Hannibal crossing the Alps:
One of the greatest military achievements of ancient warfare. Happened during the 2nd Punic War. Hannibal crossing the Alps was known to be one of the major achievements. 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.
Roman Trade
Very vital to the Roman Empire. Most common trade items included beef, corn, glassware, iron, lead, leather, marble, olive oil, perfumes, purple ye, silk, silver, spices, timber, tin and wine.
Main trading partners were Spain, France, the Middle East, and North Africa. Made trade very simple by only using 1 form of currency.
They used the Tiber River, Mediterranean Sea, and the Black Sea for a trading route. Manufacturing of goods increased in the empire’s cities, and many opportunities for commerce existed. Rome became one of the empire’s greatest commercial centers. Two-way trade routes extended to other commercial in lands as far away as Egypt, Germany, and China. The empire’s locations around the Mediterranean Sea helped make all this commercial activity possible.
Roman Ag
Used crop rotation. Sometimes had to import food because of mountains. After conquering Egypt, able 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 almost every meal. Majority of work done on the farm was by slaves and servants.
Farms created main source of income for Romans. Certain types of food were given out to the public for free (corn, wheat). Since Roman Empire stretched through a lot of land, there were different climates to allow a mixture of crops produced. 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 farm out.
Slavery General Info:
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 debt by becoming a slave for a certain period of time, depending on the debt. Some slaves were forced to become gladiators.
Saturnalia – a Christmas for the slaves in which the slaves and masters switched places. During the celebration the master performed all the task a slave would. It was a way that masters would show appreciation and respect for slaves.
Slavery: Manual labor. Domestic services. Could be highly educated and skilled, worked as teachers and physicians. Slaves task include working on farms-produced the food and materials the cities depended on. Business managed shops for store owners, in charge of shop keeping, lending of money and selling of merchandise. Public buildings- worked on adequate systems, built roads and bridges and arenas.
Gladiators
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 and their lives for the glory. They had costumes and scenery which had to be put up as well.
Gladiator Games:
Thumbs up means save the gladiator that’s down and thumbs down means let him die. Order of 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.
Emperors KNOW THE EMPORORS
Tiberius- adopted son of Augustus – 22 years and 6 months – 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 and once threatened to have his horse made consul, and at another time raised a great army, and marched it hundreds of miles, and then commanded the soldiers to gather the shells on the beach and carry them back to Rome.
Claudius I – nephew of Tiberius and uncle of Caligula – 13 years and 9 months – probably poisoned by his wife Agrippina. He was a week and foolish emperor who allowed the cruelest acts to be committed in his name, and then forgot them, and invited the persons to dinner whom he had just put to death.
Nero – 13 years and 8 months – stepson and adopted son of Claudius. He was a monster of vanity and cruelty; he was suspected of setting fire to the city and allowing more than two-thirds of it to burn up, in order that he might rebuild it finer than it had been before.
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