Download Roman Republic

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Looks like a giant boot
Sheltered by the Alps to the north (protected from invaders)
Slice into the Mediterranean Sea to the south
Long coastline made it open to attacks from the sea
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Group of people called the Latin's moved into westcentral Italy.
Built villages along the Tiber River. In time, the villages
untied to form Rome.
Rome came under the rule of Etruscan Kings from
Northern Italy.
Romans adopted Etruscan's language
Etruscan’s also knew how to pave roads, drain
marshes, and construct sewers.
Rome grew into a large and wealthy city
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A republic: a form of government in
which voters elect officials to run the
state.
In Rome only adult male citizens were
allowed to vote and take part in the
government.
3 Parts of government: Senate, Magistrates, and
Assemblies.
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Most influential and powerful governing body
Controlled public funds and decided foreign policy.
Dictator: absolute ruler. Could rule for up to 6 months
during this time he had complete command over the
army and the courts
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Included consuls, praetors, and censors
2 individuals elected to be chief executives or consuls for
one year terms
o Commanded army, ran the government, and could
appoint dictators.
o Could veto the acts of another consul
o Checks and balances
o Praetors: helped consuls. In times of war praetors
commanded the armies and in times of peace they
oversaw the legal system.
o Censors: registered citizens according to their wealth,
appointed candidates to the senate, oversaw moral
conduct.
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Several assemblies existed in the Roman
Republic
Voted on law
Elected officials
Voted to make war or peace
Served on courts
Elected 10 tribunes: speakers who represented
the people. They had some power over the
actions of the senate and other public officials
o Two
classes:
oPatricians: powerful landowners who controlled the
government. Inherited their power
oPlebeians: made up most of the population, were mainly
farmers and workers.
o At the beginning had very few rights.
o Gained the right to join the army, hold government
office, form their own assembly, & elect tribunes.
o 12 Tables: Romans engraved their laws on tablets.
The laws were placed in the public square. Protected
the Plebs.
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Romans fought many wars against their neighbors.
The Roman Army was superior due to its discipline and
organization.
Every adult male citizen who owned land was required by
law to serve in the Roman army.
o Major Unit: Legion, consisting of 4,500 to 6,000 citizens
o Auxilia: units made up of non-citizens
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Rome wanted conquered people to be loyal to Rome.
Granted full citizenship to nearby Italian cities
Granted partial citizenship to people of more-distant
cities.
Romans expected conquered peoples to provide land
for Roman farmers.
Led to spread of Latin language, Roman Law, and
other aspects of Roman Culture.
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264-202 BC- Series of wars between
Rome and Carthage
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First Punic War
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Carthage- North African city founded by
Phoenicians.
Rome- superior army
Carthage- superior navy
Rome gains Sicily- makes it a province
(territory outside of Italy)
Second Punic War
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Hannibal invades Italy.
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Carthaginian general
Invades Italy from the north via the Alps with
elephants.
Battle of Cannae
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Hannibal pulls back from Rome.
Romans believe he is retreating and follow.
Hannibal surrounds and defeats.
Scipio- Roman general attacks Carthage
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Hannibal tries to return home.
Defeats Hannibal at the Battle of Zama.
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Romans burn it because it represented
Hannibal.
Survivors sold into slavery.
Becomes a Roman province along with Greece
and the Mediterranean
•Proclaims war on Rome in attempt to
free the slaves.
•2 years of successful revolts
•Eventually killed along with 6000
followers.
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100-44 B.C.
Early Life
 Born to aristocratic family
 Legend that he descended from the gods
 Appointed to a series of government jobs
 Lowered taxes
 Spent a great deal of money to win support of poor
people.
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Triumvirate
 Alliance with Crassus and Pompey to form the
triumvirate (rule of 3)
 With the support of Pompey and Crassus Caesar was
elected Consul in 59 B.C.
 Brought all of Gaul under Roman rule
 Crassus died in battle and Pompey became sole Consul
 Caesar declared war on the republic
 Pompey fled to Greece
 Senate declared Caesar dictator for life
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Increased the senate to 900 members, but
reduced its power.
Senators formed a conspiracy against him.
Killed Caesar in the Senate in 44 B.C.
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Octavian, Antony, and Lepidus
Antony: led an army to the east re-conquering Syria and
Asia Minor then joined Cleopatra in Egypt
Antony and Octavian divided the Roman world
Octavian convinced the Senate to declare war on
Cleopatra and Antony
Octavian defeated their fleet
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Augustus Caesar
Referred to as the first Roman Emperor
Greatly expanded the empire’s frontiers
Stretched from Spain in the west to Syria in the
east
Reign of Augustus known as the Pax Romana
or “Roman Peace”
Allows Senate to keep some power, but he
would retain sole ruler ship.
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Kept ordered and enforced the laws
Emperor ran the government
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Made all policy decision
Appointed provincial officials
Roman law helped unify the empire
Revised the 12 tables
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Encouraged trade
Traded of farm goods and luxury goods.
