500 B.C. – A.D. 500

Ancient Rome and Early Christianity

509 B.C. – Roman nobility or patricians overthrewof the last Etruscan king and replaced the monarchy with an aristocratic republic.

Roman forum – heart of the city

Political and civic center filled with temples and public buildings where leading citizens tended to government business

Establishment of the Roman Republic

In the beginning, the patrician-dominated government consisted of 2 elected executives (consuls), the Centuriate Assembly, and the Senate

Patricians owned most of the land and controlled the army

Annually elected consuls where the executive heads of government. They came from nobility, commanded the army, served as judges, and initiated legislation

Centuriate Assembly – controlled by nobilitySenate advised the Assembly and controlled public

finances and foreign policySenate was principal organ of patrician power

Struggle of the OrdersBetween Patricians and Plebeians

At this time, there was an absence of a written code of laws

Plebeians were unhappy with their lack of political representation

Plebeians had one decisive weapon: Their threat to seceded from Rome, that is, not to pay taxes, work, or serve in army.

Patricians realize they needed Plebeian help. Thus, plebeians slowly gained legal equality.

Struggle of the OrdersBetween Patricians and Plebeians

Early 5th century – Plebeians won right to form their own assembly (the Plebeian Assembly, which was later enlarged and called the Tribal Assembly)

This assembly could elect Tribunes – officials who were empowered to protect Plebeian rights!

Plebeian pressure resulted in the first written Roman code of laws – Twelve Tables

This gave Plebeians some degree of protection against unfair and oppressive patrician officials.

Although Plebeians gained legal equality, Rome was still ruled by an upper class.

The Twelve Tables

Rome extends power over the Italian peninsula

146 B.C. – Rome is dominant power in the Mediterranean world

Roman expansion occurred in 3 main stages:Uniting of the Italian peninsula, which gave

Rome manpower that transformed it from a city state into a great power

The Collision with Carthage, from which Rome emerged as ruler of the Western Mediterranean

Subjugation of the Hellenistic states, which brought Romans in close contact with Greek civilization

Roman Expansion

First Punic War (264-241 b.c.)Carthage, founded by the Phoenicians, was a

prosperous commercial centerCarthaginian empire comprised North Africa

and coastal regions of southern Spain, Sardinia, Corsica, and Western Sicily

Rome prevailed over Carthage, which had to surrender Sicily to Rome

Rome then seized the island of Corsica and Sardinia

Rome had the beginnings of an EMPIRE.

Conquest of the Mediterranean World

Carthaginian army was commanded by Hannibal – military genius! Coming from Spain, Hannibal led a seasoned army, complete with

war elephants for charging enemy lines, across mountain passes so steep and icy that men and animals sometimes lost their footing and fell to their deaths.

26,000 men survived the crossing into Italy Battle of Cannae (216) Hannibal’s army completely destroyed a

Roman army of 60,000 soldiers Defeated, Rome invaded North Africa, threatening Carthage and

forcing Hannibal to withdraw his troops from Italy in order to defend his homeland.

Hannibal, who had won every battle in Italy, was defeated by Scipio at the battle of Zama in North Africa

Carthage surrendered Spain Left Rome as the sole great power in the Western Mediterranean

Second Punic War

UnnecessaryCarthage was a second-rate power and no

longer a threat to Rome’s securityRome sold Carthaginian survivors into slaveryObliterated the cityTurned the territory into the Roman province

of Africa

Third Punic War

Agricultural crisisLong wars left farms devastatedRoman soldier-farmers who served in the army

left their fields neglectedReturning veterans were forced to sell their

farms to wealthy landowners at low prices

Collapse of the Republic

Tiberius Gracchus, came from one of Rome’s most honored families was elected tribune

Sought to help Rome’s poorProposed reforms such as limiting

the size of estates and giving land to the poor

Rome’s leading families viewed Tiberius as a revolutionary who threatened their property and political authority

Senatorial extremists killed Tiberius and some 300 of his followers, dumping their bodies into the Tiber River

Gracchus Brothers

Gaius Gracchus, younger brother of Tiberius – elected tribune

Aided the poor by reintroducing his brother’s plan for land distribution

Aroused anger of the senatorial classCivil war rage in Rome – Gaius and 3,000 of

his followers perishBy killing the Gracchi brothers, the Senate

had substituted violence for reason and made murder a means of coping with troublesome opposition.

Gracchus Brothers

Marius – consul in 107 b.c. adopted a military policy that eventually contributed to the wrecking of the Republic

As the republic grew most unstable, generals began seizing great power for themselves

Recruited soldiers from the landless poor by promising them land

These soldiers fought for pay and owed allegiance only to their commander

Replaced citizen-soldiers whose loyalty had been to the republic

Now possible for a military leader supported by his own troops to take over by force.

