Download Roman Republic

Timeline of Ancient Rome
Geographic Factors to the Rise of Rome
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Rome is the story of growth, expansion and influence of a
small settlement in Tiber River Valley = Seven Hills of
Palatine (city where Rome was founded)
Link between Europe and Africa: Italian Peninsula is central
in Mediterranean world (halfway between east and west)
Seclusion: rugged mountains separate northern Italy from
the rest of Europe which provide good protection but
made communication difficult
Agricultural Climate: mild climate, fertile land, river beds,
volcanic soil, mountain deposits
Rivers: Po and Tiger allowed for transport and created
borders from other peoples
Seven Hills
of Palatine
Etruscans
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First inhabitants of Northern Italy c.
750 BCE
Conquered Rome around 600 BCE
Skilled artisans, farmers and
accomplished traders
In Rome, the Etruscans dug an
enormous ditch (Great Sewer) to
create a drained area named the
Forum
contributed to the rise of Rome and
culture
Roman Forum (then and now)
The Roman Forum was
the political and
economic centre of
Rome during the
Republic.
It became the heart
of Rome where
people met to talk,
trade, govern and
worship
• According to legend, the city of Rome began in
753 BCE and Romulus was the first of seven
Etruscan Kings.
•Romulus was believed to be a great warrior
king and started Rome’s first army and
government
•Illustrated story of Romulus and Remus here
Etruscan Monarchy
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First Etruscan King was Romulus
Etruscans expanded power and took control over Romans
Last Etruscan King was Tarquin the Proud= expelled by a
popular rebellion in 509 BCE due to a scandal and his
terrorizing reign
Romans did not want to be ruled by kings anymore
Paved way for Rome to create a democratic republic
Etruscan influence on Romans: alphabet, arch, numerals,
blood sports, politics (purple robes) and symbol of fasces
Roman Republic
(509 BCE)
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In a republic, citizens elect leaders
to run their government.
Roman Republic= Res Publica (public
matter)
SPQR = Senatus Populusque Romanus
or the Senate and the People of
Rome
Resulted from discontent of tyrannical
Etruscan monarchy
A combination of aristocracy,
oligarchy and democracy
Senate and the People of Rome
The internal history of the Roman Republic
consisted of constant tension and feuds
between the patricians and the plebeians
Patricians
 Senatorial
aristocracy
 Landowning
aristocracy
 From Latin word
‘patres’ which
means father
Plebeians
 People
 Landless poor
 From Latin word
‘plebs’ which means
common people
Roles in Roman Republic
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Magistrates: most powerful magistrates were the two consuls, or
Chief Magistrates of State; both had the power to veto (Latin for “I
forbid”) each other in important decisions (elected by patricians)
Assemblies (Comitia): four assemblies (organized by wealth /
classes) of male citizens elected officials as magistrates annually to
pass and enforce laws
Senate: council of men who controlled Rome (state budget and
foreign affairs); controlled most land and chosen for life
Plebian Tribal Council & Tribunes: membership restricted to nonsenatorial males; 2 plebeian tribunes elected and could veto
decisions made by consuls; eventually increased to 10 tribunes; the
establishment of Tribunes became powerful interpreters of the
peoples’ wishes
Expansion & Trade
Goal to expand land, resources and trade:
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LAND: Republic needed land to reward its armies.
Romans believed that land was the only
important form of wealth, and farming and
soldiering were the honourable occupations
RESOURCES: Sicily (grain); Spain
(cooking oil); other cities in east (wine,
produce, leather and woolen goods)
CONFLICTS: Expansion in south led to clashes with the
trading peoples called the Carthaginians (North Africa)
TRADE: Increase in military activity meant an increase in the trade in weapons
COLONIES: settled and run by full Roman citizens who remained loyal (ie. discharged
soldiers) and colonies were linked by roads and a unified currency
WEALTH: accumulative wealth gained from collecting taxes and importing goods which
paid for massive building projects and paid soldiers
Roman Law: The Twelve Tables
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Rome was among few societies that
developed laws that were codified (written
down) and fully analyzed by jurists
pressure by the ordinary people to break
the monopolization of the law by the
patricians and upper class
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Twelve Tables: written 450 BCE in Latin
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Most laws related to civil matters
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Formed basic legal procedures and
appropriate punishments
But Roman law still distinguished between
rich and poor, freemen and slaves
Daily Life in the Republic
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Very religious and superstitious tendencies
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Lavish dinner parties
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All actions (political and military) were made with omens of
nature which would signal approval from the gods
inheritance of property was very important
practice of adoption of males (ie. Caesar
adopted Octavian, the son of his niece)
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arranged marriages (girls around age of 15)
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Patriarchal society
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Education: read and write Latin and Greek
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Boys studied art of rhetoric; girls taught to
sing dance, spin, weave
Latin
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Romans spoke Latin,
which spread throughout
the Mediterranean
(only Greek survived)
For next thousand years,
Latin was the language of
Roman government,
legal system and became the international
language of the Christian church, education
and scholarship
Latin still to this day has a strong presence in
language of medicine and law
Examples of Latin
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Veni, vidi, vici
“I am, I saw, I conquered”
Alter ego
“another I”
Bona fide
“in good faith”
Et cetera
“and other”
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Exit or exenut
“He / she / they go out”
Habeas corpus
“you must have the fact /
body of the crime”
Via
“by way of”
Vice versa
“the other way around”
Art and
Architecture
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Art was influenced by
Etruscans and even more
by the Greeks
(sculptures, paintings)
with expansion and
conquests (ie. Corinth)
Greek architecture
(columns) was fused into
Roman culture
Romans alone gave
the world
CONCRETE
PUNIC WARS: MILITARY SCENARIO
Punic Wars: Three Punic Wars
(Rome vs. Carthage)
1st Punic War
 264 BCE- 241 BCE
 Rome vs. Sicily,
Syracuse and
Carthage
 Rome wins and
adds Sicily and
Syracuse to its
empire and
destroys
Carthage
2nd Punic War
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218 BCE – 202 BCE
Hannibal takes ambitious journey
from Spain with 36 000 troops and
37 elephants over Alps; conquers
most of Italian Peninsula with
remaining 26 000 troops and 1
elephant
Four great battles with heavy Roman
losses (ie. at Cannae, over 50 000
out of 86 000 Roman soldiers were
annihilated in one day
14 years later, the final Battle at
Zama (202 BCE), Roman general
Scipio pushes Hannibal out of Italy
and Carthagians were forced to pay
reparations to Rome, dismantle navy
and forfeit commercial empire
3rd Punic War
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149 BCE – 146 BCE
50 years after
Hannibal’s defeat,
Carthage was ready
for more and insulted
a Roman delegation
Rome invades
Carthage and burns it
to the ground, steals its
many wealthy and
luxurious objects
Roman Legions
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Used fighting methods of Greeks
(phalanx) but developed own
methods in LEGIONS
Legions divided into ‘maniples’
(cohorts) which moved in lines
effectively in hilly terrain
LEGION: basic unit was 80 men
(6 = a cohort) and 10 cohorts made
up a full legion of 4800 men
Rome Legions at War
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War was a major part of life in the first
300 years of the Republic
Men carried a 25 kg pack on his back
Legion standard, silver eagle was considered
sacred and was always kept near the
commanding general
Failure to perform duties or cowardice were
corrected by stoning or even execution of 1 in
every 10 men
Policy of “divide and conquer”
To move armies around so quickly, Romans built
roads, bridges, aqueducts
Built war machines (catapult which could hurl a 27
kg boulder 500m and battering ram which took
1000 men to mobilize it for action)
All roads lead to Rome
First
paved road called via Appia
(Appian Way)
over 310 000 km of road built
Roman Victories
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Complete unification of
entire Italian Peninsula by
27- BCE
Rome defeats Carthage,
giving Rome control of
North Africa and
Carthage’s provinces in
Spain
Macedonia and Greece are
conquered and become
Roman provinces
Pergamum (present day
eastern Turkey) became
province of Asia Minor, the
first Roman possession in
Asia
Southern Gaul (south
France) conquered by
Romans
The Greek World
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After Alexander the Great
dies in 323 BCE, there is a
fight over his empire – causes
instability
While visiting Corinth some
important Roman delegates
were insulted
Rome attacked and destroyed
Corinth, stealing its treasure
and riches
Marks the beginning of
decadence and a love of
luxury for the Romans
Discontent with the Republic
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Widening gap between patricians
and plebeians
Issue of Roman citizenship in colonies
Wealth from wars and expansion made leaders (governors and generals) greedy and
dishonest, and it also caused the poor people to want more rights
Several consuls were assassinated as others tried to take position by force
Increasing slave rebellions against severe treatment
Solutions
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continuous attempts to control tensions and help poor (Gracchus brothers)
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Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus= sought land reforms, proposed free grain and more citizen
rights… but both were killed
Reasons for Fall of Republic
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state’s inability to bridge the gap between rich and poor
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Lack of effective control of Rome’s new found wealth & commercialism
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social uprisings of non-Roman Italians over Roman citizenship
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Military reforms of Gaius Marius Increased the size of the Roman Army by allowing any
citizen of Rome to become a soldier. Led to Generals having enormous power.
