Download Notes: Ch 6 Romans

Notes: Ch 6 Romans
I Geography & Location Influenced Rome’s success.
1. Rome was founded in 753BC by the Latins and was nothing more than a
cluster of huts on seven rolling hills known as Paletine Hill. It was located
on the Tiber River (the area was called Latium by the latins)
2. It was located 18 miles inland from the western coast of Italy. Being just
inland protected it from invasion. The mountains also protected Rome and
Italy from invasion. Being located near the ocean and on the Tiber River
gave easy access to the Mediterranean Sea.
3. Italy is located in the midpoint of the Mediterranean Sea. The Romans
could send out ships for trade and war in all directions.
4. Rome being located on the 1st good crossing point on the Tiber River
meant that all key trade routes and roads met at Rome (“All roads lead to
Rome”). It became a center for trade and cultural diffusion.
5. In addition, Rome’s central location between North and South allowed
for Rome to govern its Empire easily once it began to expand.
II.
III.
Groups of People that influenced the Romans.
1. The Latins: founders of Rome (came to the area in 1000BC), influenced
the Romans with their culture and language.
2. The Greeks: The Greeks began to establish trade colonies (750BC600BC) around the Med. Area and on southern Italy. The influenced the
Romans with their culture, religion (took Greek gods and changed their
names – Zeus became Jupiter), Greek architecture & art, how to grow
grapes and olives.
3. The Etruscans: They were native to Greece. The gave Rome its earliest
Kings, religious rituals, military formations, dress, system of writing,
architecture (arch).
Roman Republic
1. In the beginning the Romans had kings, but in 509BC they overthrew their
kings and established a Republic (government where power rests in the
hands of citizens who have the right to vote).
2. Rome was divided into Patricians (Upper class aristocratic land owners)
and Plebeians (lower class –merchants, farmers, artisans, everyday
people)
3. The government was made up of 3 branches (Executive, Legislative &
Judicial)
 The Executive Branch- 2 Consuls (leaders of the government and the
army), served for 1 year teams.
 The Legislative branch- The Senate (300 members), made up of the
aristocratic landowners. Controlled public funds and foreign policy. In
addition to the Senate, Rome also had an assembly that was divided
into two groups. The Centuriate Assembly (made up of citizen
soldiers appointed consuls and made laws. The Tribal assembly
elected Tribunes (representatives of the Plebeians) and made laws for
the common people.
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The Judicial Branch- Made up of Praetors (judges) that were in
charge of the courts and enforcing laws. The Laws of the Romans
were called the 12 Tables placed in the forum, and the later the Law
of Nations were introduced and added to Roman law.
In addition, a dictator may be put in place in times of war or crisis.
The Dictator would have total control of the military and declare
martial law. He would rule for a 6th month period.
IV.
Roman Military
1. The Legion: a unit of 4000-5000 Roman soldiers usually supported by a
cavalry (solders mounted on horses).
2. The Legion was made up of smaller groups called a century. A century
had about 80 men in it. All landowners were required to serve in the
army. Public office holders had to have served in the military. The
strength of the legion was its flexibility. Each century could break away
and act independently of the group.
V.
Roman Power spreads
1. In 265BC the Romans had conquered all of Italy and began to expand out
from there.
2. For the next 250 years they would continue to expand their empire.
VI.
Punic Wars
1. (264-146BC) between Rome and Carthage
2. Carthage was located on the northern most tip of Africa directly across
from Italy. Carthage was one of the wealthiest cities in the Mediterranean
from trade throughout the region.
3. the 1st Punic War (264BC) was fought over control of Sicily (rich in
grain and a very strategic position in the mid point of the Med. Sea
between Carthage and Rome.
 Rome copied the design of a Carthagenian ship and improved the
design, then used it to build their navy stronger. They struggled
from Sicily for years but eventually took it in 241 BC.
