Chapter 5 Notes: Ancient Rome

A. The Roman Republic

• 509 BCE, the Roman aristocracy overthrew the last Etruscan monarch and established a republic.

• Republic: gov’t where

voters elect officials

to make the laws.

• Only males allowed

to vote

• Senate: most

powerful governing

body

Who really had the power?

• Patricians: Aristocracy,

the only ones who

could be elected to

office

• Patronage-you support

me, I support you and

whatever you do, do

not let those plebeians

get a piece of the pie

• Plebeians - everybody

else

• Paid taxes, owed

military service, could

vote.

• Made demands

and held strikes

• Gradually got more of the

pie

• Wealthy plebeians could

become patrician nobles

B. Rome Expands,

tries to become an empire • Rome dominates the Italian

peninsula which costs MONEY

• Carthage (North Africa) is near enough, rich, and probably a threat

• Result: The Punic Wars (3 in all) between Rome and Carthage.

• Hannibal of Carthage almost takes Rome

• Rome destroys Carthage and makes slaves of it’s people. Sowed land with salt.

• Empire: one ruler controls other countries and people.

Hannibal (50,000 troops and 60 elephants) traveled thousands of miles, crossed the Alps and

almost conquered Rome.

1. Spartacus 73 BCE

• First known slave

revolt

• 70,000 slaves tried

to take over Rome

• Rome crushed them

but it took 2-3 years

Crucifixion nails

Crucifixion: Roman death penalty

2. From Republic to Empire

a) Council of Plebs created, Gracchus brothers attempt reforms, are killed. This leads to more violence and instability.

b) Military leaders began to take control, leads to civil wars.

c) The First Triumvirate formed in 60 BCE – 3 people, equal power.

1. Crassus – richest man in Rome

2. Pompey and Julius Caesar – military heroes.

**Caesar was most popular among the people.

d) Crassus killed in battle, Senate chose Pompey

to rule but Caesar refused to obey.

3. Civil War: end of the republic e) Julius Caesar

• Had a huge following.

• Gathered his army and attempted a rebellion.

• “crossed the Rubicon” with his army in 49 BCE, civil war

began between he and Pompey.

• “Veni, Vidi, Vici”: “I came, I saw, I conquered.”

• Conquered Egypt by defeating mistress Cleopatra’s

husband (pharaoh Ptolemy XIII drowned in battle)

• Caesar defeated Pompey, declared himself “dictator for

life”. Many senators turned against him.

• Assassinated by 60 of his “friends”, democratic-minded

Senators in 44 B.C., including his protégé Brutus,

fearful of Caesar dominating power. Stabbed 35 times

on Senate floor on the Ides of March (15th)

• Caesar’s rule marked the end of Roman Republic.

Julius Caesar Cleopatra Marc Antony Octavian

- After Julius Caesar was killed, there was civil war between Marc Antony (top general) and Octavian (Caesar’s nephew and adopted son). Antony wouldn’t relinquish power to Caesar’s heir. - Antony fell in love with Cleopatra, Julius Caesar’s mistress/appointed ruler of Egypt. He joined her in Egypt. Octavian declared war on them, killed Cleopatra and Julius’s son, Caesarion .They eventually chose to commit suicide instead of being defeated.

4. The Roman Empire

• Octavian’s name changed to “Augustus” Caesar

• He became The First Emperor of Rome.

• Beginning with Augustus, the Roman Republic became the Roman Empire – 31 BCE

• There were 267 total emperors in the Roman Empire.

• Augustus reorganized the gov’t, expanded the empire, was hugely popular like his uncle, reigned for over 50 years.

• Pax Romana or Roman Peace under Augustus– unity, peace, stability, strong army, good economy.

The Roman Empire

at its height

C. Roman Accomplishments

1. Law - The Foundation of

Western law

• Twelve Tables – laws written

down and placed in Forum for

all to see.

a. All citizens have the right to equal

treatment.

b. A person is considered innocent

until proven guilty.

c. Burden of proof rests with accuser,

not accused.

• Twelve Tables laws applied to

everyone

• New laws were passed as

needed

2. Religion

• Polytheistic

• Jupiter- father of the gods

• First known State religion

• Caesar or ruler viewed

as a god and to be

worshiped along with

one’s personal gods.