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This increased power and influence of Roman Generals
The First Triumvirate
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In 60 BCE, three Roman Generals: Pompey, Crassus and Caesar
formed the First Triumvirate: Rule of Three Men
Plan was to usurp the Roman Republic, backed with the power of
their armies
Crassus defeated the Sparticus Rebellion and was killed in later
battles, and then Caesar set out to defeat Pompey (which he did)
Caesar was ordered to disband his army and return to Rome.
He feared persecution and crossed the Rubicon on January
10, 49BC
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Alea iacta est. (the Die is Cast)
Rome torn by civil war. In 46 BCE, Julius Caesar, appointed
dictator for 10 years (by Sentate) and then himself extended it for
life; as well appointed himself Pontifex
Maximus (Chief Priest)
Because of J.C. 46BC was 445 days long to accommodate the
Julian Calendar (July) that was 365 and had a leap year
The Birth of the Roman Empire
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Caesar was assassinated March 15, 44 BC
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After Caesar’s assassination= civil war
ensued
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Second Triumvirate: Octavian, Marc Antony
and Lepidus in 43 BCE and divided the
Republic between them (sealed with a
marriage between Octavian’s sister and
Marc Antony)
Lepidus was pushed from power
Marc Antony met and married Cleopatra in
36 BCE, but Octavian defeated Antony’s
armies and Anthony and Cleopatra
committed suicide
Octavian was left as master of Roman world
From Octavian to Augustus
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Octavian claimed he would return control of
republic to the Senate (really gave Senate power
over provinces with weak military, while he kept provinces
with large armies for himself)
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He was given semi-divine name of Augustus
and portrayed he was a descendant of Venus
Expanded his power by becoming Tribune to
the People to bridge the gap between the rich
and poor
Only took the title of Princeps (first among the
equals or First Citizen) but was in fact Rome’s
first emperor
Emperors were the commander in chief of the
army and head of the priesthood
Senate continued to exist to suggest and
approve the Emperor’s decisions
Rome under Augustus
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Period of Augustan peace called Principate
Flourishing of “Romanity” (arts, religion, civil service,
literature, state sponsored architecture, mosaics and
sculptures ie. 82 temples)
Had an imperial force of 9000 men known as Praetorian
Guard to protect Rome
A great statesman and his system of bureaucracy lasted
for 200 years
Massive building program that turned Rome from a ‘city
of brick to a city of marble’ (2 circuses, 2 amphitheatres,
4 gladiatorial schools, 11 imperial baths, 926 private
baths, 2000 fountains, 700 public pools and 37
monumental gates)
Estimated Rome population grew from 180 000
inhabitants in the Republic ( c. 270 BCE) -375 000 (130
BCE) to 1 million people under Augustus
At its peak, there could have been as many as 54 million
people within the Roman empire (based on Roman
census taken every 5 years as a basis for taxation)
Successors to Augustus:
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
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Of the first 12 emperors- seven died
violently by poison, stabbing or suicide.
After Augustus, several emperors were
violent, insane or both.
Second Century AD brought a succession
of “good emperors” many of whom
were born out of Italy. Hadrian (from
Spain)- rebuilt Pantheon, Hadrian's Wall,
and created special departments to
control things such as correspondence,
justice, taxes and records. The good
emperors developed a larger civil
service and separated the governing of
the empire into military and civil affairs.
TRAJAN
CONSTANTINE
HADRIAN
DIOCLETIAN
NERO
SLAVES & ECONOMY
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By time of Augustus, more than one quarter of the people living in Italy were slaves
from other parts of the empire
Slaves built roads, monuments and public works, farming
Some slaves were well educated people who worked as doctors, dentists, writer and
educators
At height of empire, slaves made up an estimated 1/3 of population and were used as
gladiators, dictation, worked in masters’ estates
During Roman Empire, free grain had to be distributed to almost 200 000 people (lack
of jobs; heavy reliance on slaves)
More than ¾ of food came from Sicily, North Africa and Egypt= paid for by taxes from
rest of empire (Rome paid no taxes)
Wine, oil and pottery were the most important goods sent from Italy to the rest of the
empire but more goods came from throughout the empire
Architecture
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Roman sculptures developed own
styles with triumphal arches, columns
and symbols and figures that
celebrated the victories of conquering
emperors
Arch of Titus
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Hadrian’s Wall
Roman Aqueducts
Pantheon
Thermal Baths
Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheatre) built in 80 CE by
Emperor Titus
Circus, theatres
Parthenon
Religions in the Roman Empire
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Cult of Isis- Egypt religion that worshiped Isis
(wife of Osiris and mother of Horus) was very
popular in Roman Empire (Pompeii there was a
temple)
Mithraism- Persian deity was popular among
soldiers and merchants as they traveled to far East
(ritual killing of bull)
Christianity- became popular as it preached
equality (slave, noble ) could achieve salvation but
Christians were the most persecuted among the
rising religions (ie. Nero and Great Fire in Rome)
Judaism- Diaspora (dispersion) in 586 BCE spread
out Jews but by 4th century CE, there were 11
synagogues in Rome
Bread and Circuses: Daily Life in the Roman
Empire
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Pax Romana (Roman peace) occurred in 2nd
century CE under reigns of Hadrian and
Pius (117-161 CE)
Daily life: Bread and Circuses: poor
people of city were given free grain, while
both the rich and poor enjoyed chariot
races, gladiator duels and other spectacles
of the Circus Maximus
Legal punishments varied depending on
class and wealth
Luxury- theatre, public baths and diversity
of goods
The Problem of Greed…
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By time of Hadrian- (117-138 CE) Romans had an empire that
stretched from Britain to middle of Asia
Why would Rome want to continue to expand its territories?
