Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

Warm-up them minds

1. Which group of people held more power in the Roman republic, patricians or plebeians?

2. How was the Roman Republic different from a Monarchy?

3. Who were the Punic Wars fought between?

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

Reading Focus

• What problems did leaders face in the late Roman Republic?

• How did Rome become an empire?

• What helped tie the Roman empire together during the Pax Romana?

Main Idea

Governmental and social problems led to the end of the Roman Republic and the creation of a new form of government.

From Republic to Empire

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

By the mid-100s BC, Rome had no rival anywhere in the Mediterranean world. However, the responsibilities of running their vast holdings stretched the Roman political system to its limits.

• Revolution began in political, social institutions

• Tensions grew between classes of Roman society

• Gracchi brothers tried to resolve tension

Social Unrest

• Tribune Tiberius Gracchus noted mistreatment of soldier-farmers

• Many reduced to poverty

• Tiberius, brother Gaius tried to help soldiers

Soldier-Farmers

• Gracchi tried to redistribute public land to farmers

• Had public support, but Senate feared Gracchi trying to reduce its power

• Senate urged mobs to kill brothers

Public Land

Problems in the Late Republic

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

Summarize

**And write this down**What challenges faced Rome in the late

Republic?

Answer(s): slave revolts, social unrest, the Social War, and a civil war in which Sulla became dictator

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

Sulla paved the way for major changes in Rome’s government. The end of the Republic resulted from the ambitions of a few individuals.

• Julius Caesar, Gnaeus Pompey, Licinius Crassus helped bring end to Republic

• Caesar, Pompey successful military commanders

• Crassus one of wealthiest people in Rome

• 60 BC, the three took over Roman state, ruled as First Triumvirate

The First Triumvirate• Crassus died; Pompey, Caesar

fought civil war

• Caesar defeated Pompey, took full control of Rome, became dictator for life, 44 BC

• Caesar brought many changes to Rome, popular reforms

• Caesar went on to add new conquests to Rome, sending word back, “Veni, Vidi, Vinci!”

End of Triumvirate

Rome Becomes an Empire

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

Caesar named Dictator!• In Rome, the Senate elected

Caesar dictator, consul, tribune, sole commander of the army, and chief of the city’s treasury.

– He expanded the senate, elected friends and supporters from Italy and neighboring provinces.

• He built new temples, libraries, and buildings.

• Ordered a review of the Roman calendar to make it more accurate.

– Fun Fact: the month July is named after him

• Most Roman’s believed Caesar’s one-man rule was preferable to the chaos that had gone before, even though is violated the Republic’s constitution.

• But not everyone was pleased with Caesar’s accomplishments…

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

Et tu Brute?!• Other Romans, especially

the Senators hated Caesar and plotted to get rid of him.– When Caesar brought

Cleopatra to Rome and had a statue of her placed in a temple, his opponents were outraged

• A group of disgruntled Senators hatched a plan to kill him, on March 15 in 44 B.C.

• Pretending they wanted to question him about a petition, they gathered around him in the Senate chambers.– They had daggers hidden

in their togas.

• Caesar saw his “friend” Brutus with a dagger, his last words were “et tu Brute” (you too Brutus?)– Horrible Histories video

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

Civil War

• Civil war between Octavian, Antony broke out

• Octavian defeated Antony and his ally, Egypt’s Queen Cleopatra

• Cleopatra, Antony committed suicide; Octavian alone controlled Rome

• Republic effectively dead; new period in Roman history beginning

The Second Triumvirate

• Caesar’s murder did not save the Republic

• 43 BC, Second Triumvirate took power—Caesar’s grand-nephew/adopted son, Octavian; loyal officer Marc Antony; high priest Lepidus

• Lepidus pushed aside; Antony, Octavian agreed to govern half the empire each, Octavian in west, Antony in East

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

Check…1…2…

1. What challenges did Rome face in the LATE REPUBLIC?

2. What happened to all of the land that the Roman military conquered…who was it

given to?3. What was the First Triumvirate?

4. What happened when the First Triumvirate ended?

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

Octavian Takes Power• Octavian faced task of restoring

order in empire

• Had no intention of establishing dictatorship when he took power

Principate• Octavian careful to avoid title of

king or emperor

• Called himself princeps, “first citizen”

• Government called Principate

New Political Order• Octavian decided it impossible

to return Rome to republican form of government

• Created new political order, known today as the empire

New Title• 27 BC, Senate gave Octavian

title Augustus, “exalted one”

• Title a religious honor; able to wear laurel and oak leaf crown

From Octavian to Augustus

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

Accomplishments of Augustus

• Encouraged trade

• Common coinage

• Civil Service—grain supply, postal system, tax collection– Done by plebeians and former slaves

• Buildings and monuments http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGN-KDH1A34

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

The Good Emperors

Empire grew tremendously under Good Emperors

• Reached limits of expansion under Trajan

• Added what are now Romania, Armenia, Mesopotamia, and the Sinai Peninsula

• Successor Hadrian thought empire too large

– Withdrew from almost all eastern additions

– Built defensive fortifications to guard against invasions

– Built wall 73 miles long in northern Britain

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

Explain

**And write this down**

What aspects of Roman society remained similar from Republic to Empire?

Answer(s): wide disparity from Rich and poor,

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

Empire brought uniformity to the cities of the Mediterranean world, which were governed in imitation of Rome.

The period from the beginning of August’s reign in 27 BC until the death of the last of the Good Emperors in AD 180 is often called the Pax Romana—the Roman Peace. This era was characterized by stable government, a strong legal system, widespread trade, and peace.

• Roman government strongest unifying force in empire

• Maintained order, enforced laws, defended frontiers

• Aristocracy participated, but emperors made all important decisions

Government

The Pax Romana

• Empire divided into provinces ruled by governors appointed from Rome

• Government in Rome kept close check on governors

• Any citizen could appeal unfair treatment directly to emperor

Provinces

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

AnalyzeHow did government, law, and trade tie the

Roman people together?

Answer(s): The Roman government was the strongest unifying force, maintaining order, enforcing the laws, and defending the frontiers. Roman law provided stability and, with few exceptions, the same laws applied to everyone in the empire. Trade provided opportunities for commerce between people in different parts of the empire.

Rome and Early Christianity Section 2

Cleopatra Music video