Eventually, one would do just that…

Rival Generals

60 b.c., a TRIUMVIRATE (ruling group of three) consisting of: Julius Caesar – politicianPompey – generalCrassus – wealthy bankerThese men conspired to take over Rome

Julius Caesar

•Recognized importance of military command•Gained command of the legions in Gaul (France) in 59 b.c.•Following year, began conquest of part of Gaul outside of Roman control•Successful Gallic campaign and invasion of Britain revealed Caesar’s exceptional talent for generalship•Caesar’s victories alarmed Senate!!!•Triumvirate falls apart – Crassus perished and Pompey (jealous of Caesar’s success sides with the Senate)

Julius Caesar

Senate orders Caesar to relinquish his command

Caesar decides to march on Rome Crosses Rubicon River into Italy, civil

war ravaged the Republic Pompey cannot defeat Caesar Senate acknowledges Caesar’s victory

and appointed him to be dictator – a legal office – 10 years!!!!

Julius Caesar

Governed as an absolute ruler – total power Started a number of reforms Granted Roman citizenship to many people in the provinces Expanded the senate Helped the poor by creating jobs, especially through the construction of new

public buildings February 44 b.c. – Rome’s ruling class, jealous of Caesar’s success and

power and afraid of his ambition, became alarmed when his temporary dictatorship was converted into a lifelong office

Aristocracy saw this event as the end of senatorial government and rule March 15th – a group of aristocrats, assassinated Caesar

Julius Caesar – Assassinated!!!

After Caesar’s death – civil war broke out and destroyed what was left of the Roman Republic.

Octavian – Caesar’s 18 year old adopted son Mark Antony – experienced general Lepidus – powerful politician All 3 join forces to crush the assassins – defeat the armies of

Brutus and Cassius, conspirators in the plot against Caesar

Beginning of the Empire

Lepidus was forced by Octavian into political obscurity

Antony and Octavian fight each other – prize is ROME.

Battle of Actium – Western GreeceOctavian crushed the forces of Mark Antony

and his wife Egypt’s Queen CleopatraOctavian emerges as master of Rome and 4

years later he becomes THE FIRST ROMAN EMPEROR!!!

Beginning of the Empire

BATTLE OF ACTIUM

Born in Alexandria during the reign of the Ptolemy family

Cleopatra and her family were not Egyptian, Macedonian – descended through a general of Alexander the Great

Married her 12 year old brother Rules Egypt for 3 years then exiled, along with her

sister Cleopatra’s brother, Ptolemy, became involved in a

bitter war with Julius Caesar She was smuggled into Egypt in a rug – begins affair

with Julius Caesar (they have a child) joins Caesar in Rome.

After his death – she marries Mark Antony Her reign marks the end of the Hellenistic Era in

Egypt and the beginning of the Roman era in the eastern Mediterranean

Egypt’s Queen Cleopatra

Reign of Augustus signified the end of the Roman Republic and the beginning of the Roman Empire – termination of aristocratic politics and the emergence of one-man rule

Not a tyrant, considered a “creative statesman”

Regarded his power as a public trust, delegated to him by the Roman people

Octavian (Augustus) 1st Roman Emperor

Rome’s greatest ageDuring this time, Roman empire included

more than 3 million square milesPopulation numbered between 60 and 80

million people1 million lived in Rome itselfTime of HappinessOne of the finest periods in ancient history

Pax Romana – Roman Peace

Held empire together through efficient government and able rulers

Augustus was Rome’s ablest emperorStabilized the frontierGlorified Rome with splendid public buildingsCreated a system of government that survived

for centuries

Vast and Powerful Empire

After Augustus died in A. D. 14 – system of government he established maintained the empire’s stability

2nd century AD – empire stretched from Spain to Mesopotamia, North Africa to Britain

Agriculture was MOST IMPORTANT INDUSTRY

90% of people engaged in farmingVast trading network – traded with China and

IndiaComplex network of roads linked the Roman

empire to Persia and Southern Russia

Vast and Powerful Empire

Most people lived in the countryside and worked on farms

Slavery was a significant part of Roman lifeWidespread and important to economyMade more use of slaves than any previous civilizationMost slaves were conquered people brought back by

victorious Roman armiesMany treated cruelly, children were slavesSome strong, healthy males – forced to become

gladiators (professional fighters) who fought to death in public

Roman World

Born as a movement within JudaismEmphasized a more personal relationship

between God and people (attracted many Romans)

Roman power spread to Judea, (home of the Jews)

God promised a savior known as the Messiah

Rise of Christianity

Born in Bethlehem in JudeaRaised in Nazareth (northern Palestine)Baptized by John the BaptistMain source of information about Jesus’

teaching are the Gospels (1st four books of the New Testament)

Gospels are thought to have been written by one or more of Jesus’ disciples (pupils) – these 12 men became the APOSTLES

1o commandments (Hebrew law)Jesus ignored wealth and status – attracted

poor

Jesus of Nazareth

Growing popularity concerned Jewish and Roman leaders

Crowds called him Messiah (king)Jewish priests denied this, said his teachings

were blasphemyPONTIUS PILATE accused Jesus of defying the

authority of RomeArrested Jesus and sentenced him to be crucifiedAccording to the Gospels, 3 days after Jesus was

buried, his body was goneApostles convinced he was the Messiah!!!

