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Unit 4: Ancient Rome
Italy’s Geography
The Roman Empire was strategically located
on the Italian Peninsula, in the centre of the
Mediterranean Sea.
 Early settlers to this area easily traded with
the Middle East, Greece, Egypt, Spain and
North African areas.
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Very mountainous
region
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Travel difficult
Communication
difficult
protection
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Three main rivers:
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Po
Arno
Tiber
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Many fertile areas
close to rivers
provided many types
of foods and building
materials.
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Wheat
Grapes
Olives
Concrete
They came, they saw, they conquered.
 They rose and they fell.
 They created the world's first superpower,
then ended as captives of illiterate
barbarians.
 The ancient Romans changed the face of
the world.

Rome’s Legacy:

“Vini, vidi, vici”
“I came, I saw, I conquered” – Julius Caesar
Rome’s Beginnings:

The Romans lived on the peninsula with
two other groups: Greeks and Etruscans.

Etruscan armies soon took over most of
what the Romans had.

One Etruscan family – the Tarquins – soon
developed a dynasty.
The last Etruscan ruler – Tarquin the
Proud was overthrown by a new, stronger
Rome in 509BCE.
 Rome was strongly influenced by the
Etruscans:

 use
of the arch
 drainage systems
 alphabet
aqueducts
walled cities
religion
The Republic:

Republic – citizens elected representatives
to run the government.
(only members of noble families)
Two groups of citizens:
Patricians – members of the wealthy
landowning class
Plebians – members of the common class
Video: Ancient Rome – Rise to Power

Section 2:
 How
did the Etruscans influence the decision
to have a republic as the form of
government?
 How did the first census allow Rome to
enforce taxation and military requirements?
Social Organization:
Page 233 in text.
 Draw and label the pyramid.

Defending the Republic:
Romans soon went on the offensive.
 Army was organized into Legions of 5000
men.
 Legions were subdivided into groups of
120 in ‘ranks’ of 10 lined up behind each
other in ‘files’ of 12.

Hastati – young and
inexperienced.
(Spears/javelins)
 Principes – older,
more experiences.
(stronger weapons)
 Triarii – veterans

The Punic Wars

Roman Republic’s first territorial interest
outside Italy was in Africa – the city of
Carthage.

Carthage was a naval power and had a lot
of interest in the areas around Italy.

Rome wanted control of Carthage for
two reasons:
Carthage controlled Sicily (grain)
2. Carthage’s navy was a threat to Roman
trade
1.
This rivalry led to the Punic Wars.
Assignment:

Find the following info about each of the
Punic Wars:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Years war was fought? People involved?
Why did this war begin?
Difficulties for the Romans
Roman successes
Outcome of the war…what happened.
Decline of the Roman Republic
Rome is spreading its rule – demanding
more taxes and enslaving more people.
 The gap between rich and poor was
growing bigger. The rich hated and feared
the poor. (The mob)
 Popular leaders tried to improve conditions
for the poor.

Reformers:

Tiberius Gracchus:
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Tiberius wanted to limit the
amount of land one person
could own.
He wanted to divide public
land and give to the poor.
A riot was formed by the
Senate and Tiberius was
killed.

Gaius Gracchus:
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Felt the poor should
be moved from the
city back to the
country
Gave free wheat and
grain to the poor.
Senate had him killed.
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Gaius Marius:
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General in the military
First low class roman
to be elected to a high
office
He wanted to set up a
professional army and
opened the army to
everyone.
Offered land and
pensions to the poor.
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Marius was opposed
by General Sulla, who
invaded Rome and
defeated Marius.
Sulla declared himself
a dictator and forbid
Generals command for
more than one year.
Enter Julius Caesar:

When Sulla retired a new group of
Generals fought for control of Rome.
 Forming
a triumvirate (Ruled by three)
Crassus, Pompey and Julius Caesar.
 J.C. believed in one man rule!
 Crassus died and the remaining two fought
for power in a civil war.
 J.C. gained power when Pompey was
murdered.
 “Vini, Vidi, Vici”- Julius Caesar
Caesar’s Accomplishments:
Public works projects (roads, buildings)
 Redistributed state land and founded new
Roman colonies overseas
 Gladiatorial games that were free
 Increased size of Senate (lessening the
power of each Senator)
 Gave Roman citizenship to Greeks,
Spaniards and Gauls.
 Created the Julian calendar.

J.C. appointed himself “Dictator for Life” over
Rome’s citizens.
 This did not keep his popularity with the
senators.
 March 15, 44 BCE – 60 men, mostly senators,
carried out a plot to assassinate J. Caesar. The
day, known as “The Ides of March”, was when
Caesar was stabbed to death.

The Roman people turned against those
conspirators and political power turned to
another triumvirate.
 This time the three leaders were Marc
Antony (East), Octavian (West) and
Lepidus (Africa).
 All shared control of the Italian homeland.

The Second
Triumvirate
Augustus Caesar (Octavian)
Octavian became sole ruler in 4 years.
 Ruled with absolute power, but did not flaunt it
although he held a lot of positions.
 Worried about his protection, so he did two
things:

1.
2.
Had every soldier swear allegiance to him
personally.
He chose people to help him rule based on their
ability not their social class.
A.C. is thought to have brought peace to
the Roman Empire.
 This time period became known as the
Pax Romana.

 He
did not try to gain more territory.
 Made Rome more beautiful, set up a fire
brigade and a police force.
 Had his own protective force, the Praetorian.
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A.C. died in 11 C.E. (A.D.), but the Pax
Romana continued for about 200 years.
The Roman Empire started to collapse for a
few reasons:
No set rule of who inherited the title of Emperor.
2. Economic – higher taxes were collected to keep
the military happy.
3. Inflation – No new money (gold) coming to Rome
because no new territories were being conquered.
4. Civil issues led to armies ignoring the border
areas.
1.
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Two emperors tried to save the empire.
Diocletian – divided the Empire into two parts.
He ruled the east and allowed someone else to
rule the west.
Constantine I – tried to keep control of both
parts of the Empire, but finally gave up and
moved the capital to Constantinople (Turkey).
In 410 C.E. Germanic tribes invaded Rome and
Roman Senators declared “You are on your
own.”
This was the fall of the Roman Empire.
The End