Ancient Greece & The Roman Empire

Founding of Ancient Greece

• 2000 B.C. Settled by the Hellenes• Land was not easily settled (Mountainous)• Separated themselves into independent

city-states• City-State: Sovereign state consisting of an autonomous city with dependencies

• Never united as one nation, BUT shared similar ideas• RELIGION-polytheism

Worship of the Gods/Goddesses • Polytheistic Culture• THE BIG SIX1. Zeus: king of the gods, the god of sky

and weather, law, order and fate2. Hera: defender of marriage and

monogamy3. Apollo: Sun god and supporter of the

arts4. Athena: goddess of reason, intelligent

activity, arts and literature.5. Ares: the god of war6. Aphrodite: goddess of love and

beauty

Athens• Largest and most powerful

Greek city-state• Group of citizens

(adult/MALE) elected three nobles to run the city-state every year

• 600 BC economic problems• Farmers gave their crops to pay debts • Then they sold themselves into slavery • New leader steps forward to solve the economic crisis

Reforms of Solon

• Passed law outlawing slavery based on debt and canceled farmers debts• Avoided a revolution/civil war

• Class System: 4 categories based on wealth, not heredity• All free adult MALES were considered citizens • 3 highest classes could hold public office• Lowest class could vote in assembly

• Created council of 400• Started the legal idea of a “civil suit”

Cleisthenes• Founder of democracy in Athens• Increased power of Assembly • Citizens could submit laws for debate/passage

• Created council of 500• Proposed laws and counseled Assembly

• Members of council were chosen at random• 1/5 of population were considered “citizens”• Athenian law denied citizenship to • Women, Slaves, and Foreign residents

PERSIAN WAR

Persian Wars

• Greece is invaded by Persians• Led by King Xerxes “The Great King”

• Defeated the Spartans • Battle of the 300

• Planned to end the struggle by capturing island of Salamis

• Master ship-handling allowed Greeks to win• Battle of Plataea• Guaranteed Greek independence

Why wasn’t Greece easily settled by the Hellenes?

A.Large RiversB.Desert ClimateC.Mountainous D.None of the above

In terms of religion, Ancient Greece is considered to be a monotheistic culture?

A. TrueB. False

Which of the following was the largest and most powerful city-state in Greece?

A. PersiaB. SpartaC. AthensD. Olympia

Which of the following refers to the leader of the Persian army during the Persian Wars?

A.CyrusB.XerxesC.LeonidasD.Both A & C

Pericles• Led Athens during the Persian War• Leader for 32 years • Strengthened democracy• Paid public officials• Paid jury members • Greater citizen participation

• Became a DIRECT DEMOCRACY- citizens rule and make laws directly rather than through representatives

Sparta• Developed into a military centered city-state• Emphasis solely on military & rejection of luxuries• Ruled over slave population (HELOTS)• 20X more Helots than Spartan “citizens”• Spartans maintained powerful army to reduce chance of

rebellion

• The MOST powerful army in Greece

Spartan Military• Life centered around physical conditioning • Weak/Deformed babies were taken away from

parents and left to die • Boys removed from home @ age 7• Basic army training until age 20

• Age 20-60• Active duty in the Spartan military• Allowed to marry @ age 30

• Women• Received vigorous physical training• Aided in producing healthy children for the state

Government• 2 Kings• 5 Elders• Complete authority• Totalitarianism: All leaders were supported by

military

Sparta developed itself into a military centered city-state? A. TrueB. False

The __________________ refers to the slave population that the Spartans controlled?

A. HellenesB. HykosC. HellotsD. Both A & C

Greek Philosophy• Used logic and reason to investigate nature of

universe, human society, and morality• Based philosophy on two assumptions

1. Universe is put together in a orderly way and is subject to absolute and unchanging laws

2. People can understand these laws through logic and reason

• The BIG Three 1. Socrates: question and answer (examine your

thoughts)2. Plato: • Socrates Student• Society not governed by rich/powerful, but by the

wisest3. Aristotle: • Plato’s student• Examined human belief, though, and knowledge

Contributions of Ancient Greece• 1st Direct Democracy• 3 branches of government• Legislative- pass laws• Executive- carry out laws• Judicial- settle disputes

