Download Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome
AP European History
Objectives
• Explain how geography influenced the
development of Rome
• Discuss the evolution of Roman government
• Describe the growth of the Roman Empire
• Compare/Contrast the effectiveness of Roman
leaders
• Discuss the conditions under the Pax Romana
• Describe the achievements of Rome
• Discuss the rise and spread of Christianity
• Explain the decline and fall of Rome
Geography of Rome
• Italy is the familiar “boot” peninsula jutting
out into the Mediterranean Sea
• Mountains border Italy on the North (Alps)
• The Apennines run the length of the peninsula
• The city of Rome is located on a fertile plain,
its seven hills provide an advantageous
lookout, and the Tiber River provides a
transportation route
Physical Geography of Italy
The Early Roman Republic
• Patricians (wealthy landowners) controlled
government through the Senate
• Plebeians (common people) could not hold
public office
• Two consuls elected each year – directed
government and commanded the army
• A dictator was appointed in times of crisis
– Held absolute power
– Ruled for six months
The Roman Army
• As Rome expanded it required all landowning
citizens to serve
• Plebeian numbers in the army increased
• Strict training and discipline resulted in an
effective military
• Divided into legions of 6,000 soldiers
• Legions were divided into smaller, more
mobile units
The Roman Legion
Changes in Government
• Plebeians demanded increased representation
• Assembly of` Centuries
– made up of Roman army
– chose a censor who registered the population
• Assembly of Tribes
– Made up of plebeians
– Elected ten tribunes to represent them
• 451 BCE – drafted a law code – The Twelve Tables
of Law
• Over time the rights of plebeians increased
Roman Expansion (509 BCE – 44 BCE)
• Controlled Italian peninsula by 264 BCE
• Punic Wars (264 BCE – 146 BCE)
– First Punic War - gained Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica
– Second Punic War - defeat of Hannibal
– Third Punic War – destruction of Carthage
• Conquered parts of Spain, southern Gaul,
Macedonia, and Greece
• Conquests resulted in vast amounts of tribute
• Resulted in creation of latifundia (large estates)
and many unemployed
Early Roman Expansion
Decline of the Republic
• Vast poor population  violence and rebellion
• Senate relied upon legions to suppress
violence
• Popular generals built loyal armies
• 88 BCE Sulla victorious in civil war  military
generals would rule Rome for next 40 years
Rise of Julius Caesar
• Popularity in Rome from military successes in
Spain
• 60 BCE – Generals Caesar, Pompey, and
Crassus formed alliance – First Triumvirate
• Triumvirate soon deteriorated
• 49 BCE - Senate ordered Caesar to disband his
army
• His army entered Rome and conquered army
of Pompey
Rule of Caesar
• Returned to Rome in 44 BCE and appointed
dictator for life
• Introduced a series of reforms
– Distributed land to poor
– Gave citizenship to people in provinces
– Reduced unemployment
– Increased pay for soldiers
• Reduced power of Senate
• Assassinated in Senate on March 15, 44 BCE
Age of Augustus (27 BCE – 14 CE)
• First Roman Emperor
• Rome entered the Pax Romana (27 BCE – 180
CE)
• Golden age of peace and prosperity
• Reorganized army – had soldiers settle in
provinces
• Used civil service system
• Established a census for tax purposes
Successors to Augustus
• Nero – Rome burned in 64 CE
• Trajan – empire peaked in size
• Hadrian – new laws protecting women,
children & slaves, defensive wall across Britain
• Marcus Aurelius – fought Germanic invaders
on the border
Hadrian’s Wall
The Pax Romana
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Rome became an international city
Emperors engaged in vast building projects
Roman navy protected water trade routes
Roman army protected land trade routes
Growing gap between rich and poor
Use of slaves undermined small farmers and
small businesses
• Expansion created economic problems –
devalued coins and inflation
Greco-Roman Achievements
• Art & Architecture
– mosaics
– columns, arches & domes
– concrete
• Technology & Science
– bridges and roads
– aqueducts
– Pliny the Elder – 37 volume Natural History
– Galen – medical encyclopedia
Roman Mosaic
Greco-Roman Achievements
• Literature
– Cicero – logical argument
– Horace – poetry
– Virgil – History of Rome
– Tacitus – the Annals
• Law
– Common standard of justice
– Twelve Tables of Law
– Foundation of European law codes
Rise of Christianity
• Roman occupation of Israel led to increased belief in a
messiah – savior from God
• Gospels give an account of the life of Jesus of Nazareth
• Jesus attracted large crowds – stressed love of God and
compassion for others
• Taught using parables – short stories with simple moral
lessons
• Arrested by Jewish leaders and taken before Pilate –
Roman official
• Seen as a threat to Roman authority he received a
death sentence from Pilate
Spread of Christianity
• Twelve apostles chosen to carry on Jesus’
teachings
• Apostle Peter traveled to Rome to convert Jews
to Christianity
• Apostle Paul established Christian communities
throughout the Roman Empire
• Paul’s letters to various churches helped shape
early Christian doctrine
• Persecution of Christian martyrs by Roman
authorities resulted in growth of converts
Church Organization
• Bishops administered larger territories called
sees
• Priests conducted worship services
• In time the bishop of Rome became the
dominant leader of the church – Pope
• Organization created a strong and efficient
church system with its own code of law
Decline of the Roman Empire
• Lack of a system of succession led to many civil
wars
– Decline in law and order
– Disruption of trade
– Invaders attacked the empire
• Emperor Diocletian divided the Roman Empire in
half
• Emperor Constantine moved the capital from
Rome to Byzantium – closer to the commercial
center of the empire
Fall of the Roman Empire
• Germanic tribes invaded Roman territory
– Growing Germanic tribes sought new lands
– Invasion of Huns into Germanic regions
• 451 CE - combined Germanic & Roman force
stopped Huns at Battle of Troyes in Gaul
• 476 CE – Germanic chief, Odoacer captured
Rome  fall of western half of Roman Empire
Causes of the Decline
• Political
– Loss of responsibility among Roman citizens toward government
– Corrupt leaders  lack of capable leaders
– Division of the empire  difficult to govern
• Economic
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Loss of tribute from newly conquered lands
Civil wars & Germanic invasions disrupted trade & taxation
Devaluing of Roman money
Heavy taxes and high unemployment
• Social
– Loyalty decayed
– Lack of discipline and patriotism among army recruits
– Epidemics and sense of hopelessness