Ancient RomeStarts and ends with Romulus

Roman Geography Rome – in Italian Peninsula

› Near Mediterranean Sea› Apennines Mountain crosses the Italian

Peninsula› Alps divided Rome from rest of Europe› Less bad lands than Greece, many rivers –

easy transport, tie the country easily

Natural Advantages City hills – defensive Tiber River, near port

› Shallow, small boat pass› Fast, large boat can’t pass – no attack!

Tiber Valley – near trade route

MonarchyNot Republic yet

Legend…… Romulus and Remus, twins of Mars

(God of War) Uncle threw them to Tiber She-Wolf save them Found Rome – Romulus kills Remus

First Roman Settlement – 800 B.C.Built villages formed city

Tiny Rome!

Monarchy of Rome Kings had power Allow Rome to grow Old Boy aristocrat – Senate, advised

king

Senate comes from Latin senex, meaning ‘Old Man’

Transition to republic Aristocrats were getting disappointed

about Monarchy Tarquin the Proud did bad things to

people› Leaders overthrew Tarquin the Proud,

commenced Roman Republic

Republic comes from Latin of res publica, meaning public thing/business

Thus, marks the start of Roman Republic, where all free adult

male had privilege of being in government

Cultural Diffusion Before Roman settlement, there were

people already› Borrowed their culture

With Greece› Borrowed Greece legends – Greek Myth

Zeus JupiterAthena MinervaHera Juno

Etruscans Most powerful of Italy then Lived in north of Latium As trading, learned many things

(Greek, Phoenicians) Had their own alphabet – Rome adopt it

› Latin

Military Also example of cultural diffusion Loss of war with Samnite

› Decided to use Samnite’s military, maniples Legion – 4,500 – 5,000 soldiers Maniples – broke from Legions (60 – 160

soldiers) Short sword - gladius

Roman Republic“it was impossible even for native pronounce with certainty whether the whole system was aristocratic, democratic, or monarchical.”- Ancient historian Polybius

Ancient Roman Constitution Not written

› Based on custom & Tradition Government organized it

Separation of Power When monarchy ended, didn’t want

any to have whole power› Worked for 500 years

۩ To learn more about Roman Separation of Power……

I. Veto it! There were two consuls

› Consuls were top leaders› Both consuls has to agree!

They can veto things Veto means “I forbid” in Latin

II. Assemblies Democratic Part Citizens (All free adult males) Pass law, elect Magistrates

Rich people’s votes count more than poor’s

III. The Senate Oligarchic Wealthy, government money, pass law,

control foreign policy Not represent people – guide state Chosen by official named censor Advised others – Rich, old people

thought smarter than others

IV. Magistrates Power of high officials – like monarch Wealthy, ancestors was high officials Elite family? Politics – essential Moved from low to high

› Race of honor

Lower Officials Quaestors

› State’s Money› Help higher

Good at quaestors? Can be elected at aedile Aedile hold festival

Tribunes of the Plebs Plebians – before becoming higher

officials, become tribunes Protect plebs Can veto laws Had huge amount of power Not allowed go harm them/stop them

from doing job

Praetors After aedile/tribune Judge case Manage city “Rome” Lead military

Consuls After praetor, can become two consuls Top officials Looked over senate, assembly, highest

judges

Visible Symbols Consuls & Praetors

› Special toga› Lictor guarded› Sat on ivory chairs

V. Checks & Balances – Yes, we still do it today

Consuls Veto Assembly – by the Senate and

Magistrates Magistrates – by Assembly and the

Senate The Senate – by Assembly and

Magistrates

Diff

erences – U.S. VS

Rome

Roman Republic

U.S.

Only free man could vote Slavery Direct Democracy Constitution non written

All American – as long as 18 or above can vote

No slavery Representative Democracy Constitution written

Similarities – U.S. and Rome There is senate Check & Balance President veto law as tribunes of plebs Rule of Law – law applies to everyone

Dictators Senate choose dictator on emergency Held absolute power, but only for 6

months Cincinnatus – famous dictator

› Chosen as dictator, quickly defeat› After that, did what he usually did -

farming

Paterfamilias Oldest of the family has house’s power Father can even kill their family

› Power was forbidden by tradition Women was active in society, can own

things› Can’t have offices, can’t vote

Slaves 40% of population! No right, but keep money, own

property Could be killed Worked in mines, housework, teachers,

secretaries Spartacus fought against Rome in 70

B.C.› Crucified

Punic Wars 3 wars – Carthage & Rome Hannibal – on 2nd war, came over Alps

› Unexpectedly attack and win› 204 B.C., General Scipio attack Carthage

Defeat Carthage HannibalScipio

Senator CatoSpeech

Economy…………Furthermore, it is my opinion that Carthage must

be destroyed.

