Download The Rise of Rome

The Roman Empire
Decline of the Republic
And
Rise of the Empire
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Decline of the Republic
• Decline of the Republic
• ~ 120BC some leaders
attempt to give land to
plebeians (Tiberius
Gracchus)
• Patricians fight back
• 75 years of civil war
– Generals gather private
armies, fight for control
– Senate loses power
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Military Changes
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The army was no longer a citizen army
Now it was a professional army
Men joined to become rich and powerful
Loyalty was to a general, not to Rome
The senate passed a law
– The army could never enter the city of Rome
– Generals are very powerful and the senate feared
this new power
Julius Caesar
• Rise of Julius Caesar
• Rome on the brink of
collapse
• Julius strong military
general
• 58-51BC lead army to
conquer Gaul
– Captured large amounts
of gold
– 55 BC Bridge Across the
Rhine River
• Troops very loyal
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Julius Caesar
• Rise of Julius Caesar
• Caesar make an alliance
• Joins Pompey and
Crassus
• Helped each other gain
power
• Caesar elected to consul
in 59 B.C.
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Julius Caesar
• Rise of Julius Caesar
• 49BC returns to Italy
– Fights with armies of the
Senate
– Caesar wins, becomes
Dictator for Life in 44BC
• Death of a Dictator
– Ruled with great power,
took much of the
Senate’s power for
himself (King)
– Assassinated by Senators
March 15, 44BC
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The Empire
• Octavian (Augustus)
• Another civil war after
Julius, 13 years
• Adopted son of Caesar
• 27BC Given title Augustus
by senate
– First true emperor of Rome
• Shows respect for senate,
doesn’t “power grab”
• Time of peace and
prosperity –Pax Romana
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The Empire
• Notable Emperors
• Nero (54-68)
– “Nero fiddled while
Rome burned”
– Murders family
– Tyrant, Persecution of
Christians
• Trajan (98-117)
– Expanded Empire to its
largest
– Public Building Projects
– Social welfare
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The Empire
• Notable Emperors
• Hadrian (117-138)
– Consolidated border
– Reorganizes army so
soldiers defend home
provinces
– Champion of education
– Hadrian’s Wall
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Ruling the Empire
• Governing Conquered
People
• Usually remained free
• Divided into provinces
– Ruled by governor,
supported by army
• Rome did not force
their way of life on
them
– Happy people= taxes and
commerce
– Many adopted Roman
ways in the end. (Why?)
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Daily Life
• Citizenship
• City of Rome was
overpopulated
– Originally, only residents
of city were true Romans
• Census – official count
of people
– Registering=citizenship
– Men declare families,
slaves, wealth.
– If failed to register, could
lose property or become
slave
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Daily Life
• Citizenship
• Women, slaves, and exslaves could not
become citizens
• Social Classes
• Huge gap between rich
and poor
• Rich – lavish houses,
country estates, feasts
and parties
• Poor – crowded
apartments, no water
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Daily Life
• Circuses
• Poor sometimes riot
– Usually over lack of food,
particularly wheat
• Emperors put on shows
(Circus) to make people
happy, entertain
– Free grain provided
– Fights, public executions
• Gladiators, exotic animals
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Daily Life
• Family Life
• Traditional values
• Government support
– Land and money if family
had children
– Directed at upper class
• Paterfamilias – “father
of the family”
– Often 3 generations
under 1 roof
– Had absolute power
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Daily Life
• Family Life
• Women
– Married into families
– Freedom based on
husband’s wealth
• Could work, own things
• Slavery
– Very common
– Generally well cared for
– Possible to buy freedom
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