Download Rome`s Creation of a Mediterranean Empire

Rome’s Creation of a Mediterranean Empire
Central Location
Helped contribute to its success in unifying first italy and then all the
lands ringing the Mediterranean Sea.
Italy
Crossroads in the Mediterranean, and the site of Rome was a
crossroads within Italy.
Land of hills and mountains.
Rome
Lay at the midpoint of the peninsula, about 15 miles from the western
coast, where a north-south road intersected an east-west river route.
Tiber River on one side and a double ring of seven hills on the other
afforded natural protection to the site.
Apennine range
Runs along the length of Italy like a spine, separating the eastern and
western coastal plains, while the arc of the Alps shields Italy on the
north.
Climate
Mild Mediterranean climate affords a long growing season and
conditions suitable for a wide variety of crops.
Hillsides
Largely bare today, were well forested in ancient times, providing
timber for construction and fuel.
Region of Etruria
In the northwest, rich in iron and other metals
There is much ample arable land in the coastal plains and river valleys even
though about 75 percent of the total area is hilly.
Much of this land has extremely fertile volcanic soil and sustained a
much larger population than was possible in Greece.
Roman State
While expanding within Italy, they created effective mechanisms for
tapping the human resources of the countryside.
A Republic of Farmers
753 B.C.E.
According to legend, the city of Rome was founded by Romulus, who
as a baby, was cast adrift on the Tiber River and nursed by a she-wolf.
Archaeologist Research
Shows that the earliest occupation of the Palatine Hill took place as
early as 1000 B.C.E.
Original Inhabitants
Latin speech and cultural patterns, were typical of the indigenous
population of most of the peninsula.
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Social status, political privilege and fundamental values were related to
land ownership
Majority of early Romans were independent on their own small plots of
land.
Roman Republic was not a democracy
Wealthy class votes counted for more than the poor votes
State of civic officials were elected each year, and hierarchy
Culmination of a political career was to be selected as one of the two
consuls
Consuls presided over meetings of the senate, and commanded the
army on campaigns
Real center of power was the Roman Senate
Advisory council
First the kings, then republican officials
Senators nominated their sons for public offices
Filled vacancies in the senate from the ranks of former officials
Repository of wealth, influence, political, and military experience in the
state
Biggest unit of Roman Society was the family – many generations
Every member of the family was under rule of oldest living male –
paterfamilias
Invested with auctoritas – quality that enabled man to inspire and
demand
Patron/client relationships were connected by complex ties of
obligations
Senator could be patron of dozens or hundreds of men
Could provide legal advice and representation, physical protection, and
loans
Client should go to battle, support him in political arena, work his land,
contribute to dowry of his daughter
Many clients waited for senator to come out of house and went with
him during the day
A man with an especially large retinue enjoyed great prestige
Rome, inequality was accepted, institutionalized, and turned into a
system of mutual benefits and obligations
Women had no public role
In early Rome, a woman never ceased to be a child in law
She started under family’s paterfamilias, then when married was under
her husband’s family
Women could not own land or represent themselves in law situations.
Relied on men to advocate her interests
Over time, women gained greater personal protection and political
freedom
Some women had strong influences on their husbands and sons
Some Roman poets confessed their love for women including, being
educated and outspoken
Believed world was invisible, shapeless forces referred to as numina
called many yimes
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Vesta: dwelled in the Hearth
Janus: guarded the door
Penates: watched food
Other deities: lived in hills, caves, ect
Jupiter: God of sky (Zues)
Mars: God of agriculture and war (Ares)
Very concerned with keeping Pax Deorum (Peace of Gods)
Sacrifices to win Gods favor were performed
Expansion in Italy and the Mediterranean
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Center of huge empire encompassing all lands around Mediterranean
Some credit the greed and aggression for the propelled expansion
Romans were quick to seize an opportunity to present themselves
Conquest to Italy sparked by friction between Apennines
Apennines, whose livelihood depended on their ability to drive their
herds to seasonal grazing grounds
Had rose to a position of leadership within a league of Central Italian
cities organized for defense against the hill tribes
Romans called many times to defend the cities of Campania, which had
the richest farmland
A key to Roman’s success of Italy, was their grant of political, legal,
and economical privileges
They demanded that Italian subjects were to be Roman soldiers for
their army
Fought two wars against the Carthaginians, who dominated waters of
western Mediterranean
Rome won, and acquired first overseas provinces with Sicily, Sardinia,
and Spain
Wars came up with Hellenistic kingdoms in east Mediterranean. They
were reluctant on going that far away from their territory
Ended up winning over admin
Julius Caesar led the first occupation of land in the continental
heartland of Europe
Brought new challenges and defenses
Someone in the senate who had high placement, was then a governor
of the province
Primary response: defend province against outside attack and internal
disruption, oversee collection of taxes and other revenues due Rome,
and decide legal cases