Ancient Rome Notes

Pax Romana

Pax Romana

A period of peace and prosperity known as “Roman peace”, lasted from 27 B.C.E. to 180 C.E. (207 years)

Economic ImpactAgriculture was the most important industry (90% farmed)

Silver coin, the denarius, was used throughout Rome, which made trade between all parts of the empire easy

Economic ImpactA complex network of roads linked the empire to Persia, southern Russia, China, etc. and were originally built by military, but goods and culture were spread because of them

Social Impact

Family was the heart of Roman society; the eldest man, known as the paterfamilias, or “father of the family” had power to rule the household, control property, banish family members, etc.

Social ImpactWomen, both rich and poor, were nearly equal the men

Upper-class women could own property and attended public baths, plays, and festivals, but still could not vote

Lower-class women could be weavers, shopkeepers, or entertainers

Social ImpactFew children went to school, boys were favored over girls, and poor children had to work and were generally illiterate

Slaves were a bigger part of Roman culture than any culture before; they worked in cities and on farms and many were treated cruelly or forced to be gladiators

Political ImpactAugustus stabilized the frontier, glorified Rome with splendid buildings and created a long-lasting system of government

He also set up a civil service, which meant that he paid workers to manage the affairs of government, such as the grain supply, tax collection, and the postal system

Political Impact

The Senate still functioned, but the civil servants, drawn from plebeians and former slaves administered the empire

The Roman Forum was a central area in which commerce and the administration of justice took place

Ancient Rome Notes

Roman Contributions

Art/Architecture

The Colossuem, a huge arena that could hold 50,000 and hosted gladiators contests, games, races, animal shows, etc.

Art/Architecture

The Pantheon was a temple for all the gods in Rome, had massive columns and domes, which were typical

Art/Architecture

Used bas-relief, where images project from a flat background

Where also skilled in mosaics, pictures or designs made by setting small pieces of stone, glass, or tile onto a surface

Technology

Aqueducts were designed to bring water into cities and towns

Vast network of roads built of stone, concrete, and sand

Languages

Latin was the official language of Rome

Latin influenced French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and Romanian which became known as the Romance Languages

Literature

Writers used Roman themes and ideas while following Greek forms and models

Virgil, a poet, wrote The Aeneid, which was a praise of Rome and Roman virtues; he believed government was Rome’s most important contribution to civilization

ReligionAdopted the Greek gods, but changed their names

Most important were Jupiter (Zeus) – father of the gods, Juno (Hera) – his wife, who watched over marriage and women, and Minerva (Athena) – goddess of wisdom and war

Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire and eventually became the official religion

LawAll persons had the right to equal treatment under the lawA person was considered innocent until proven

guiltyThe burden of proof rested with the accuser, not

the accusedA person should be punished only for actions,

not thoughtsAny law that seemed unreasonable or unfair could be set aside