$ $ $: more taxes to generate and to push back tribes that
threatened empire
What problems would arise the larger the empire became?
was difficult and expensive to control regions far from Rome
Provinces want independence
Tribes in north threaten Roman provinces
Spreading of disease as soldiers traveled in Egypt and Asia and
returned to Rome
Seeds of the Fall of the Empire
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Diocletian – promoted to Emperor in 284 CE by his fellow
soldiers in Praetorian Guard
293 CE, Diocletian made some fateful reforms:
1. due to size of empire, he divided the rule of the
Roman Empire into two parts (East and West); then
divided into four
2. dismantled Christian churches and burned holy
scriptures and many Christians died as martyrs
3. administrative, economic and military reforms
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split of the Roman Empire became permanent and
Western part of Empire lost its Roman nature, while
Eastern developed into the Byzantine Empire
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Problems of high inflation
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Christianity was still spreading
Christianity and Constantine
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Christianity gained influence in from the 2nd – 4th
century CE (despite the great persecutions in the 3rd
century CE)
Had a defined bureaucratic structure of church elders
and bishops as well as coherent holy scriptures and
rituals
First Christian Emperor of Rome was Constantine (after
he was victorious in battle he accredited it to God)
Passed the Edict of Milan (Edict of Toleration) in 313
CE, proclaiming Christians free from persecution
Favoured Christian communities and established
Byzantium as major seat in Roman government (called
the New Rome or Constantinople) given equal
authority to Rome (set to replace Rome as centre of
Empire
Fall of the West
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By 5th century CE, successive
invasions by the barbarians from
north (Germanic tribes consisting of
Goths, Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Franks,
Vandals and Huns) that conquered land
Effort by Roman Emperors to accommodate and settle
them, but eventually the barbarians swept through
the Roman empire creating smaller kingdoms run by
Germanic monarchs
410 CE, Visigoths sacked Rome; 455 CE Vandals
sack Rome
Roman Empire fought Attila the Hun
German barbarian Odoacer deposed the historic
line of emperors in Rome in 476 CE
1200 years after the founding of Rome, the Western
Empire came to an end, but eastern Empire still
thrived
Reasons for the Fall
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Reliance on colonies for raw materials and goods: reliance on products such as
grain, wine, olive oil, gold, stone, cloth stagnated Roman production and innovation as
Italy produced less and less (became poorer as other provinces became richer; Rome
became depended on resources from colonies)
Decline of farming and prestige of army: Diocletian increased size of army which
took people away from farms= decrease in food production; emperors recruited
foreigners in colonies to fight for Roman army= taught them techniques which worked
against them
High inflation and taxes (growing cost of defence was a great burden on economy as
soldiers had to be fed, clothed and armed= distribution of coins made of less
valuable metal= caused inflation and in time there was no $ to support army). Heavy
taxes imposed on population which were difficult to pay.
Dependence on slavery: reliance of slaves for agricultural production in single large
farms; once empire stopped growing there was a shortage of slaves resulting in system
of tenant farming (collection of small farms) which was less efficient
Reasons for the Fall (politics)
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Insecurity of Emperors: army had huge influence on how
emperors were chosen which resulted in rivalry, murder plots
and power struggles
Rise of Christianity: growing influence of Christianity
caused changes in Roman culture, practices and ideology;
Edict of Milan passed in 313 CE under Constantine, but
became legal and state religion under Theodosius in 380 CE
Menacing movements of barbarians: constant invasions
and the spreading of plagues contributed to the break up of
the empire; invading barbarians used the Roman roads to
move quickly and gained more territory in Roman Empire
All led to the decline of idea of an eternal Rome and Roman
supremacy
A New Era
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After the fall of the West, the
Roman Empire centred in
Constantinople and was
transformed into Byzantium
(until 1453)
Despite the fall of Rome, its
influences transcended to the
Middle Ages (language of
Latin, laws, religion of
Christianity and culture)
Ironically, the people of Europe
became more “Romanized”
after Rome fell than ever
before