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Rome
509 BCE King is deposed &
aristocratic Republic begins
The Republic will survive for 500 years & become the
dominant power in the Mediterranean Basin
Coliseum Entrance
Forum built a the heart of the city will become
political & civic center where leading citizens
tend to government business
Republican constitution
• 2 counsels elected by aristocrats
(patricians) serve for 1 year
• Senate advises consuls & ratifies
decisions
• Both counsels & Senators represent the
wealthy
Constant class tension is the
result
• Common people (plebeians) eventually
can elect officials (tribunes) who can
influence policy.
• Although wealthy dominate, by 3rd
century BCE as in 5th century Greece,
the base of political participation
broadens. Class conflict is blunted not
ended.
Expansion
• By 400 BCE Romans control peninsula.
• This is partly due to establishing military
colonies and partly due to treatment of
conquered people who can usually
govern own internal affairs, take Roman
spouses, sometimes become tax
exempt and sometimes even become
citizens.
Rome v Carthage
• Carthage was main city state in N.
Africa (after Egypt) & also controlled S.
Iberia & grain rich Sicily
• E. Mediterranean dominated by 3
Hellenistic empires
Carthage, Tunisia
Economic competition leads to
Punic Wars
Rome wins and takes 50,000 slaves.
Access to grain, oil, wine, gold & silver will
finance war v E. Mediterranean foes
• Tiepolo’s sack of Carthage
• See next slide
Sack of Carthage
Weakened Hellenistic Empires
• Like Lebanon today their governments
could not control “pirates”
• Rome felt this “threatened regional
stability” and sent troops to “protect
Roman citizens.”
• This brings Rome into conflict w
Hellenistic Empires.
Rome fights 5 wars
• In Anatolia (now Turkey) and Macedon.
• Rome rules indirectly through allies
• Rome now seat of great wealth and
power - however there are problems
Empire brings problems
• Uneven distribution of wealth at home
causes class conflict as does
• How to administer conquered lands
(think Iraq).
As in Classical China and Greece uneven
land distribution causes tensions
• Wealthy elites organize huge
plantations called latifundia
• Due to economy of scale & use of slave
labor undersell small farmers who often
have to sell land to the wealthy
Attempt at reform
• Gracchi Brothers want to limit amount of
conquered land a person can own
(similar to reform attempt of Wang Mang
in Han Dynasty).
• Eventually both brothers were
assassinated by the elite who felt they
were dangerous radicals
Civil War follows
83 BCE Sulla triumphs
• 5 year reign of terror
• Hurts lower class (pro patrician)
Latifundia continue to
pressure small farmers
• Small farmers forced to sell then they
swell ranks of urban poor
• General Julius Caesar starts process
that will end republic
Caesar for reform
• Spends huge amount of $ sponsoring
public spectacles (gladiators)
• 60 BCE conquers Gaul adds to
popularity
• Conservatives try at fail to remove him
• Names himself emperor for life
• Controls military and political life
Caesar
• Confiscates property from
Conservatives and gives it to veterans
• Large scale pubic works projects give
work to countless poor
• Conservatives eventually have him
killed
• Sets off new civil war
Power goes to Octavian
• 31 BCE Defeats Mark Anthony in naval battle
• Joins forces with Cleopatra the last Ptolemaic
ruler of Egypt.
• 27 BCE now called Augustus rules for 45
years and fashions an imperial government.
• It’s a monarchy disguised as a Republic
• Creates standing army loyal to him alone
Continued Expansion and
Integration of Empire
Expansion dramatic effect on
Europe
• Egypt, Mesopotamia, Syria long history
of city based states
• Gaul, Germany, Britain, Spain sparsely
populated agriculturists w small villages.
Now Roman soldiers, diplomats,
merchants stimulate their economies
cities grow - tempo of European society
quickens
Pax Romana
• In Rome 250 year peace facilitates
trade & communication from
Mesopotamia to the Atlantic.
• Like Persia, China & India, the Romans
integrate their empire by building great
roads. Rome excelled at engineering.
