Roman Empire

Roman EmpirePax Romana = Roman Peace

31 BCE 180 CE200-year span between Augustus and Marcus AureliusAugustus: 31 BCE - 14 CEended civil war and created a stable government Marcus Aurelius: 161-180Platos ideal of the philosopher-king

Period of Political Turmoil: 180-284

Diocletian: 284-305divided empire into eastern and western parts - ruled in the eastinstituted economic reforms fixed prices for goods and servicesfarmers working on latifundias had to remain on the landsons were required to follow their fathers occupationsConstantine: 312-337granted freedom of religion - legalizing Christianity

Roman Society

patriarchal familywomen gained greater public freedom: business, theater, baths

Achievements

access to education: all classes and both sexesengineering: roads, bridges, aqueducts, harbors, and bathsliterature: Virgils Aeneid - epic poem glorifying Romes heroic past, Ovids The Metamorphoses - tales of Greek/Roman godslaw: principles later incorporated into U.S Bill of Rights

Bread & Circus

to feed and entertain the masseschariot races, gladiator fights, mock naval battles, and public executions

Problematic Neighbors

Germanic tribes: Ostogoths, Visigoths, Vandals semi-nomadic invaders originally from ScandinaviaHunsfierce nomads and superb riders and warriors from Central Asiadrove more Germanic tribes into the Roman Empire

Causes of Decline

Politicaldivision of empire = less capable leaders in the westoppression and corruption = less popular supportno official system of succession = internal power struggles and civil wars between rival generals

Causes of Decline

Militarypoorly trained armiesmercenaries (foreign soldiers who fight for pay) had no loyalty series of Germanic invasions

Causes of Decline

Economicincrease in taxes to support army and bureaucracyreliance on slave labor - created unemploymentindenture of farmers to wealthy landownersno more loot from newly conquered territories

Causes of Decline

Socialdecline in population from war and disease decline in patriotism, discipline and devotion to dutydevotion of upper classes to luxury and self-interestGermanic rulers became as acceptable as Roman rulers

Fall of Rome ~ 476 CE

Odoacer, a minor German chief, captured Rome, forced the emperor to give up the throne, and proclaimed himself King of Italy.