The Pax Romana What was the Pax Romana? And when did it occur?
Jan 19, 2016
The Pax Romana
What was the Pax Romana? And when did it occur?
What does Pax Romana mean?
• Pax Romana is Latin for “Roman Peace”• Think of this as Rome’s “Golden Age”
What is the Pax Romana?• The Pax Romana begin after the fall of the Roman
Republic and was established under Augustus• Thus, sometimes this is also referred to as the Pax Augusta
• It was over two centuries (approximately 206 years) in which there was minimal war and little expansion of the empire
• It lasted from around 26 BCE to 180 CE
• Augustus used propaganda to sell the idea of the Pax Romana to the Romans• The idea being that peace would provide prosperity for all
Economic Impact of the Pax Romana
• Established a uniform system of money—which helped expand trade
• Protection for travelers and traders on Roman roads
Social Impact of the Pax Romana
• Stability returned to social classes and civil wars ended
• Promoted an increased emphasis on the family• Which was aided by the lessening of
military involvement
Political Impact of the Pax Romana
• A civil service system was established
• A uniform rule of law was established
Contributions of Ancient Rome
What are the notable contributions left-behind from ancient Rome?
Roman Culture
• The Roman’s embraced, adopted, and blended many aspects of classical Greece into their own distinct culture
• As the Roman Empire expanded so did their culture• Through conquest Roman culture
and technology dominated Europe
Architecture: The Pantheon• The Pantheon was a dome
structure built to honor the Roman deities• What the Greeks did for the column,
Rome did for the dome
• At the top of the Pantheon was an open eye—to let in sunlight (remember no electricity!)
• The Pantheon was also built of cement—something the Romans were the first to use
Architecture: The Coliseum• The Coliseum was a center for
entertainment (gladiators, Christian sacrifices, mazes, naval battles, etc.)
• It was also constructed to serve as a stone amphitheater so the masses (all 50,000) could hear
• It took over a decade to build and even had public restrooms
Architecture: The Forum
• The Forum was essentially the Roman “downtown” district
• It was a public place that held debates, markets, orations, etc.
• It was comprised of a number of separate buildings
Technology: Aqueducts• Aqueducts were artificial channels for
carrying water
• They were constructed in the mountains and carried water using the natural downward trajectory to the city of Rome and it’s countryside• Carried water from as far as 60 miles away
• This allowed Rome to be the first major city with public water, restrooms, and baths
Technology: Roads
• The Romans built a network of stone roads that extended throughout Rome• Over 180,000 miles worth of
Roads
• This network of roads was known as The Appian Way
Technology: Arches
• Arches were used to hold large amounts of weight while using less materials
• This allowed the Roman’s to build their domes and aqueducts
Medicine
• Rome placed an emphasis on public health and as a result built public baths, water systems, and medical schools
Science and Mathematics
• Ptolemy was an influential Roman mathematician and astronomer• He predicted the movement and orbit of planets and
moons
Literature
• The Romans adopted epic Greek poems (such as Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey
• Their own great epic poem was The Aeneid written by the poet Virgil• Described the origins of Rome• Won favor with Augustus by stressing
Roman patriotism
Religion
• Originally based on the polytheism of Greek mythology but later converted to Christianity
• The Roman Empire spread Christianity throughout Europe and is the reason why Christianity is the largest religion in the world today
Language
• Latin was the language used in ancient Rome
• Latin became the basis of the Romantic languages