Overview of Roman History

GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY OF ANCIENT ROME

MAGISTER RICARD

Rome: From Village to Empire

Pre-Roman Italy

There are two main populaces on the paeninsula The Greeks (Magna Graecia) The Etruscans (modern day Tuscany, south of the Po

Valley)The rest of Italy at this time was a quilt of

tribes and their languages and culturesThe Latium plain (Lazio, today) is the site of

the Romans, who were another Latin tribe Located among the Alban hills with the sea the the

West and the Tiber River running through it

INFLUENCES OF THE ETRUSCANS ON EARLY ROME

The Heritage of the Etruscans

The Etruscans

One of the major civilizations found in Italy at this time, during the 700s BC, was the Etruscans

Their origins are a mystery Some say they came from the eastern Mediterranean

(Herodotus) Some say they came from the north

Archaeology points to a native Italian culture that was urbanized through contact with the Greeks during this time

How much influence did the Etruscans have?

There seems to be scant evidence for an Etruscan “empire” The Etruscans were not politically unified They had a league of 12 Cities, often warring with one

another Shared common language and religion

Main areas of influence were religion, statecraft and architecture

Romans learned how to build the arch from the Etruscans

FROM MYTH AND LEGEND TO REALITY

The Founding of Rome

Romulus and Remus

According to legend, Rome was founded by Romulus, the grandson of King Numitor

King Numitor’s brother, King Amulius, overthrew Numitor , imprisoned him and killed all of his children except a daughter She would have twins born to her by the god Mars

Romulus and Remus grew up and freed Numitor

But Romulus would eventually kill his brother Remus in an argument over who had the more powerful city

Aeneas and the Founding of Rome

There is a second foundation story, from a Hellenized source

Aeneas was a prince of Troy who escaped with his father and son to “find a new Troy”

Described to us in the poem by Vergil called “The Aenead”

United Romulus/Remus myth as descendants of Aeneas

An Agrarian Society

For the most part, the area around Rome was advantageous and rich in resources

Evidence indicates it was inhabited as early as 1500 BC

The early societies and tribes were mostly farmers

A SHIFT IN HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS IN ITALY

From Kingdom to Res Publica

Liberation and the Res Publica

After being ruled over by the Etruscans for many generations, the Romans finally fight for their freedom in 509 BC

Since its founding in 753BC, Roman tradition held that it was ruled by 5 kings

The last of which was Tarquinus Superbus or Tarquin the Arrogant, an Etruscan

Res Publica and Brutus

Tarquinus Superbus had a son, who raped a woman named Lucretia

Lucretia had a kinsman named Lucius Junius Brutus

Brutus lead the revolt against the king, and the Romans won their freedom

The res publica was born

Republican Government

Not a direct democracy, but a representative form of government Two Consuls

Several other magistrate positions (censors, aediles, tribunes, etc.)

The Senate (no legal power) Tribal Assemblies (voting blocks)

Social Structure During the Republic

Society was stratifiedPatricians (aristocratic class, wealthy, held

power)Plebeians (citizens, but had no real political

power – could not vote)Slaves (had no rights, were regarded as

property)

The 12 Tables

Granted power and rights to the Plebeians

Bestowed a special public office, tribunis plebis

This office could veto, was sacrosanct

Decreed in 450 BC

Expansion of Rome During the Republic

Gradually, Rome expanded her power

Extending throughout the Italian peninsula

Roman Expansion During the Republic

Rome continues to expand into the 3rd century, bringing the islands of Corsica and Sardinia under its control

Competition in the Mediterranean

Carthago Delenda Est

The Romans would defeat the Carthaginians, their greatest rivals

Many would debate internally if this was a good thing

At the Plain of Zama, the Roman forces would wipe away the Carthaginians, destroy their city and sow the ground with salt so that no one would ever be able to grow crops there

again

THE DEATH OF JULIUS CAESAR AND THE RISE OF AUGUSTUS AND THE PRINCIPATE

The Empire Strikes…Back

Breakdown in the System

The Republic begins to breakdownAmbitious young statesmen begin to appeal

to the mob to get strong political backing The first time bloodshed is spilled in politics in Rome

(Tiberius Gracchus)Some begin to use the army as a means to

gain office Marius, Sulla, Cinna, Pompey the Great, and finally

Julius CaesarThings get very dark, very fast

The Problem of Caesar

Who was Julius Caesar?What was his agenda?Was he for the people? Or did he simply use

them to gain power?He was a member of the First Triumvirate

(Crassus, Pompey and Caesar)He fought in Gaul and expanded Rome’s

territory by almost a thirdThis made him very popular – and dangerous

Et tu, Brute?

Caesar would be murdered on March 15th, 44 BC A group of idealistic conspirators thought they

were protecting the Res Publica from dictator perpetuus

Lead by Marcus Junius Brutus, whose ancestor is the same Lucius Junius Brutus the started the revolt in 509 BC that began the republic

This move ended up creating two factions within Caesar’s coalition One supporting Marc Antony The other supporting Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus

Civil War and Augustus

A long civil war erupts and a showdown between Antony’s forces and Octavian’s forces results

At the Battle of Actium, and anti-climatic naval battle sees Octavian victorious

Antony goes on to die in the Egyptian way, along with Cleopatra

Octavian is later named “Augustus” and princeps, making him the first citizen of Rome

The Empire is born

VARIOUS MAPS ILLUSTRATING IMPORTANT PERIODS IN ROMAN HISTORY

Touring Rome

The Rise of Christianity

The Spread of Christianity

Roman Control: All Roads Lead to Rome

Crisis At the Borders

Rome Is Split into Two

INTERROGATIONES!

Review Questions

Assessment

Directions: Take out a sheet of paper and head it correctly. Write down these questions and using your notes, answer the questions.

1. What were the two main civilizations found on the Italian peninsula prior to Roman civilization?

2. Where were these two civilizations located on the peninsula?3. What are some of the stories and theories associated with the arrival of

the Etruscans?4. List two things the Etruscans developed that influenced the Romans.5. What was the name of the twin boys, one of whom would go on to create

the city of Rome?6. What was the name of the prince who helped found the Roman people

and where did he come from?7. What is the difference between a monarchy and a republic?8. What was the name of the rival civilization that Rome destroyed in the

Mediterranean? The final battle was fought at the Plain of Zama.9. What was the name of Julius Caesar’s heir? What is he best known for?

Hint: he was the first of something in Rome.