Agriculture was the most important occupation
in the empire.
The Roman army built roads and bridges
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Kept the peace throughout the empire
Stationed in large camps along the frontiers
Men from bordering provinces would enlist in
the Roman army and would be promised
citizenship at the end of their enlistment.
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Rich citizens usually had a city home and a
country home.
Many of Rome’s residents lived in multistory
apartment houses.
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Slaves were among the least fortunate of the
empire’s population
Life could be very cruel for slaves. Until the
mid second century A.D. there was nothing
stopping masters from treating slaves any way
they wished.
Few legal rights and were dependent on the
good will of their masters.
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Family was the heart of the Roman society
Father held most of the power
 Made all the important decisions, controlled family
property, and conducted religious ceremonies.
 Mother managed the household
 Women could also own property and accept
inheritance.
 Women couldn’t hold public office
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Fun and Games:
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Gladiators Combat between trained fighters
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Religion (Early Romans)
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Wanted to achieve harmony with the Gods
Family worship focused on the Vesta, the spirit who
guarded the fire & hearth.
Religion (Roman Empire)
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State Religion
 Old family religion
 temples, ceremonies, and processions
 Promote patriotism and loyalty to the state
 Many gods and goddesses
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Galen: for centuries was thought to be the
greatest authority on medicine.
Ptolemy: people accepted his theories of
astronomy for nearly 1,500 years.
Roman engineers were masters at building
roads, bridges, arenas, and public buildings.
Aqueducts: bridge like structures that carry
water.
Concrete most important contribution of
Roman architects.
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Romans allowed people in the provinces
to practice their different religions as
long as the people honored the gods of
Rome and the “divine spirit” of the
emperor.
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Most Jews lived in Judaea
At first Jews were not required to honor Roman
Gods or the “divine spirit”, because the
emperor didn’t want to violate the Jewish belief
in one God.
66A.D. the Jews revolted against Rome.
Result: Romans attacked the Jewish holy city of
Jerusalem and destroyed all but the western
wall of the Second Temple.
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With the temples gone the priests’ role
weakened.
Rabbis: Jewish scholars who interpreted
scripture and became the leaders of Jewish
congregations.
Roman Army under Hadrian brutally put
down the last Jewish revolt.
Hadrian banned all Jews from the holy city of
Jerusalem.
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New religion founded by: Jesus of Nazareth
Began teachings around 27 A.D.
Life and teachings recorded in the Gospels of
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. First 4 books
of the New Testament of the Christian Bible.
Teachings were grounded in Jewish traditions
Only one true God
Promised forgiveness and eternal life
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Romans paid little attention to Christianity at
first then began to see it as a threat to society
Romans feared that Jesus would lead an
uprising.
Jesus was arrested and put on trial before
Pontius Pilate the Roman Governor
Jesus was crucified
Called him Jesus Christ after the Greek word
for Messiah- Christos
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Jesus' disciples set out to spread the message
mainly in the Jewish communities of Palestine
Rome recognized that Christians were
different.
Romans outlawed Christianity. Occasionally
seized Christian property and executed
Christians.
Martyrs: they were put to death for their
beliefs.
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Roman law accepted Christianity as a religion.
Roman Emperor Constantine declared his
support for Christianity
Theodosius made Christianity the official
religion of the empire.
Within 400 years Christianity had spread
throughout the Roman Empire.
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Priests conduct local ceremonies
Above priests were Bishops headed the church
in each city
Patriarchs bishops of empire cities
Pope: supreme power over the Patriarchs.
Peter considered first pope
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Diocletian
A General in the Roman Army
 Made Emperor in 284AD
 Realized that the empire had grown too large for one
person to manage.
 He ruled in the East and his Co-emperor ruled in the
west
 Government controlled every aspect of life.
 Defense and security of the empire came first
 Individual freedom came second.
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Civil war broke out
In the end the sole emperor was Constantine
Supported Christianity throughout the empire.
Created a new capital city in the east
Constantinople
Empire stable for 50 more years
Two empires East and West
East became the center of power and wealth
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The threat of invasion from the north and south
never disappeared
Goths and Vandals
Goths revolted in 378AD
The heavily armed Goths crushed the Roman
army
Goths allowed to settle in the empire under
their own leaders.
In return the Goths joined the Roman Army
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Peace was short lived the Visigoths sacked Rome
Vandals crossed the border without conflict
Sacked Rome in 455AD
Huns: Nomadic people from Asia who lived by
raiding and plundering.
The Huns led an attack on Gaul. Romans won but
it was too late to save the Western Empire.
Romulus Augustus was the last Roman Emperor
in the West.
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West Empire slowly declined
East Empire remained until 1453AD
Causes:
German Invasions
 Economic and political decline
 Division of Empire
 Growing division between rich and poor
 Military weakness
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