6.2

Conquest brought into contact with Carthage City-state on N. coast

of Africa Empire

Conflict inevitable 264 BC-146 BC

Rome and Carthage 3 Punic Wars

Punicus: Latin word for Phoenician

First Punic War Rome defeated Carthage and won

Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia

Second Punic War 218 BC- revenge Hannibal led army (including

war elephants) Over Pyrenees through France and

over Alps to Italy Cost ½ of army Element of surprise

Romans expected invasion from S. 15 years: moved across Italy,

conquering cities Failed to conquer Rome

Romans sent army to attack Carthage

Hannibal returned to defend homeland

Romans defeated them Gained all lands except those in Africa

Third Punic War Rome never forgot

Hannibal invasion Senate: “Carthage

must be destroyed” Third war: Rome

destroyed Carthage Survivors killed or sold

to slavery Poured salt on the earth

so that nothing would grow

Masters of Mediterranean world

Roman imperialism Controlled foreign lands and people Wars in E. Mediterranean Macedonia, Greece, parts of Asia minor

surrendered and became Roman provinces

Egypt allied with Rome 133 BC: Roman power extended from

Spain to Egypt Romans called Mediterranean “Mare

Nostrum” or “Our Sea”

Trade brought riches Generals, officials,

traders gained fortunes

Built mansions, filled with luxury

Wealthy families Lafundia: huge

estates Needed slaves to work

them

Farming Slave labor hurt small

farmers Grain from conquered

lands also drove down prices

Debt, forced to sell Flocked to Rome for

jobs Restless class of

unemployed Wealth gap

Kept widening Angry mob riots Increased corruption

Greed and self-interest corrupted society

2 young patricians Tiberius and Gaius 1st reform attempt Called to distribute

land to poor farmers Govt-buy grain for poor Reforms angered

senate Brothers and followers

were killed in street violence by senators and hired thugs

Civil Wars Who should hold power?

Senate wanted to govern as it had in the past

Popular political leaders wanted to weaken senate and reform policies

Sparked uprisings and revolts Rival generals took control of their

citizen-armies to further own interests, marched them into Rome to fight

Military commander Conquered Gaul (France) in

9 years Pompey persuaded senate

to force Caesar to disband army Caesar defied order Led army to civil war Swept across Mediterranean

suppressing rebellions “Veni, Vidi, Vici”: “I came, I

saw, I conquered” Announced after victory

Forced senate to name him dictator Kept senate

48-44 BC: Public works to

employ jobless Gave public land to

poor Granted citizenship New calendar:

Julian calendar named after him

Based on Egyptian knowledge

Still our calendar today

Enemies worried that he planned to become King

March, 44 BC: Enemies stabbed him to death

New round of civil wars Mark Antony (Caesar’s

chief general) and Octavian (Caesar’s grand nephew) Joined forces to hunt

down murderers Two men struggled for

power 31 BC: Octavian defeated

Antony and his ally Cleopatra of Egypt

Senate gave Octavian title of Augustus “exalted one”

Careful not to call himself King

Exercised absolute power Laid foundation for

stable government Created civil service to

enforce laws High-level jobs open to

anyone with the talent Allowed cities to self-

govern

Economic reforms Fair tax system Ordered census Postal system New coin system Jobless to work building

roads, temples, or farming

This government functioned for 200 years Reoccurring problem:

Who would rule after emperor died?

Romans didn’t accept power automatically passing from father to son

Death of emperor often led to violence

2 bad emperors: Caligula and Nero Evil and perhaps insane Caligula appointed his

favorite horse as consul Nero persecuted Christians

and set a fire that destroyed much of Rome

AD 96-180 “good emperors” Hadrian Marcus Aurelius:

philosophy Plato’s ideal philosopher-king Resolve and correct

situations

200-year span from Augustus to Marcus Aurelius known as Pax Romana meaning Roman Peace

Rule brought peace, order, unity, prosperity to lands Area equal to continental United States

Maintained and protected roads Roman fleets chased pirates from seas Trade flowed freely

Africa: wild animals used in public entertainment, ivory, gold

Egypt: grain India: spices, cotton, precious stones China: silk People moved, spread ideas

General prosperity hid underlying social and economic problems

Spectacular entertainments Circus Maximus: Rome’s largest race course

Chariot races Reds, greens, blues, whites

Gladiator Contests Slaves trained to fight Arena:

Battled one another singly or in groups Crowds cheered skilled gladiators Good fighter could win freedom Poor showing, crowd could turn thumbs down and he

would be killed Emperors paid for them with taxes collected Way to pacify city’s restless mobs Also provided free grain to poor Critics warned against “bread and circuses” but it kept

people happy