-Hannibal Crossing the Alps
- One of the greatest military achievements of ancient warfare
- Happened during the 2nd Punic War
- Took 16 days to cross
- Many of their elephants did not survive the journey.
-Why did He Cross the Alps
- He thought that it would give him a better chance against the Romans if he came down with all of his war elephants
- The wars were fought over pure hatred by one side against the other
It wasn’t a good decision because he lost so many elephants and men. Clearly the tactic didn’t work. His “surprise attack” didn’t surprise them too much… obviously.
-Roman Trade
- Very vital to the Roman empire
- Most common trade items were beef, corn, iron, and lead
- Main trading partners: Spain, France, the Middle east and north Africa
- Made trade simple using 1 form of currency.
- They used the Tiber River, Mediterranean Sea, and the Black Sea for a trading route
- Two way trade routes extended to other commercial centers in lands as far away as Egypt Germany and China
- The empire’s location around the Mediterranean Sea helped make all this commercial activity possible.
I would rather have higher trade than be poor and not have anything. If you have plenty of money, you should be able to protect your land.
-Roman Agriculture
- Used crop rotation
- Sometimes had to import food because of mountains
- After conquering Egypt, able to to import lots of wheat
- Most of the crops raised on large estates called latifundias.
- Cicero considered farming the best of all Roman occupations
- The main crop was wheat, and bread was present during every meal
- Majority of the work done on the farm was by slaves and servants
- Farms created the main source of income for Romans
- Certain types of food were given out to the public for free
- Since Roman empire stretched through a lot of land, there were different climates to allow a mixture of crops produces
- Romans had 4 systems of farm management work done by owner and family, tenant farming, and share cropping forced labor(slaves), and other arrangements in which farm owners lended land out.
I would put a higher value on smaller farms. They most likely produce the better goods.
-Slavery
- Ancient Rome depended on slaves
- Most slaves were foreigners and unlike most places it did not depend on race
- Not uncommon for desperate Romans to sell their children into slavery
- When freed, they could work the same jobs as the Plebeians
- Debt slavery was common, where a person could work off a debt by becoming a slave for a certain period of time
- Some slaves were forced to be gladiators
- Saturnalia- a Christmas for the slaves in which the slaves and masters switched places
- During this celebration the master performed all tasks a slave usually would
- It was a way for masters to show appreciation
- Manual labor
- Domestic services
- Could be highly educated and skilled. Worked as teachers and physicians
- Slaves tasks include working on farms- produced the food and materials the cities depended on
- Businesses- managed shops for store owners in charge of shop keeping lending of money and selling of merchandise
- Public buildings- worked on aqueduct systems, built roads and bridges and arenas.
I would rather be a slave. They are fed, taken care of, and didn’t have to pay for anything. When you are a poor farmer you have all those responsibilities placed on you.
-Gladiator
- The gladiator games were games fought between an armed man and a criminal, wild animal, or another soldier. They were fought in the Coliseum in front of large audiences. Many of the people who fought the criminals, and wild animals risked their social standing for the glory. They had costumes and scenery which had to be put up all the time.
-Gladiator Games
- Thumbs up means save the gladiator that’s down and thumbs down means let him die
- Order of the events at the Gladiator Games:
- Animal hunts- they had a scene and the emperor would use a bow from his box seat and shoot them
- The Bestiarii- these were gladiators trained to fight tigers and lions
- Criminals were sentenced to fight wild beasts at the games but without any skills, weapons or armor
I wouldn’t be a criminal…. But I would rather fight in the Gladiator Games. You would have a higher chance of living and if you lived you would have the glory.
-Emperors
- Tiberius- adopted son of Augustus- 22 years and 6 months old- possibly assassinated by Caligula. He was a cruel tyrant who put men to death upon mere suspicion
- Caligula-great nephew of Tiberius- 3 years and 10 months- assassinated in conspiracy involving senators and Praetorian guards
- He was insane
- Wanted his horse as consul and marched an army to the beach to pic up sea shell
- Claudius I- nephew of Tiberius and uncle of Caligula- 13 years and 9 months- probably poisoned by his wife.
- He was a weak and foolish emperor who allowed the cruelest acts to be committed in his name, then forgot them, and invited the persons for dinner whom he had just put to death
- Nero- stepson and adopted son of Claudius I
- 13 years and 8 months
- Monster of vanity and cruelty
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