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Rome
From Republic to Empire
Geography and People
•
Italian peninsula which looks like a boot, juts out into
the middle of the Mediterranean Sea
•
Its capitol, Rome, lies in the middle of the Italy
peninsula
• This central location allowed it to have easy
communication, unification and expansion
• Many Romans were Greek colonists, which shared
Greek Culture
Roman Republic
• Romans set up a republic after they threw out their
totalitarian ruler
• the Republic was made up of two branches
Senate
Made up of
Patricians
Landholding
upper class
Tribunes
Made up of
Plebeians
Middle and Lower
classes
Comparing Greece and
Rome
• Direct Democracy vs. Republic; both would be used
as role models for the United States government
• Veto, Senate, Jury, checks on political power to name
a few
• Roman women played a larger role in Roman society
owning businesses, supporting the arts, and political
influence
Education and Religion
• Both girls and boys learned to read and write.
• Every class was educated, and Greek philosophers
were hired as tutors
• Roman religion was a mirror of Greek mythology
with the same gods with different names for each
god.
Roman Legion
• Highly skilled soldiers
• Fought without pay and with own weapons
• Valued loyalty, courage, and respect for authority
• Conquered people were treated with justice and allowed
to keep their own customs, but had to swear allegiance
to Rome and protect it.
• Senatus populusque Romanus
• Senate and people Rome
Julius Caesar’s Rise to
Power
• Caesar led the legions to defend and expand Rome
coming up with the phrase “Veni, vidi, vici”
• after he was victorious, the Senate demanded Caesar
disband his army and return power to the people.
• He refused, and crossed the Rubicon River and
declared himself dictator
• The Senate planned an assassination and stabbed
him to death.
Bad & Good Emperors and Pax Romana
•
Caligula and Nero - Evil and insane,
appointing a horse to the council, setting a
fire that burned down much of Rome, killed
Christians in the colosseum. It was even
said that they would have group orgies with
animals!
•
Pax Romana or Roman Peace, was height
of Rome with peace throughout, trade and
entertainment
• Bread & Circus - by giving away free grain
and performing public gladiator battles, the
emperors kept the masses happy even
though times were getting tougher for
Romans
Art, Architecture, and Engineering
• Stressed realism in art
• Architecture modeled after greek architecture, but
improved upon it.
• Used engineering to improve systems of public works
• Vesuvius erupts
Pompeii!
• ash was thrown in the air causing darkness and rain
• suffocating and burying its victims
Roman Law
• Innocent till proven guilty
• right to face accuser
• clearer then daylight or without a reasonable
doubt
Signs of Decline
• decline of values and use of “centers of learning”
• abuse of wine and gambling
• reality shows aka gladiators
• increase of taxes and debt
Constantine and foreign invasion
• Divided Rome into two separate
empires
• grated toleration to christians
• Northern germanic people invade
(Huns, Visigoths, Ostrogoths, and
others)
• Attila the Hun destroyed much of
Rome
Causes of the fall of
Rome
• Hired Mercenaries vs volunteer army
• corruption of government officials
• High taxes and inflation
• decline of patriotism, devotion to duty and citizenship
• Rome falls, but will continue with Byzantine Empire
and into middle ages.
• “Free Fallen” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers