian & the Good Emperors

After Nero’s death, Vaspasian restored peace and order in Rome. He also
began construction on the Colloseum- a huge amphiteatre.

His two sons ruled after him and during Titus’s reign, Mt. Vesuvius destroyed
the city of Pompeii, a major trade city.

Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus, Pius and Marcus Aurelius are known as
the “Good Emperors”.

These emperors helped rebuild Rome, strengthen political ties, expand the
empire, unify the Mediterranean and created a common currency.