Download Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome
509 BCE – 476 CE
Geography of Italy
• Peninsula
• Juts out into the Mediterranean Sea
• Apennine Mountains are the backbone of
the peninsula
• Alps are to the North
• Rome is located along the Tiber River
Roman Republic
• Republic –
– System of government in which officials are
chosen by the people
• Senate
– 300 members
– All Patricians
• Landholding upper class in Rome
– Plebeians had no say in the early
government
• Farmers, merchants, artisans, & traders
Laws of the Twelve Tables
• Laws were posted in
the market-place so
everyone would
know them
• Gave rights to
plebeians
• Often compared to
the Code of
Hammurabi
Roman Military
• Basic unit was a legion
- Made up of 5,000 men
• Conquered many lands
– Conquered peoples had to
• Pay taxes
• Pledge their loyalty to Rome
• Supply soldiers
– As long as they did that…they were allowed to
keep their customs
Punic Wars
• Rome vs. Carthage
• Fought over control of territories
• Three Punic Wars
– First Punic War…Rome wins
– Second Punic War
• Carthage wanted revenge
• Carthage is led by Hannibal
• Rome ends up winning
– Third Punic War
• Rome completely destroys Carthage
Results of Punic Wars & Other
Conquests
• Rome brought Carthage, Macedonia,
Greece, & parts of Asia Minor under its
rule
• By 133BCE – Rome extended from Spain
to Egypt
• Became too big for the Senate to control
• Rome as a republic was in decline
Julius Caesar
• Brought Gaul under Roman
control in 50 BCE
• Had loyalty of the military which
made him very powerful
• Became first dictator of Rome
– Kept the Senate to make
Romans feel warm & fuzzy
– Had absolute power
• Killed on March 15, 44 BCE
– Ides of March
Imperial Rome
• First emperor of Rome was
Augustus Caesar who ruled
from 31 BCE to 14 CE
– He established
• Police to enforce laws
• a census for accurate tax
collecting
• Postal system
• More jobs in public works
building roads, bridges
• Schools that educated both
boys & girls