3. Amusements

• Circus Maximus - held 250,000

• Colosseum

• Gladiators

• “Bread and

Circuses”-

Kept the poor

happy

with free

entertainment

and bread

Sub Floor of the Colosseum

4. Science

• Galen - books on medical knowledge

• Ptolemy-earth is center of universe?

• Concrete - put to practical use

• Sewer systems, roads, arches, domes

• Aqueducts - bridges that carry water to a city

Arch of Titus

5. Language

• Romans learned alphabet from Greeks, originally from Phoenicians.

• Our alphabet includes the 23 Roman letters (plus J,V,W)

• Half of all English words have Latin origins.

• Latin was official language and used in most of Europe for centuries.

• Catholic church used until 1960’s.

• Latin is parent language of Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian.

D. A New Religion - Christianity

• Rome conquers Judea (Israel today)

• The Agrippa family put in charge of Judea with a Roman governor to keep order

• Jews yearn for freedom

• Frequent revolts

• Hope for a Messiah or savior ( to free or save them from Rome)

• Jesus Christ is born and viewed as the savior

1. Jesus'

teachings:

• There is one God

• God’s kingdom is not of this world

• God wants a relationship with you

• God is personal, loving, perfect, and forgiving

• Love one another as I have loved you

• Be just, moral and righteous

2. Jesus’ death and the Rise of Christianity

• Jesus is crucified in Judea, he is called Messiah

• Christianity begins with his resurrection.

• As Roman Empire declines and things get worse there are more and more converts to Christianity

• Emperor Nero - blames Christians for his poor leadership and insanity, kills thousands.

• officially regarded as a religio prava, an evil or depraved religion.

• Christians Become Martyrs and live in Catacombs

• Emperor Constantine - accepts Christianity and makes it Rome’s official religion in 300 CE. When Christians begin to outnumber Pagans, a change must take place.

• Roman acceptance of Christianity allows the religion to spread throughout the world.

3. The Early Christian

Church • Early believers met in

homes; churches appeared in 200s

• No denominations

• Pope - leader of Christian Church; 1st Pope was Peter

• Council of Nicaea -organized the basic Christian beliefs and required them as a standard for Christian faith (the Trinity). This helped Christianity become the official religion of Rome.

Pope Francis, 1st papal “selfie” 2014

Pope Benedict resigned in 2013, 1st since 1400s

3. The Early Christian Church con’t. 1. Monotheistic faith based on

the Trinity (3 in 1) (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)

2. Bible becomes holy text • 66 books, 40 authors

• Old Testament = Hebrew authors

• New Testament = authors who knew Jesus or taught by those who did

• Comes from Greek word for “the books”

3. Belief in afterlife in heaven or hell

• based on faith in God and Christ's resurrection, good works, participation in sacraments

NOTE: Christianity is the largest religion in the world today with over 2

billion followers.

(Islam is a close 2nd)

Catacombs or Sewers of Rome

E. Rome begins to collapse

1. Poor leaders (19 of 20 die violent

deaths, civil war)

2. Empire grew too fast and too big.

3. Economic problems (High taxes,

inflation, more imports than export,

decline in trade.)

4. Public services too costly.

5. Disease and natural disaster lower

population.

6. Invasions by barbaric tribes.

1. The Invaders

• Germanic tribes from

Northern Europe –

Goths, Franks, Angles,

Saxons, Vandals

(vandalism)

• Huns (Asia) – Attila

• 476 A.D. – fall of Roman

Empire, last Roman

emperor is overthrown

Result: Anarchy and Chaos http://www.eduplace.com/kids/socsci/

ca/books/bkf3/imaps/AC_15_503_in

vasions/AC_15_503_invasions.html

• Emperor Constantine changes the capital of the

Roman Empire to Byzantium and renames it

Constantinople to avoid the invaders. 330 CE • http://www.eduplace.com/kids/socsci/ca/books/bkf3/imaps/AC_15_491

_division/AC_15_491_division.html

2. The Fall of Western Rome

The Roman Empire (though much reduced)

continues in the East as

the Byzantine Empire

Western Rome falls.… The End