The Spread of Roman Power

The Success of the Roman Legion

509 BC – 70 BC

The Spread of Roman Power

• A. by 400 BC – controlled central Italy

• B. 390 BC – Rome attacked and looted by Gauls– Romans build impenetrable defenses

• C. By 265 BC – Rome controlled all of Italy

The Spread of Roman Power

• D. 264 – 241BC – First Punic War

– Against Carthaginian Empire

– Fought for control of Sicily

• E. 218 – 202 BC – Second Punic War

– Hannibal invaded Italy

– Romans defeated Carthage at the Battle of Zama (202 BC)

The Spread of Roman Power

• F. 149– 146 BC --The Third Punic War– Carthage destroyed– North Africa became a Roman province

• G. 149 – 129 BC – Conquest of Macedonia, Greece and Pergamum

• H. By 70 BC – Rome controlled territory from Spain to Asia Minor

The Effects of Roman Conquests 509 BC – 70 BC

The Collapse of the Roman Republic

The Effects of Roman Conquests

• A. Negative Effects of the Punic Wars and other conquests

– 1. loss of manpower

– 2. destruction of farmland

– 3. sale of small farms to the wealthy

– 4. growth of slavery

– 5. growth of a poor urban population (the Proletariat)

– 6. deterioration of values; social and political corruption

Collapse of the Roman Republic

• I. Efforts at Reform– Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus tried to

return land to the poor and lessen unemployment

– both were killed by the Senate

Collapse of the Roman Republic

• II. Army Generals struggled to control Rome– Marius - elected consul 5 successive

times.

– Sulla defeated Marius but kept power as dictator for several years

Collapse of the Roman Republic

• III. Julius Caesar– Became a popular politician through

speeches, parties, and money borrowed from Crassus

– 60 BC – joined with Crassus and Pompey in the First Triumvirate

– Gained great popularity by conquering Gaul

Collapse of the Roman Republic

• IV. A Second Civil War– Crassus killed in battle in 53 BC

– Pompey convinced the Senate to recall Caesar from Gaul

– Caesar “crossed Rubicon” into Italy and began a civil war

– Caesar defeated Pompey and became dictator in 45 BC

Collapse of the Roman Republic

• V. The reign of Julius Caesar– Carried out several reforms

• Distributed land to the poor• Enlarged the Senate to 900 members• Planned several building projects

– March 15, 44 BC (the Ides of March)• Julius Caesar was assassinated by a

group of Senators

Collapse of the Roman Republic

• VI. The Second Triumvirate– A struggle for power after Caesar’s death

ended with Octavian, Lepidus, and Marc Antony claiming control of Rome

– Lepidus was forced into retirement– Octavian and Antony fought for control– 31 BC Antony and his ally, Cleopatra of

Egypt were defeated– 31 BC-AD14 : The Age of Augustus

The Roman Empire

27 BC – 476 AD

The Roman Empire• I. The Age of Augustus 31 BC – AD 14

– 27 BC – Octavian given the title of Augustus and Imperator• Expanded the empire• Created a successful civil service

system• Created a common coin – the denarius• Built a network of roads

The Roman Empire• II. The Julian Emperors AD 14 – AD 68

– Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero• Some were competent• Some were mentally unstable and

corrupt• AD 64 – 1st systematic persecution of

Christians• III. AD 68 – AD 96 – The Army chose and

deposed emperors• IV. AD 96 – 180AD – the “Good Emperors”

– Settled the issue of succession

The Roman Empire• V. AD 180 – AD 285 –Conflict and

Confusion

– 89 emperors in 105 years

– Decline in economics, military strength, and political loyalty among the population

The Roman Empire• VI. Revival and Reforms

– A. Diocletian (AD 284-AD 305)• Divided the empire into 4 parts• Enlarged the army• Tried to stop inflation by fixing wages and

prices• Demanded he be treated and addressed

as a god• Persecuted Christians

The Roman Empire– B. Constantine (AD 306 – AD 337)

• Reunified the empire on single rule• AD 313 – Issued the Edict of Milan

–Made Christianity a legal religion• AD 330 – moved the capital to Byzantium

– renamed the city Constantinople

• VII. After Constantine– Continued decline– Division into East and West– Numerous invasions and migrations by Germanic

tribes– AD 476 – Rome fall to the Ostrogoths