4. 2nd Punic War (218BC-202BC)
 Hannibal a young brilliant general from Carthage uses an army of
50,000 and 60- 100 battle elephants to invade Italy. He did a sneak
attack from the north through the Alps.
 He defeated the Roman army every time he faced them on Italian
soil. He raided village after village and became very wealthy, but
could never take the city of Rome.
 Eventually, a Roman general named Scipio attacked Carthage to
lure him out of Italy. Just south of Carthage Scipio faced Hannibal
and defeated him at the Battle of Zama in 202BC. Hannibal
escaped, but later killed himself to avoid the tortures of capture.
5. Third Punic War
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Senator Cato- Would end his speeches “Carthage Must Be
Destroyed”
149-146BC Scipio’s grandson (Scipio) attacked Carthage to
destroy it once and for all. After 3 years of siege he defeated them
and burned the city off of the face of the earth. All the citizens of
the city of 50,000 were sold into slavery. It them became Roman
province known as “Africa” .
Section 2 Expansion of the Empire Creates Problems
I.
The Roman Republic Collapses
1. Problems begin to grow as Rome continues to expand.
 1/3 of the population was made up of slaves.
 Small farmers had a hard time competing with the large
wealthy estates with a large slave labor force.
 Many farmers left for the cities in search of jobs.
 New urban poor ¼ of Rome’s population.
 Tensions grew between the rich and poor and finally civil
war breaks out.
2. Civil War Breaks out within the Roman Empire
 The growing tensions between the rich and poor finally
turned into all out war after the reforms of the Gracchus
brothers.
 They actually tried to help Rome’s poor by proposing
reforms that limited the size of estates and giving land to
the poor.
 They were strongly opposed by the wealthy senators (who
were the owners of large estates).
 Both brothers met violent deaths in 133BC & 121BC and
civil war followed.
3. Marius & Sulla
 Generals began to recruit the landless poor into their armies
by promising them land. They fought for pay and owed
allegiance to only their commander.
 It was now possible for an ambitious politician/general to
take over by force. Marius and Sulla were two such men.
 Between 88BC-82BC they fought a civil war for control of
Rome. Sulla won and was named dictator.
II.
Julius Caesar & the 1st Triumvirate
1. Caesar, Crassus and Pompey join forces in 60 BC
 In 59BC they got Caesar elected as Consul and the three ruled
Rome with bribery, trickery and force for the next 10 yrs.
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In 50 BC the Senate with Pompey’s urging ordered Caesar to
disband his legions and return to Rome from Gaul where he
had been fighting
 Caesar defied the order and returned with his legions to take on
Pompey. (Pompey fled). But Caesar later defeated him in
Greece.
2. Caesar is named Solo ruler of Rome (Dictator for life).
 44BC Caesar named dictator for life
 Begins sweeping reforms for Rome.
3. Caesar’s Reforms
 Granted citizenship to people from Roman provinces.
 Expanded the senate (put many of his friends and supporters in
the senate to weaken its power and keep an eye on things).
 Created jobs for the poor (public buildings projects)
 Gave land grants and started clonies
 Increased the pay of his soldiers.
4. Caesar is assassinated
 He is assassinated by a group of senators on March 15, 44BC.
 They said the reason was he was becoming to powerful, but he
was also decreasing their power. The fact that they had lost
land, power & wealth also played a role in the assassination.
III.
2nd Triumvirate
1. Octavian, Lepidus and mark Antony formed the 2nd Triumvirate
 Joined together in 43 BC. Purpose: to avenge Caesar’s death.
 They killed everyone involved with the assassination or anyone
that was suspected of being involved.
2. The second Triumvirate fell apart as the first one did.
 They began to struggle for power.
 Octavian & mark Antony eventually faced off to see who
would rule Rome.
 Octavian won at the battle of Actium 31 BC
 M. Antony & Cleopatra committed suicide.
 Octavian becomes Augustus (the Solo Ruler of Rome)
Emperor Augustus.
