Download Roman Republic and Philosophy

Roman Philosophy
Stoicism
Epicureanism
Stoicism




Zeno – Greek
Source of happiness
is wisdom
Only man has
morals
Apathy – Emotion
and passion destroy
reason
Epicureanism




Epicurus – Greek
No afterlife
Maximize pleasure
& minimize pain
Materialists
Roman Republic
Roman Republic

Internally – Republic


a political system in which the supreme
power lies in a body of citizens who can
elect people to represent them
Externally – Empire
Empire Building: Italian Peninsula

By 268 BC, Rome controlled most of Italy
Empire Building: Punic Wars

Carthage versus Rome


Generals



Both wanted the western Mediterranean
& Sicily
Hannibal for Carthage
Scipio for Rome
Rome Won


Kept Spain & North Africa
Literally destroyed Carthage
Empire Building:
Macedonian & Seleucid Wars



During & after
Punic Wars
Gained control of
Greece and Syria
Total control of
the Mediterranean
Empire Building: Asia

Anatolian king willed his empire to Rome
What allowed them to conquer so
much territory?

Military




Disciplined & well trained
Each province contributed soldiers
Roads
Slavery


People from conquered provinces
Free labor source helped expansion
Why didn’t conquered peoples rebel?

Effective governance



Romanization




Roman culture
Latin language
Roman laws
Trade benefits



Protection/Peace
Citizenship
Standardized money
Safe trade
Cities


Roads
Aqueducts
Roman Government
The Republic
Senate
In charge of:
 Treasury
 Foreign relations
 Enforced laws
 Declared war
Patricians and Plebeians
Patricians

Aristocrats


Held political and
religious power



Large landowners
Government officials
Priests
Forbidden to marry
outside their class
Plebian

Lower social class


Land owning men
Had to be a citizen
of Rome
Tribune



Elected from the Plebeians
Had the power to veto any law
Defended assembly against
Patricians
Consuls



From the Patricians
Made all legislation
Shared rule by
electing two Consuls
at a time



Civil decisions
Military power
One consul could veto
the other
Dictator



Appointed in times of crisis
A single leader who had absolute
power to make laws and command
the army
Temporary – 6 months