The Early EmpireLife in Ancient RomeThe Fall of Rome

What did Augustus achieve?For centuries the Mediterranean region had

been filled with conflict – he began to get it under the control of one empire

How did he do that?150,000 professional soldiers9,000 Praetorian Guard (notice the root word, I

wonder why it is praetor?)

What else?His legions conquered many new

territories (Spain, Gaul (France), Austria, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria – map text p. 292 A.D. 14)

Rebuilt RomeStately palaces, fountains, splendid public

buildings (“I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble”) see picture text p. 287

Arts flourished as never before

There’s more he did?Imported grain to feed population (less

likely to cause trouble)Improved Rome’s government

Proconsul (governor) for each Roman province (they replaced politicians who had been chosen by the Senate)

Traveled to provinces to see how things are going

Changes made by Augustus (causes and effects)C: builds professional army - E: adds

conquered territories to empireC: imported grain – E: reduced hungerC: new professional governors – E:

improved local governmentC: tax collectors were made government

workers - E: increased amount of money controlled by government

EQ #1 How did Augustus begin Pax Romana?Permanent professional army Restored Rome’s splendorImported grain to feed the hungry poorAppointed a proconsul for each provinceReformed tax systemHis armies conquered new territories

Who follows Augustus and how does that work out?A mixed bag of rulers – some good and others

were very badCaligula – mental illness caused him to act

strangely and treat people cruelly (text p. 288)

Nero – another vicious man, “fiddled while Rome burned” (text p. 288)

OK, so Nero’s dead and the “good emperors” are coming – what happens in between?

Mt Vesuvius/PompeiiTime Traveler text p. 290Linking Past and Present text p. 290Google images of Pompeii/Mt. Vesuvius

What made the “good emperors” good?Agriculture flourishedTrade increasedStandard of living roseThough they overshadowed the Senate more

than ever, they did not abuse their power Named trained officials to carry out their

orders

S rank these in order of importance – 4 corners for most important – defend why

Give me some details of what they did to help the peopleTrajan gave money to help poor parents

raise and educate their childrenHadrian made Roman law easier to

understand and applyAntoninus Pius passed laws to help orphansAll of the emperors supported public building

projects (arches, monuments, bridges, road, harbors, aqueducts)

How does it work for most people?Most people were farmers who grew olives,

grapes, and grain (both small estates and latifundia)

Others were artisans who traded with others inside and outside the Roman Empire

A gap existed between rich merchants, shopkeepers, and skilled workers – and poor farmers and city dwellers

The empire becomes its largestUnder the “good rulers” (Nerva, Trajan,

Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius) the empire flourished

Under Trajan it becomes its largest - spreading well beyond the Mediterranean including Britain in the north and part of Mesopotamia in the east – (see map p. 293)

Hadrian realizes it is too big to manage and pulls troops back from most of Mesopotamia, in Europe he sets the empire’s northern borders at the Rhine and Danube Rivers – (see map p. 293, also built Hadrian’s wall - Exploring Hadrian’s Wall p. 292, google Hadrian’s Wall)

What keeps it all together?The empire was unified by:

Roman lawRoman ruleShared identity as RomansRoman culture had been carried into every

province by soldiers who protected the empire and by officials who were sent to govern.

Romans were generous in granting citizenship

5 min Draw each & describe drawing to partner

EQ #2 What made the empire rich and prosperous?system of roads – 50,000 miles long (oh of how

they were made; reasons roads were important)seas – naval protection and ports allowed trade to

flourishaqueductscommon currency allows trade to be easy all

throughout the empirestandard system of weights and measures

Rank in importance – 4 corners – defend why