Geography & Early Republic

1. Setting the Stagea. With the defeat of the Persians by Alexander and the eventual

decline of the Greek Civilization, power would eventually shift west

towards the Italian peninsula

b. The Romans would build an amazing empire filled with many

different cultures and help spawn a brand new religion: Christianity

Geography & Early Republic

2. Origins of Romea. Legend says that twins Romulus and Remus were abandoned on

the Tiber River and raised by a she-wolf

b. Later the two boys decided to build a city

c. Eventually Romulus kills Remus & city of Rome is named after Romulus

Geography & Early Republic

3. Geographya. Rome was built on 7 rolling hills of Tiber River

b. Located on Italian Peninsula (Italy)

c. Bordered by Adriatic Sea to the east

d. Near midpoint of Mediterranean Sea

e. Mediterranean Climate: warm year round- encouraged outdoor activities

Geography & Early Republic4. The First Romans

a. Three groups settled on Italian Peninsula from 1000-500 B.C.

i. The Latins

1. Built original settlement of wooden huts

2. Considered to be the first Romans

3. Helped spread Latin derived languages to the area

Geography & Early Republicii. The Greeks

1. Moved north into Italy during decline of Hellenistic Culture

2. Settled in Southern Italy and Sicily

3. Brought all of Italy, including Rome, into contact with the

Greek civilization

4. Brought architecture, democracy, and philosophy

Geography & Early Republiciii. The Etruscans

1. Skilled metal workers native to northern Italy

2. Strongly influenced Roman civilization

3. Influenced Roman arch

4. Influenced Roman lust for killing (ex. Gladiator battles)

Geography & Early Republic

5. Early Romea. Early Etruscan kings and successors built temples and public

centers in Rome

b. The Forum was the heart of the Roman political life

c. After Rome’s last king was driven from power in 509 B.C for being too harsh, the Romans declared they would never again be ruled by a king

d. Instead they established a republic, which meant “public affairs”

e. A republic is a form of government in which power rests with citizens who have the right to vote for their leaders

f. In Rome, citizenship with voting rights was granted only to free-born

male citizens

The Roman Forum

Roman Forum Ruins

Geography & Early Republic

6. People of Romea. Rome was divided up into several different groups who struggled for power

b. Patricians: wealthy landowners who held most of the power

c. Plebeians: the common farmers, artisans, and merchants; majority of pop.

Geography & Early Republicd. Tribunes: elected representatives who protected the rights of the

plebeians from patrician officials

Geography & Early Republice. Consuls: two officials with limited power and one year terms; one

controlled the army the other directed the government

f. Dictator: in times of crisis, the republic could appoint a leader with absolute

power to make laws and control the army; power lasted for 6 months

g. Legions: military units made up of 5,000 soldiers

Geography & Early Republic

7. Roman Power Expandsa. Steadily the Romans conquered the Italian Peninsula

b. As Rome conquered lands, people were absorbed into their ever

growing territory

c. Some people were accepted as citizens, others simply became allies

d. Rome went to war against Carthage; a powerful city in North Africa

e. The struggle became known as the Punic Wars (264-146 B.C.)

The Punic Wars

Geography & Early Republicf. Carthage was led by a brilliant general named Hannibal

g. Hannibal assembled an army of 50,000 infantry, 9,000 cavalry, and 60

elephants intent on capturing Rome

h. He led his troops up through Spain and crossed the Alps into Italy

Punic Wars

Roman Legions all male citizens who owned land

required to serve in army

legion: group of 6000 men

well-trained, disciplined

treated conquered people pretty

well

1st Punic War Carthage – compete w/

Rome for trade, control

Carthage=strong navy,

Rome=has to build one

Rome wins,

gains Sicily

2nd Punic War Hannibal

– General from Carthage

– attacked Rome by land

(with elephants!)

– defeated by Scipio

3rd Punic War Romans=50 years of peace

“Carthago delenda est”

Cathage must be destroyed!

Romans attack AND burn Carthage, enslave people

Rome now Controls

the Mediterranean

Problems in the Republic

Provinces complain of corrupt officials

Wealthy Romans take land from small

farmers

Slaves used on big farms (latifundia).

pushes small farmers/workers into cities

Problems in the Republic The Gap between rich and

poor widens (_),

The poor revolt

Slaves revolt too

–135-132 BC

– Spartacus led

70,000 slaves

Reform Attempts2 Brothers try to help

Tiberius Gracchus

– Wanted to redistribute (give back) land to the poor

– BUT, he was killed by senate

Gaius Gracchus

– Same reforms, same fate

The Army Changes– paid, equipped soldiers

(mercenaries)

– gave land to veterans

This is the beginning of a

professional fighting force

soldiers become more loyal

to generals than republic!!!!