Jesus’ Death

Apostle Paul (huge influence on Christianity’s development). Paul was a Jew, never met Jesus, at first an enemy of Christianity.

Pax Romana made travel and the exchange of ideas fairly safe, provided the ideal conditions for Christianity to spread

Paul wrote letter (EPISTLES) to groups of believersIn his teaching, Paul stressed that Jesus was the son

of God who died for people’s sinsUniversality that enable Christianity to become

more than just a local religion

Christianity Spreads

Christians posed a problem for Roman rulersMain reason – refused to worship Roman

gods (seen as opposition to Roman rule)When Pax Romana began to crumble,

persecution of the Christians intensifiedRomans exiled, imprisoned, or executed

Christians for refusing to worship Roman deities

Thousands were crucified, and burned

Persecution of the Christians

A.D. 312 Roman emperor Constantine announced an end to the persecution of Christians

Edict of Milan – declared Christianity to be one of religions approved by the emperor

380 – Emperor Theodosius made Christianity the empire’s official religion

Constantine Accepts Christianity

Local level – priest led each small group of Christians

Bishop (also a priest) supervised several local churches

Apostle Peter became 1st bishop of RomeEvery major city had its own bishopLater bishops of Rome claimed that Peter was

the first pope – father or head of the Christian Church

Since Rome was the capital of the empire, logical choice for it to be center of Church

Early Christian Church

Church leaders tried to set a single, official standard of belief – THE NEW TESTAMESTContained the four GospelsEpistles of PaulOther documentsNew Testament was added to the Hebrew Bible

(Old Testament)Constantine called Church leaders to Nicaea

where they wrote the Nicene Creed – defined the basic beliefs of the Church

Nicene Creed

End of the reign of emperor Marcus Aurelius (A.D. 161-180) marked the end of the Pax Romana

Economy WeakensInflation – drop in the value of money coupled

with the rise in pricesGovernment raised taxesOverworked soil led to weakened agricultureYears of war had destroyed farmland

Fall of the Roman Empire

Soldiers became less disciplined and loyalGovernment began to recruit mercenaries

(foreign soldiers who fought for money).Overall there was a decrease in patriotism

Military and Political Turmoil

1. Economic Weakness2. Political Instability3. Citizen’s indifference

Main internal causes of the decline of the Roman Empire

Strong-willed army leader that became emperor.Restored power to the empire and increased its

strengthDoubled size of army and controlled inflation by

setting fixed prices for goods.Believed Empire had grown too large and too

complex for one ruler.HE DIVIDED THE EMPIRE INTO GREEK-

SPEAKING EAST (Greece, Anatolia, Syria, and Egypt) AND THE LATIN-SPEAKING WEST (Italy, Gaul, Britain, and Spain)

He took the Eastern half for himselfHis half included much of the empire’s great cities

and trade centers – far wealthier than the West

Diocletian

Diocletian retires in A.D. 305 Constantine gains control of the western

part of the empire in A.D. 312A.D. 324 secured control of the East,

concept of a single rulerA.D. 330 – MOVED CAPITAL FROM ROME

TO THE GREEK CITY OF BYZANTIUM (now Turkey). New capital located on the Bosporus strait.

With Byzantium the capital, center of power of the empire shifted from Rome to the East.

City eventually became CONSTANTINOPLE After Constantine’s death, the empire

would again be dividedThe East would survive and the West would

fall

Constantine

Western Empire Crumbles

Decline of Western Roman Empire took many years

Eastern Empire was wealthierOutside InvasionsGermanic Invasions

Huns (Mongol nomads from Central Asia) move in

Germanic peoples, fleeing the Huns, moved through Roman provinces of Gaul, Spain, and North Africa

Unite for the first time under Attila, a powerful chieftain

100,000 soldiers, terrorized both halves of the empire

Attila the Hun

Last Roman Emperor – 14 year old boy named Romulus Augustulus, ousted by German forces in 476.

Roman power in the western half of the empire disappeared

Eastern half became called the BYZANTINE EMPIRE – flourishes!!!Preserved Greek heritage and Roman culture

for 1,000 yearsByzantine emperors ruled Constantinople until

1453 – fell to Ottoman Turks

An Empire No More

Roman’s admired Greek cultureMixing of elements of Greek, Hellenistic, and

Roman culture - Greco-Roman CultureRoman sculptors created realistic portraits

Greco-Roman Culture

Pompeii

Latin (language of Romans) Official language of Catholic Church into 20th century

Developed into French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and Romanian (Romance Languages)

More than ½ the words in English have a basis in Latin

Legacy of Rome

Supported by archesDesigned to bring water into cities

Aqueducts

Thomas Jefferson began a Roman revival in the US

Roman Architecture

Roman Architecture

All persons had the right to equal treatment under the law

A person was considered innocent until proven guilty

Person should be punished only for actions, not thoughts

Principles of Roman law endured to form the basis of legal systems in the US

Most lasting and widespread contribution was law

Roman System of Law