Section 2-Main Idea

The BIG Idea

Order and Security The Romans created a large and successful empire that spread Greco-Roman culture and later Christianity.

Section 2-Key Terms

Content Vocabulary

• republic

• patrician

• plebeian

• imperator

• Christianity

Academic Vocabulary

• virtually • transformation

Section 2-Key Terms

People and Places

• Rome

• Carthage

• Hannibal

• Julius Caesar

• Augustus

• Pax Romana

• Jesus

• Constantine

Section 2

The Rise of Rome

The Romans were able to use their political and military skills to create a large and successful empire.

Section 2

• An Indo-European people known as the Romans were living in the hills of Rome by 1000 B.C. They were herders and farmers who spoke Latin.

• The Greeks and the Etruscans heavily influenced the development of Rome.

• The Romans eventually overthrew the last Etruscan king and by 264 B.C., Rome had conquered virtually all of Italy.

The Rise of Rome (cont.)

Section 2

• The Romans formed the Roman Confederation, which allowed some peoples to have full Roman citizenship, while others were made allies.

• Allies could run their own local affairs as long as they provided soldiers for Rome.

The Rise of Rome (cont.)

Section 2

• The Romans fought three wars with Carthage, a large trading empire in North Africa.

• During the second war, the Romans defeated the Carthaginian general, Hannibal, and gained Spain.

• By the end of the wars, Rome had gained Macedonia, Greece, and Pergamum, making it the dominant power in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Rise of Rome (cont.)

Punic Wars, 264–146 B.C.

Section 2

• In 509 B.C., the Romans established a republic.

• Patricians and plebeians made up Roman society. Men in both groups were citizens and could vote; however, only patricians, the wealthy landowners, could be elected to public office.

The Rise of Rome (cont.)

Section 2

• Roman government

− Two consuls, chosen every year, ran the government and led the army into war.

− A praetor was in charge of civil law.

− The Roman Senate was made up of 300 patricians who were elected for life and advised government officials.

− The centuriate assembly elected chief officials and passed laws.

The Rise of Rome (cont.)

Section 2

− The council of plebs was also given some power.

• In 45 B.C., Julius Caesar was made dictator after he defeated Pompey. He was assassinated in 44 B.C.

• The Senate gave Caesar’s heir, Octavian, the title of Augustus, meaning the revered one.

The Rise of Rome (cont.)

Section 2

• The Senate also gave Augustus the title of imperator, making him the first emperor of the Roman Empire.

• The Pax Romana was a period of peace that lasted for about 200 years. The building of roads and public works was undertaken to help the empire.

• At its height, the Roman Empire was one of the greatest states the world has ever seen, with much prosperity, peace, and high levels of trade.

The Rise of Rome (cont.)

Section 2

The Roman Empire

The Romans spread Greco-Roman arts and culture throughout the empire.

Section 2

• Roman culture spread through the empire and mixed with the existing Greek culture, resulting in a Greco-Roman civilization.

• The Romans borrowed heavily from Greek styles of art and architecture.

• The Romans used concrete on a massive scale to construct roads, bridges, and aqueducts throughout the empire.

The Roman Empire (cont.)

Section 2

• The Age of Augustus is known as the golden age of Latin literature.

• Virgil was a distinguished poet who wrote the Aeneid. He believed Rome’s gift was the art of ruling.

• Livy was a Roman historian who saw history in terms of moral lessons.

The Roman Empire (cont.)

Section 2

• Slavery was common in the ancient world, and the Romans depended heavily on slave labor for household duties and the building of public works.

• The slaves were treated poorly and in 73 B.C., a gladiator named Spartacus led a revolt of 70,000 slaves who defeated several Roman armies before they were captured and put to death.

The Roman Empire (cont.)

Section 2

• Rome was a city of grandeur unequaled anywhere in the world. However, a large gap existed between the rich and the poor.

• The wealthy lived in comfortable villas, while the poor lived in apartment complexes called insulae.

• The emperor provided entertainment for the city, including horse and chariot races, theatre performances, and gladiator fights.

The Roman Empire (cont.)

Section 2

• Rome’s first code of laws was the Twelve Tables.

• From the Twelve Tables, the Romans developed a system of civil laws that only applied to Roman citizens.

• Romans then established the Law of Nations, standards of justice that applied to all people.

The Roman Empire (cont.)

Twelve Tables of Rome, 449 B.C.

Section 2

• The principles of this legal system provided the basis of our current legal system.

The Roman Empire (cont.)

Twelve Tables of Rome, 449 B.C.

Section 2

End of the Empire

Although emperors used control and coercion to keep the empire functioning, migrating Germanic tribes took control of the Western Roman Empire.

Section 2

• Two emperors attempted to save the declining empire by changing the government structure, economic and social systems, and by implementing Christianity as the new state religion.

• Diocletian split the empire into four regions, each with its own ruler.

• Constantine created a new capital city in the east called Constantinople that became the “New Rome” in the Eastern Roman Empire.

End of the Empire (cont.)

Section 2

• Diocletian’s and Constantine’s reforms enlarged the army and the civil service, which drained most of the public funds. Spending large amounts of money to save the empire hurt the Roman economy.

• The Roman Empire was divided into two parts: Rome was the capital of the Western Roman Empire and Constantinople was the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire.

End of the Empire (cont.)

Section 2

• The Huns moved into Eastern Europe and pushed the Germanic Visigoths into the Western Roman Empire.

• The Visigoths were initially Roman allies, but revolted. They sacked the Roman capital in 410 A.D.

• The Vandals spread into Spain and North Africa. They captured Rome in 455 A.D.

End of the Empire (cont.)

End of the Roman Empire, A.D. 200–500

Section 2

• In 476 A.D., the western emperor, Romulus Augustus, was deposed by the Germanic army. The year A.D. 476 is considered the end of the Western Roman Empire.

• The Eastern Roman Empire, or Byzantine Empire, continued to thrive.

End of the Empire (cont.)