Ancient Rome 509 BCE 476 CE Italys Geography

Ancient Rome 509 BCE – 476 CE

Italy’s Geography

The Roman World Takes Shape I. Geography and People of Italy - Two geographic factors—central location and lack of geographic barriers (less rugged mountains)—easier to unify under one common name. - Broad fertile plains – good place to settle in Italy. - Latins (800 BCE) – settled on the Tiber River in small villages on low hills (Rome – The City on Seven Hills). - Etruscans lived North of Rome – adopted their culture (arched architecture, God/Goddesses, alphabet).

II. The Roman Republic - 509 BCE – Romans drove out their Etruscan king. - Romans set up a republic, in which officials were chosen by the people. - Governing bodies – senate made up of patricians (landholding upper class), consuls (two yearly elected leaders). Senate and Consuls created checks and balances for the Roman Republic. - In the event of war, dictators were allowed to have complete rule for six months. - 450 BCE – Plebeians (farmers, artisans, merchants, etc) first started to gain power with The Laws of the 12 tables set up in the forum/marketplace. - Plebeians could eventually elect their own leaders (tribunes – could veto anything that was hurtful to the common people).

III. Roman Society - Men – father was head of the household and the dominant role. - Women – Dutiful, loving, and gentle. Earned respect by supporting festivals. Went to public baths and attended public entertainment with husbands. - Education – boy and girls were taught to read (tutors) and studied the history of Rome and Rhetoric. - Religion: Roman gods/goddesses were similar to Greek with different names and they had many feasts and celebrations to honor the Gods.

IV. Expansion in Italy - Highly trained army (legion – basic military unit of 5 k men) with harsh punishment and high rewards for actions. - Conquered peoples would acknowledge Roman control, pay taxes, and give supplies to the army and they could keep their customs and local gov’t. - Full citizenship was prized and offers of partial citizenship, as well as protection of the Roman army kept areas loyal to Rome. - By 133 BCE, Roman territory extended from Spain to Egypt, and Rome was the undisputed leader of the Mediterranean world.

From Republic to Empire I. Winning an Empire - 264 -146 BCE – Carthaginian Wars (also called the Punic Wars). - First war – Rome won Sicily, Corsica, and Sardinia. - Second war – Carthage wanted revenge and sent Hannibal to defeat the Romans. Marched across the Pyrenees Mountains in France with war elephants and lost half his army. Rome attacked Carthage and defeated them. - Third War – destroyed Carthage and destroyed the earth to stop growth. - Imperialist – control over foreign regions (Rome was the supreme power). - Created Provinces (lands under Roman rule) to help control their regions. - From conquest, new wealthy class (commerce, trade, taxes) emerged and lived in huge houses (latifundia) where slaves worked. They caused small farmers to go into debt and they also were corrupt (led to riots).

II. Decline of the Republic - Led to Civil Wars (slave riots, revolts) and the senate was weakened. - Julius Caesar emerges as military leader in Gaul (France) – Pompey tried to have him disbanded – led his army across the Rubicon River (North of Rome). - Triumvirate – three leaders working together to rule. - He became dictator with a senate in place for appearances. - Reforms – reorged the provinces, created public works for the unemployed, Egyptian calendar, and granted more Roman citizenship. - 44 BCE - Assassinated by a group of senators. - Mark Anthony and Octavian fought over dictatorship – Octavian won!

III. Roman Empire and Roman Peace - Augustus (Exalted One) Octavian was named Princeps (First Citizen) – brought Republic to an end and created a 500 year empire. - Reforms: high level jobs, civil service enforcers, postal service, new coins for trade, and a census (population count). - Bad emperors: Caligula (horse as consul) and Nero (Christian persecution). - Good emperors: Hadrian (Codify Roman Law) and Marcus Aurelius (philosopher king). - Pax Romana – roman peace – soldiers maintained safe roads and seas. - Entertainment: Circus Maximus (chariot races) and Colusseum (gladiators) - “Bread and Circuses” kept the peace in tact.

Roman Empire in 14 CE

The Roman Achievement I. Greco-Roman Civilization - Rome blended Greek, Hellenistic, and Roman achievements to produce Greco-Roman civilization through trade and travel during Pax Romana. - Poetry – Aeneid by Virgil, satires (make fun of Roman culture). - Historians/Philosophy: Livy, Virgil, Tacitus, and Stoicism. - Mosaic – picture made by chips of colored stone or glass. - Aqueduct – bridge like stone structures that brought water to Rome. - Engineering – use of science and math to create structures and machines. - The Romans excelled in the practical arts of building, perfecting their engineering skills as they built roads, bridges, and harbors throughout the empire.

II. Roman Law - A commitment to justice and law kept Rome stable and united. - Civil Law (applied to citizens) and the law of nations (both citizens and noncitizens). - Romans also believed in the idea of “Innocent until proven guilty. ”

The Empire Splits

The Long Decline I. Crisis and Reform - After the Pax Romana, Emperors were overthrown and replaced by military leaders (50 years – 26 ruled). - Low producing farmland high taxes created unhappy conditions for citizens. - Reforming emperors tried to reverse the decline, but in the end, internal problems combined with foreign invasion (Huns – from Central Asia and Germanic tribes) to bring about the “fall” of Rome.

Historians identify a number of causes for Rome’s downfall: - Military causes include German invasions and lack of discipline (mercenaries – hired men) among the empire’s soldiers. - Political causes include an increasingly authoritarian and corrupt government and division of the empire into two parts. - Economic causes include heavy taxation, diminishing wealth of the empire’s citizens, reliance on slave labor, and a population decline. - Social causes include a decline in moral values, a devotion to luxury and self-interest among the upper classes, and a loss of self-reliance among the masses.

The New Rome: Constantinople