RECAP OF THE PROBLEMS IN THE ROME REPUBLIC

Problems for the Roman Republic ■Rome’s expansion brought wealth,

and problems

–gap b/t rich & poor

–Inflation cost of goods rise

–Large farms and slave labor = small farms out of biz

–Armies loyal to generals

•Generals had more power than senate

–Leads to civil wars in Rome

Biggest Problem: The Generals

■The most powerful politicians (Patricians) are also the powerful generals

■They recruited and paid their soldiers (the poor)

–Armies loyal to the general, not the Republic

Julius Caesar

■Brilliant general

■Conquered Gaul (France) for Rome

■Fought with his men, they were dedicated to him

First Triumvirate

■Caesar, Crassus and Pompey leader of Republic as the First Triumvirate

■The Senate worried that Caesar was

getting too powerful

– Orders ceasar to return to Rome and break up army

Caesar Pompey Crassus

Crossing the Rubicon

■Nope! Ceasar took

his army across the Rubicon River, and into Rome

■5 yrs of Civil War wins

■Took power=dictator for life..absolutepower

Caesar’s Reforms

■Expanded citizenship to provinces

■Created jobs by building

government buildings

■Increased soldiers’ pay

■Very popular with the

people

Caesar Assassinated

■The Roman senate worried about Caesar again

–considered him a tyrant

■Several Senators, Marcus Brutus and Gaius Cassius, assassinated him by stabbing (Ides of March)

■The Ides of March. 15 March, marked by several religious observances

In 44 B.C., Senators assassinated Julius Caesar

End of the Republic & Rise of the Empire ■Caesar’s death changed Rome:

–People no longer trusted the Senate to rule Rome & the Roman Republic came to an end & the empire began

The assassination led to another civil war led by Caesar’s adopted nephew Octavian &

his best general, Marc Antony

Second Triumvirate

■Octavian, Lepidus and Marc Antony take control of ROME

■Octavian strongest of the 3, defeats Antony and Egyptian ally Cleopatra.

■ Put Lepidus into exile.

Octavian

■Caesar’s adopted son

■Very smart politician

■Caesar’s assassinated,Rome…civil war.

■Octavian wins

First Emperor

■Augustus defeats Antony, Rome‘s first emperor

■Maintained control of the army

■Senate had little real power

Further expansion

The Rise of the Roman Empire

Octavian leader of Rome, given the title Augustus (“Exalted

One”), & became Rome’s first emperor

Under Augustus, Rome was ruled as an empire; absolute

rule…senate no power

The Pax Romana Augustus’ 41 year reign started a 207-year era

of peace, wealth, & expansion known as the Pax Romana (“the Roman Peace”) from 27 B.C. to

180 A.D.

Pax Romana

Pax romana

■Roman Peace

■27 BC- 180 AD

■Expansion and solidification of Roman Empire

■Afforded safety and leisure time inside the empire

–Some people talk about a Pax Americana since World War II

During the Pax Romana, the empire expanded to its height & brought great wealth to Rome

Lyon FranceLondon

Africa

Political Impacts of pax romana

■Uniform rule of law

■Developed civil service

■Expanded control of Europe and Mediterranean world

Economic impacts of Pax Romana

■Uniform system of money/currency

■Trade inside the empire flourished

–Trade with India and China

Roman roads

■Romans build a network roads

–Good for:

•Trade

•Travel

•Moving armies around

•Communicating withprovinces

The Pax Romana became the “golden age” of Rome as emperors like Augustus built roads & a merit-based bureaucracy to rule the empire

Roman aqueducts brought water to cities

Roman architects used new styles like domes & concrete to beautify cities

Emperors built arenas & used chariot races, gladiator events, & theater to entertain the poor

The Roman Coliseum

Gladiators

■To control the masses in Rome, colosseum

Conclusions

■Rome started out as a city, to a republic, to an empire

–The era of the Roman Republic introduced representative democracy

–The era of Pax Romana & the “golden age” of Roman innovation & culture