Rise of Rome The Roman Empire Protection The

Rise of Rome

The Roman Empire

Protection • The Alps and the Mediterranean Sea provided protection for Rome

The Beginning • According to legend, Rome was founded by Romulus and Remus (twin brothers)

Lucky Number 7 • Rome was built on seven rolling hills at a curve on the Tiber River – This strategic location in the middle of the Italian Peninsula gave Rome fertile soil.

Control of Rome • In the beginning 3 groups inhabited Rome: 3. Etruscans 2. Greeks 1. Latins

Greek Influence • Greeks established 50 colonies (settlements) in Italy • These cities became busy with trade • Brought Italy and Rome in closer contact with Greece • Greeks taught Romans how to grow grapes and olives

The Etruscans • Native to Northern Italy • They were skilled metalworkers and engineers • Strongly influenced Roman civilization

Roman Mythology Copyright © Clara Kim 2007. All rights reserved.

Copy Cats! • The Romans based their religion on Greek Mythology –They were also polytheistic –Many of the gods/goddesses were the same, but the Romans changed their names –The gods explained human qualities and life events

The Roman Gods Roman God Greek God Represents Jupiter Zeus God of light and sky Juno Hera Queen of the Gods Apollo God of healing Diana Artemis Goddess of Fertility Minerva Athena Goddess of wisdom Aphrodite Goddess of love and beauty Venus

Jupiter • God of light and sky • Supreme ruler of the gods

Juno • Queen of the Gods

Apollo • God of music, light and healing

Diana • Goddess of fertility and hunt

Minerva • Goddess of Wisdom

Venus • Goddes s of love and beauty

Roman Literature • Virgil – wrote the Aeneid – A Latin epic – legendary story of Aeneas, a Trojan who traveled to Italy where he became the ancestor of the Romans

Architecture • Romans brought many new ideas to architecture • Taught by the Etruscans 3. Cement 2. Baked Brick 1. Arch

Roman Arch • A way to make a doorway or window with no beams Keystone

Aqueducts • River water was dirty with sewage • Aqueducts brought clean water to cities from far nearby hills

Pantheon • Temple built for the seven roman gods

Coliseum • An ancient sports arena in the shape of an oval stadium – Had mock battles where over 10, 000 slaves, prisoners or volunteers were killed • Could hold over 50, 000 spectators

Copyright © Clara Kim 2007. All rights reserved.

Roman Legion • Divided into infantry and cavalry • 5, 000 Soldiers • Every citizen had to serve for 10 years

Roman Legion • Divided into smaller groups of 80 men called a century

Roman Power Grows • Roman power grew slowly and steadily • Eventually conquered

The Defeated People • Rome was lenient to the people they conquered – They were allowed to be full citizens if they lived on the Tiber – Those who lived further away had citizenship but could not vote.

The Punic Wars • Eventually Rome and Carthage began to fight over trade in the Mediterranean Sea • They fought 3 battles

The First Punic War • Fought over Sicily for 23 years • Carthage lost • This was Rome’s first province

The Second Punic War • Carthage was led by HANNIBAL a brilliant general. • He used 50, 000 men, 9, 000 cavalry and 60 elephants. • To surprise Rome he went through the Alps

The Second Punic War • For 10 years he pillaged northern Italy • Finally a Roman general name SCIPIO defeated Hannibal.

The Third Punic War • By this time, Carthage was no longer a threat. • Cato a influential senator reminded them of the terror Hannibal laid on Italy. • Romans destroy Carthage and sold all of Carthaginians into slavery

Rome In Control Victory in the Punic Wars gave Rome control of the Mediterranean

From Republic to Empire Copyright © Clara Kim 2007. All rights reserved.

After the Punic Wars • Increasing wealth and expanding empire brought many problems • The most serious problem was the widening gap between the rich and the poor.

1 • Thousands of slaves were captured and made to work on Latifundias = huge estates.

2 • Thousands of Soldiers returned from war without jobs or homes. • They moved to cities like Rome to find work. • They became part of the poor class.

Two Brothers • Tiberius and Gracchus tried to help Rome’s poor by proposing to: – Give land to the poor – Limit the size of estates (latifundias) • The senators felt threatened and the two brothers were murdered

3 • Rich Romans became corrupt with money and luxury and tensions between the rich and the poor caused a civil war!

Julius Caesar • Eventually an ambitious and daring leader emerged to bring order to Rome

Triumvirate • The First Triumvirate = Julius Caesar, Crassus and Pompey • Triumvirate = a group of three leaders working together in government • He conquered all of Gaul in France

Caesar’s Reforms • He became the absolute ruler of Rome = he had total power. • He expanded the Senate by adding his friends • Created jobs for the poor and expanded land • Raised pay for soldiers

Caesar’s Assassination

Why did Julius Caesar have enemies among the rich and powerful? • military victories = very popular with the Romans. • His soldiers were very loyal to their leader so Senate was afraid of his popularity and power. • Pompey and some senators tried to take over power and Caesar defeated Pompey. • After the civil war, Caesar was given more power. • Senators didn't trust anyone who wanted to be a dictator and take their power. They thought he was trying to end the Republic. • Caesar tried to get control of the senate by adding more senators who were loyal to him. Therefore, the senators felt their power was slipping even further. • He granted citizenship to many Greeks. This made many Roman citizens angry.