Also had postal system and elaborate
system of law. All to integrate empire
System of law for all under
Roman rule
• Innocent until proven guilty
Economy & Society
• Cities benefit most
• Like most people of classical times
Rome is patriarchal & uses slave labor
Changes in Agriculture
• Instead of crops for local use now for export.
• Grain from latifundia in N, Africa, Sicily &
Egypt ends up in large cities of Empire.
• Allows economic specialization
• Boat Paul takes to Rome carries tons of
wheat
Economic Specialization &
Integration of Empire
• Because grain can be cheaply imported
allow other regions to produce what
they do best. Gaul - copper, Spain olive oil, Syria & Palestine - fruits, nuts,
wool, Italy - pottery, glass & bronze
Specialized production =
vigorous trade
• No pirates - Mediterranean is a “Roman lake” much
as the Caribbean is now an, “American Lake.”
• Huge amount of wealth to Rome build temples,
aqueducts, fountains, arches.
• Buildings benefit from Roman invention - concrete.
• Also have plumbing, sewage
Construction Employs Masses
• Hundreds of thousands find work as
population surges from countryside
• New class of shopkeepers, artisans,
merchants, bankers proliferate
• Many workers are poor some find opportunity.
All the masses get “bread and circuses to
mollify them.
• Circus Maximus seats 250,000 watch
gladiators
Family & society
• Roman law gives oldest male is hh
power as pater familias. Slaves,
servants & family in hh. Father can
arrange marriage. Women can’t inherit
property or buy land
• Worse on paper than in reality where
women often had some power
Increasing Wealth in Rome
• New classes of merchants, bankers &
the like rival old aristocracy.
• Masses subsist on little but bread &
circuses (subsidized grains and
entertainment)
Slavery
• By 2nd century CE 1/3 population are slaves.
• Rural slaves on latifundia or in mines had it
bad. Cities less so. Urban slaves could hope
for manumission at age 30.
• Most famous slave revolt Spartacus escaped
slave leads army of 70,000. Defeated by
40,000 Roman soldiers 73 BCE.
Cosmopolitan Mediterranean
• Integration of Mediterranean Basin
trade, economy and cultural and
religious life. Roads & communications
networks allows for spread of new
popular small Jewish sect - Christianity
Pantheon in Rome honors all
gods
Greek Philosophy & Religions
of salvation
• As Greeks, Romans had many gods
(Jupiter, Saturn, Janus) & often adopted
other peoples’ gods.
• Also inspired by Greek tradition of
rational thought.
When Greeks conquered E.
Mediterranean - Hellenistic Empires
• Come into contact with Stoicism (look
for universal moral standards)
• This applies to intellectuals like Cicero
106 - 43 BCE who live in accord w
nature and feel justice is highest public
duty and wealth for wealth’s sake is to
be scorned.
• Fine for intellectuals BUT
Masses want religions of
salvation
• Mitraic cult - militaristic & no women
Jews after collapse of Israel maintain
faith in several empires
• Monotheistic Jews would not admit
emperor’s divinity
• Massive rebellions 3 BCE to 1st century
CE
• Some fight others found new sects
where they look for salvation.
• Jesus led one such sect
Christ’s Teachings alarm
Romans
• Message that, “kingdom of God is at hand”
and large crowds that follow him lead to his
execution.
• Followers write accounts of his life &
teachings - the New Testament
• 1st century CE some Christians seek non
Jewish converts led by Paul of Tarsus, an
Anatolian Jew who traveled widely.
No central Christian Church
for 200 years
• Individual communities select own bishops
• Many different Christianities re: role of
women, nature of Christ, nature of the wine
and the wafer etc.
• Like Jews, refuse to acknowledge Roman
empire - repressed
• Still religion grows appeals spread across
empire esp. among urban population, lower
classes & women
Attraction of Christianity
• Promises dignity to the high and the low
• Spiritual equality of the sexes
• Becomes most dynamic faith in
Mediterranean region.
Saint Paul