• Philosophy- • Olympic Games• Theatre• Literature• Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey

• Architecture- Parthenon

Founding of Rome• Romulus and Remus • Sent down the Tiber River by mother• Found by a mother wolf and cared for• Discovered by a famer and raised to adulthood• Founded the Roman empire

Founding of Rome• Greece was on decline• Latins (Romans) battled with Greeks and

Etruscans for control of Italian peninsula• Romans won• 509 B.C. Roman aristocrats overthrew the king• Lucius Junius Brutus- 1st leader of Rome• Established a REPUBLIC: power rests with citizens

who have the right to elect leaders who make government decisions

• Citizenship/Voting- MEN only!!!

Conquest

• Roman Legion•basic unit of Roman army•5,000 soldiers • If they won they were rewarded• If they lost or retreated- 1 out of 10 soldiers was put to death

• Extended empire all throughout Europe, Mediterranean region, and North Africa

Roman Empire Map

Spread of an Empire• Brought conquered people into its system• Tried to create legal code that could be applied in

all areas of its empire• Laws should be reasonable and should protect

citizens and their property• Applied to all citizens• Important principles of Roman Law:

1. All citizens have right to equal treatment2. Innocent until proven guilty 3. Burden of proof lies with accuser4. Laws that are unreasonable could be set aside

Julius Caesar• Gained control of Republican forces when

Pompey(leader) was assassinated• Decided that republican government was

inadequate in governing a large area with many people

• 45 B.C. Julius Caesar became dictator-Republic ended

• Most famous Roman ever!• Lost 2 battles in 9 years• Conquered France• Assassinated by members of the Senate • Brutus (Best friend) and Cassius • 56 years old

2 Groups Competing For Power

1. Patrician: aristocratic landowners • Most power• Claimed ancestry gave authority to make laws for Rome

2. Plebian: farmers, merchants, artisans• Could vote• Could not hold important gov. positions

Which of the following philosophers said that government should be ran by the wisest, not the rich and powerful?

A.SocratesB.HeraC.PlatoD.Johannes Gutenburg

Which of the following is an example of a contribution made by the Greeks?

A.TheatreB.Olympic GamesC.Government D.All of the above

Julius Caesar ended the Republic in Rome and became the most famous Roman ever?

A. True B. False

12 Tables• Patricians interpreted laws to benefit themselves• 451 B.C.- 10 officials began writing Rome’s laws• Laws were written on 12 tablets and publicly

displayed• Victory for plebians • Established idea that all FREE citizens had the

right to protect the laws, and that the laws would be administered fairly

Roman Government• Gov. with separate branches• 2 officials (consuls) commanded army & directed

gov.• 1 year term

• Legislative Branch (SENATE)• Controlled foreign/financial policies & advised consuls

• Crisis• If needed, republic could impose a dictator• 6 month term (if needed)

Roman Life• Influx of slaves caused mass unemployment • People moved to cities• Needed support from government• Keeping the Peace:• Theatres- plays• Colosseum- gladiator fights• Chariot races• Baths- city pool

Fall of Rome• Marcus Aurelius was emperor • Economic• More territory = more taxes• Wiped out middle class• Trade/business suffered• Slavery = unemployment

• Political• Rival factions in army fought for control• 50 years- 26 emperors ruled (25 murdered)• Instability made them vulnerable to attacks

Which of the following refers to the first publicly written and displayed laws in the Roman Empire?

A.10 CommandmentsB.Caesar’s CodeC.12 TablesD.None of the above

Marcus Aurelius was the emperor of Rome when it began to fall?

A. True B. False

Fall of Rome • Social• Crime• Lack of interest in government• Moral decay

• Military• Citizens ignored duty to serve• Barbarians were recruited into army• Undisciplined and ineffective• Takeover by Germanic Visigoth tribe in 476

Rome’s Legacy• Engineering• Aqueducts- canals that brought water from the hills to

cities• Colosseum, cranes, conctrete. Glass blowing, roads

• Government• Republic

• Organized Military• Language- Latin • Legal System• Universal legal code• Senate• Courts: judges, juries, lawyers