Rise of Imperial Rome • Octavian = adopted son of Caesar defeats Mark Antony (Caesar’s best general • Accepts title of Augustus = “exalted one” and becomes Rome’s first Emperor. • During his rule Rome enters a time of peace and prosperity known as the Pax Romana or “Roman Peace”

The Age of Augustus (Imperial Rome)

A Vast and Powerful Empire • Octavian the adopted son of Julius Caesar accepts the title Augustus (exalted one) • During his rule, Rome reaches its peak in power and reaches a time of great peace • From 27 B. C. to 180 A. D there will be a period of 207 years of peace called the Pax Romana

Economy during Pax Romana • Agriculture is the most important industry of the Roman empire • Whole empire used uniform silver coin called a denarius which made trade easier • Had a huge network of roads that connected all the way to Persia and Russia • Created prosperity and

Government of Pax Romana • Augustus was a great emperor who: – stabilized the frontier – glorified Rome with splendid public buildings – Set up a civil service • A civil service paid workers from the Plebeian class to: – Manage grain supply – Collect taxes – Manage a postal system • Government was very stable

Emperor Succession • Peace and prosperity depended on orderly transfer of power • There was no written law for how to transfer the emperor’s power when he died • Five good emperors solved this problem only for a little time.

Rise of Christianity in Rome

The Teachings of Jesus • Jesus born in Bethlehem in Judea • He was both a Jew and Roman citizen • He was baptized by John the Baptist

Jesus’ Message • By age 30, he began preaching publicly and for 3 years he: – Preached – Taught – Did good works – Performed miracles • Contained many ideas of Judaism such as: Monotheism and the 10 Commandments • He emphasized God’s personal relationship with each human being.

Jesus’ Message • Stressed importance of love for God, neighbors, enemies and even their own selves. • He gathered 12 apostles or pupils = disciples • Main source of information about Jesus comes from the Gospels – the first 4 books of the New Testament of the Bible • Gospels written by one or more of the apostles (disciples).

Jesus’ Death • The people called him the Messiah which means King. • This worried the Roman and Jewish leaders, Pontius Pilate a Roman governor arrested Jesus. • Sentenced to be crucified or nailed to a cross.

Resurrection • According to Gospels he rose from the dead and ascended to heaven • One of the first apostles, Peter, spread the teachings of Jesus throughout Palestine and Syria

Christianity Spreads • Another apostle, Paul had enormous influence of the development of Christianity • Spread during the Pax Romana where conditions were safe for travel on the Roman Roads. • Paul stressed that Jesus was the son of God who died for people’s sins.

Jewish Rebellion • The Jews eventually rebelled against control of Romans • About half million Jews died trying to break free from Roman control. • This caused a Diaspora – when mass Jews were driven from their homeland in Jerusalem into exile.

Persecution of the Christians • Christians would not worship Roman Gods = viewed as opposition to Roman rule • Some Romans blamed bad economic conditions on Christians • When a disastrous fire occurred in Rome, and Emperor Nero blamed the Christians and ordered them to be persecuted. • Thousands were exiled, imprisoned, crucified, burned or killed by animals in circus arenas

A World Religion • Christianity still survived because of widespread appeal: – 1. Embraced all people – 2. Gave hope to the powerless – 3. Appealed to people who rejected the extravagances of imperial Rome – 4. Offered a personal relationship with a loving God – 5. Promised life after death.

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

Economic Troubles • Decline begins after the Pax Romana in 3 rd Century • Invaders made trade unsafe on sea and on roads • The rich spent gold and silver on luxury items from Asia which drained Rome of these precious metals • Rome began making coins with less silver which caused inflation.

Economic Troubles • Inflation = Drastic drop in the value of money coupled with rising prices for items • Agriculture decreased because of infertile soil, and farmland destroyed by war. • Food shortages • Spread of disease

Military Troubles • Germanic tribes were invading Rome • Soldiers no longer had discipline or loyalty to Rome. • Soldiers had loyalty only to their commanders, who fought not for Rome, but to try to become the emperor. • To defend Rome, mercenaries were recruited • Mercenaries = Foreign soldiers who fought for money.

Political Troubles • Troubles in the empire made citizens lose patriotism for Rome • Being a political official was no longer thought to be an honor • Few people wanted to serve in the government • Out of 26 generals who became emperors, 25 met violent deaths.

Temporary Help • Diocletian in A. D. 284 became a strong leader • He doubled the Roman armies and hired German mercenaries • Persecuted Christians • He divided the Roman empire into 2 sides – East: Greek speaking – West: Latin speaking • He took over the West, but Civil war broke out after his

Constantine • Constantine took over the Eastern half of the empire in A. D. 312 • Moved the capital to a strategic location in Greece in the East in Byzantium and renamed it Constantinople • He accepted Christianity

The West Falls • The west faced worse problems than the east that was far from invaders • From A. D. 376 to 476, huge numbers of Germanic tribes poured into Rome to get away from the fierce Huns • Attila the Hun was a powerful chieftain who swept through the west

The West Falls • Germanic tribes continued to invade and finally the west was no longer Rome • The Eastern Roman empire will continue as the Byzantine Empire that will preserve Greek and Roman heritage