VIII.Pax Romana
3. Pax Romana was a period of peace and prosperity within the
Roman Empire
 It lasted from 27BC – 180AD
 The term means “Roman Peace”
 Period with little or no war within the Roman Empire.
IX.Christianity.
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X.
Origins: The religion started as an off branch of Judaism.
The Romans take over Judea and allow local officials to continue
as normal.
Jesus was born around 5BC as a Roman subject in Nazareth.
Jesus began his teachings at the age of 30.
He grew in popularity and started to pull in large crowds as news
of his miracles spread and more people were introduced to his
teachings.
Many people believed Jesus to be the long awaited Messiah and
son of God.
His 12 disciples helped spread his teachings
 The Gospels were the 1st 4 books of the New Testament.
Jesus was crucified by the Romans.
Reasons for the spread of Christianity.
 Paul, Pax Romana, road system, common languages, its appeal,
converts were welcome, missionaries
Why was it appealing to so many people?
 Embraced all people no matter poor, rich, weak, strong, …
 Gave hope to powerless, appealed to those upset with the
extravagances of Rome, offered a personal relationship with
God, promised eternal life.
Why were Christians persecuted?
 They refused to worship the Roman gods.
 Romans blamed them for their political & economic problems.
Finally, in 313AD the emperor Constantine signed the Edict of
Milan, making Christianity an accepted religion within the Roman
empire.
The Decline of the Roman Empire
a. At the end of the reign of the 5 Good Emperors, with the death of
Marcus Aurelius 180AD the Roman empire began its decline.
b. Reasons for decline:
 Rome’s economy declines: Trade decreased, the treasury was
emptied, agricultural production struggled to keep up with a
growing population.
 Government raised taxes to pay rising expenses, minted coins
with less and less silver. Inflation (value of money dropped and
prices began to rise).
 Poor harvests due to overworked soil. Serious food shortages
struck the Roman Empire. Eventually disease spread and
population began to drop.
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Military troubles: Germanic tribes were invading the borders as
well as other foreign invaders. The army was full of
mercenaries and soldiers that were no longer loyal to Rome.
 Political & Social problems also contributed to the decline of
Rome. Corruption worsened, citizens were less patriotic and
uncaring. Fewer people took part in government. Contrast
between rich and poor.
c. Diocletian attempts to reform Rome.
 In 284 when Diocletian became emperor he tried to restore
order within the Roman Empire and increase its strength.
 (1) He 1st doubled the size of the army. (drafted prisoners and
hired mercenaries). (2) He set fixed prices on goods. (3)
ordered farmers and other workers to stay in their jobs. (4)
began to persecute Christians. (5) divided the empire into east
and west.
 Diocletian slowed the decline, but didn’t stop it.
d. Constantine becomes Emperor of the Western Roman Empire in
312AD. Then he restored control of the Eastern Roman Empire
bringing it back under the control of a single ruler.
 He moved the capital from Rome to Byzantium, eventually it
was renamed as Constantinople.
 After Constantine’s death the empire once again split into two
parts. The Eastern part would survive. The West would fall to
invaders.
e. Invaders (barbarians and others)
 From 376-476AD large numbers of Germanic people poured
into the Roman Empire. Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Franks, Angles,
Saxons, Vandals….
 They overwhelmed the structure of Roman society &
eventually drove the last Roman Emperor from his throne.
 Many of these Germanic groups were entering, because they
were fleeing the Huns. These Mongol nomads entered the area
around 370AD and destroyed everything in their path.
 In 410 Alaric (king of the Visigoths) plundered the city of
Rome.
 Atilla of the Huns invaded in 452AD, but a settlement was
reached with him by the Pope.
 In 455Ad the Vandals sacked Rome.
 In 476 German general Odoacer forced out the last Roman
Emperor Romulus Augustulus.
6. The Western half of the Empire is gone, but the Eastern half
flourishes. It continues until 1453 when it is conquered by the Ottoman
Turks.