Rome

The founding of Rome

Legend• In 753 bc twin

brothers founded the city

• Romulus and Remus • Sons of Mars (G-d of

War)• Raised by she-wolf

• Romulus destroys Remus and the city of Rome is born

Far more likely……• Settled between 1000 -

500 bc • Settled by 3 groups

• Etruscans • Natives of Northern Italy• Metal workers

• Latins:• Farmers and nomadic

herders• Became first Romans

• Greeks • Established 50 colonies

along southern coast of Italy

Religion of Rome

Greek Relationship Roman

Zeus supreme Jupitor

Hera Queen of G-ds Juno

Hermes Athletics, poetry

Mercury

Aphrodite love Venus

Ares war Mars

Apollo Medicine, wisdom

Apollo

Artemis hunter Diana

Poseidon Earth & sea Neptune

Dionysus Dance, song, wine

Bacchus

Early Government

• 509 BC• The Republic• Consuls

• Administrators or commanders

• 2 serving 1 year term • Patricians

• Land holding/upper class

• Only people that could serve

• Plebeians • Farmers, traders,

merchants• No real voice in

government

Growth of the Roman Empire

The Punic Wars • First Punic War

• 264-241 BC• Rome takes Sicily

• Second• 218-201 BC• Hannibal crosses Alps with

elephants• Hannibal wins throughout

Italy but never captures Rome

• Scipio invades Carthage forcing Hannibal back

• Third• 149-146 BC• Carthage starts to recovery• Rome views as threat

Unrest in Rome

• Constant warfare • Patricians vs Plebians • Tiberius Gaius Graccus and Marius

• 130-100 BC • Establish reforms • Marius creates paid army

• Sulla• 88 BC• Eliminates plebeians from power/brings back

aristocracy• First Triumvirate

• 70 BC• Caesar, Pompey, Crassus

First Triumvirate

• Crassus• 53 BC killed in Persia

• Caesar • Defeated Gauls (Gallic Wars)

• Pompey• 49 BC with the Senate order Caesar to leave his

army and return to Rome• Feared he had become too powerful • Caesar crosses the Rubicon • Pursues Pompey throughout the empire; catches up

to him in Spain and defeats his army• Caesar is Dictator for Life

Death of Caesar

• Accomplishments• Change tax

structure• Redistribution of

land• Changed the

calendar• Assassination

• 44 BC• Brutus Cassius

and Senate kill Caesar

The Next Triumvirat

• Lepidus, Marc Anthony, Octavian • Lepidus removed from power• Anthony & Octavian battle for power

• 31 BC defeated in final naval battle• Anthony and Cleopatra gone

• Octavian declares himself Imperator Caesar Augustus • Continues Caesar’s reforms • Establishes period of Pax Romana • Christianity comes into being • 27 BC- 14 AD

Line of Augustus

• Tiberius • Galigula • Claudius • Nero • Vespasian *

The Fall of Rome

Military Political Political Social

Visigoths and other Germanic tribes invade the Empire

Heavy taxes necessary to support the government

Many corrupt officials

Population declines because of disease and war

Romans forced to hire foreign soldiers to defend borders

Middle Class disappears

The divided (Eas/West)Empire becomes weakbecomes weak

Fall of Rome (Date Given)

• 476 AD