Carthage ends 146 B.C. – Carthage is destroyed by

Rome› Carthage people were sold to slavery› Now, Rome owned more than one territory

Downfall of Republic – 1I. People breaks rule

a. Magistrates become wealthy by stealingb. Politicians use money to get elected

II. Poora. Tenant loose job as there are slaves from

other territory– Government decides to give poor meals– 123 B.C., Tiberius Gracchus tried to give

land to poor, killed by enemies

Downfall of Republic – 2 III. Military gets power

– Gaius Marius, Consul, allowed poor people to join army

• Before, only who has money for weapon could join

• Poor to get successful afterwards, loyal to military general than Rome

Rich VS PoorRich

Poor

Large farm, tenant & slaves farm Two story villa with gardens, etc., water Political

As written, many farm for rich Disease, fire common house, no water Other than tenant, construct, stores,

taverns, restaurants

Downfall of Republic – 3 IV. Civil Wars

› Marius VS Sulla, Sulla won, became dictator for a year

› Pompey & Senate VS Julius Caesar, Julius Caesar wins, became dictator for life Who Was Julius Caesar?

Who Was Julius Caesar? At first, worked with

Pompey, never cared about law & customs

Later, they had war› Julius Caesar

crossed Rubicon with army (illegal)

› Won, died in Ides of March (15th of March), 44 B.C.

Republic Ends Octavian, Caesar’s supporter &

Stepson, has war with people who killed Caesar› Victory

Also has war with Mark Antony & Cleopatra› Victory

Starts Empire, titled Augustus, which means “greatly honored one”› Titled also used for later emperor

Roman EmpireWas empire before, if they had emperor

Roman Empire – Culture (I) Art

› Mosaic› Greek Gods

Look like real people› Greek showed young, beautiful people,

Roman showed real life

Roman Empire – Culture (II) Latin

› Not used today, but influenced other languages – Romance languages Romance languages – French, Spanish,

Portuguese, Italian, etc.› Words such as etc., et al, educate, and

more comes from Latin› Catholic use Latin

Speeches Cicero was good at it(Roman Republic) Cicero was example for later

Poetry Virgil (Roman Republic) wrote Aeneid,

based on Iliad & Odyssey Hoarce (Republic to Empire) wrote

Odes, about love, advises, etc. Ovid (Republic to Empire) wrote verses

about mythy

Satire & Philosophy Satire

› Entertainment, making fun of government Philosophy

› Seneca developed from Greek› Stoic Philosophy

Science & Medicine Claudius Ptolemy in Egypt (Roman

Empire)› Astronomer & Mathematician

Wrote Almagest (influenced until 1400, when proved wrong)

Claudius Galen studied with animals› Found out that arteries & vein carry blood

Gladiators Hosted even before Rome Fought until one died First for funeral, later only for

entertainments Winners were freed from slavery Sometimes with teams, boats, or

animals

Gladiatorial Games Pictures

Chariot Races Location: Circus

Maximus 270,000 people

could watch People often died

Law of Roman Empire Twelve Tables

› Early period no written, but in 400s B.C., wrote a law called Twelve Tables

Influences› Civil Law as in France, Spain, Portugal,

Mexico, Brazil, Louisiana, U.S.

Pax Romana 30 B.C. – 180 A.D. Period of Roman Peace where 65

million people were in steady place

Rome starts to fall Pax Romana ended when Marcus

Aurelius die and his son on throne From 100s A.D., military leaders fought

to become emperor There wasn’t no peace (I agree, double

negative)

Peace No.1 Septimius Severus gained power after

civil war› Septimius Severus knew that military liked

him, so he is on power He knew it wasn’t people who liked him Severus listened to military, but not to his

man› Didn’t challenge to Senate (Emperors who

preceded him did it ) Emperor afterward - fail

Imperial Crisis - Economy Economy

› Wars cost a lot Gave more money to military Money come from tax Trade hurts

› Money with less gold – merchants recognized – raise cost, inflation

Peace No.2 Diocletian made Rome more stable

› Organized government› Treated Christians badly

Thought Christians caused problem for Rome› Chose co-emperor to manage large Roman

Empire (East Diocletian, West co-emperor)› Chose Junior Emperor to get the throne

Didn’t work that way, though

Peace No. 3 Constantinople wasn’t Junior emperor

but got the throne by civil war Built Constantinople in Byzantium Converted to Christian

› Legend says after fighting under cross and getting the victory in his dream

Built Hagia Sophia

Imperial Crisis – Invasion! (I)

(Before Invasion) (Invasion starts) (Middle and end of invasion) Rome’s enemy – more and more

dangerousa. Took long time to tell emperor about itb. Hard for military to attack quickly

Imperial Crisis – Invasion (II) Persian – Sassanian Persian emperor

Shapur I captured Valerian Roman Empire

Huns- One of the most fearsome, use spear in horseback

Goth – Adopted in Rome

Imperial Crisis – Invasion Type

Germanic Invasion› Frank, Vandal, Goth› Settled there – Because thought Rome was

good place to live in› Adopted Greco – Roman

Adopted in Rome

Fine Invasion of the West – I Huns

› Attila as the leader, however defeated Huns were still dangerous

Germanic› Goth tried to find place to hide from Huns

Thus, Rome attack Goth, Goth defeat Rome (Battle of Adrianople)

Fine Invasion of the west – II Rome tried mercenaries

› Gave tribes money, fight for money not country

› Sometimes turn away Goth (410), Vandal (455), General

Odoacer (476) captured Rome Odoacer threw Romulus Augustus out

of throne

Byzantine Empire (East) continued for

1000 years