THE ROMAN REPUBLIC ->
EMPIRE
Bellringer – Wed. Sept. 24
In what ways did the governments of Rome and Athens differ? (You can use your book)
The Roman Republic Rome’s Geography
Seven rolling hillsCenter of ItalyFertile Soil
Origins of RomeAdage of Romulus and Remus
Tiber River
First Romans 1000 – 500 BCE Latins
Original settlement Palatine Hill
Greeks 750 – 600 BCE At peak of Greek empire,
established colonies in S. Italy.
Etruscans Northern Italy Skilled metalworkers Influenced Roman
architecture (arch)
Palatine Hill
Early Republic 600 BCE – 509 BCE Small city ---- 500
sq. miles Forum built Tarquin the Proud
Harsh tyrant Romans declared
they would never be ruled by a king again
Establishment of “res publica”
Res publica – Latin for “public affairs” Republic
Power lies in citizens who elect officials Patricians and Plebians
Pats – Wealthy landowners Plebs – Common citizens (couldn’t hold
office Twelve Tables
Set of first written laws in Rome
Government in Republic
Consuls Two “Leaders” 1 year terms Controlled army and gov’t
Senate 300 Initially only Pats
Tribal Assembly Made laws Initially only Plebs
Punic Wars 265 BCE – Rome conquers Italy War with Carthage
First Punic War 246 – 241 BCE Control of Sicily and western Mediterranean Carthage – 0, Rome - 1
Punic Wars Second Punic War
218 BCE Carthage led by
Hannibal Tried to avenge first
Punic War Assembled 59,000 men Traveled through Alps –
½ his men died Rolled on Rome for 10
years 202 (Rome gains allies)
– defeat Hannibal at Zama
Third Punic War
149 – 146 BCE Rome lays siege to Carthage 50,000 Carthaginians sold into slavery
By 70 BCE – Roman empire extens from Anatolia in East to Spain in West
REPUBLIC TO EMPIRE!
Collapse of Republic Economic Turmoil Military Upheaval Welcome, Julius Caesar!
Caesar Comes to Power 59 BC – helped by Crassus and
Pompey Triumvir for 10 years Consul of Gaul (modern day
France) 46 BC – Returned to Rome –
Dictator 44 BC – Dictator for Life
Caesar’s Reforms Citizenship for
conquered Created Jobs Expanded
Senate
Ultimately…..Stabbed 23 times on the Senate floor (March 15, 44 BC)
EMPIRE Second Triumvir (43 – 33 BC) Octavian, Mark Antony,
Lepidus Mark Antony falls for
Cleopatra, moves to Egypt. Lepidus forced out Octavian declared
“Augustus” (exalted one)
Pax Romana “Roman Peace” 27 BC – 180 CE 3 Million sq. miles 60 – 80 million people A sound government
Civil serviceBeatified RomeAugustus died in 14 CE
Emergence of Christianity Roman rule spreads to Judea Jesus of Nazareth
4-6 BCE 29 CE Jerusalem
Paul spreads Christianity Pax Romana facilitated Christianity’s spread
Persecution of Christians intensifies as Pax Romana crumbles (mid 100s)
Constantine “Milan Edict” – 312 BCE
Fall of Rome End of Pax Romana
Marcus Aurelius Economy Weakens
InflationLack of sources of gold and silver
Poor agriculture
Emperors Attempt Reform Diocletian
Fixed prices Doubled military Divided Rome into two parts (East and West)
Constantine 324 – reunites two sides of Roman Empire Moves capital from Rome to Byzantium (Turkey) and
changes name to Constantinople
Germanic Invasions 370 – Mongol nomads (Huns) push
Germans into Rome Germans attack Rome Attila the Hun – 444
Attacked over 70 cities with 100,000 Died in 453 and Huns were no longer an issue
476 – Last Roman Emperor – Romulus Agustulus – ousted by German forces – Eastern half of empire – Byzantine Empire
Legacy of Rome Greco-Roman culture Roman Fine Arts
Pompeii Mosaics Bas-relief Painting
Literature Virgil – Aeneid Historians
Tacitus
Legacy of Rome Latin
Romance Languages ½ of English words derive from Latin
Architecture Arch, dome, concrete
Law Justice All equal under law Innocent until proven guilty Burden of proof
