Rome
Geography
-Rome was built on 7 rolling hills around the Tiber River, near the center of the Italian peninsula.
-It is the midway point between the Alps and Italy's southern tip.
First Romans
-From 1000 to 500 B.C., three groups inhabited the region and fought for control of it.
-They were the Latins, Greeks, and Etruscan.
-The Latins built the original settlement at Rome. It was a cluster of wooden huts on top of one of the seven hills.
Greek Influence
-Between 750 B.C. and 600 B.C., the Greeks established colonies along the southern part of Italy and Sicily.
-The cities became very prosperous and commercially active.
-They brought all of Italy, including Rome, into closer contact with Greek civilization
Etruscans
-They were native to northern Italy.
-They were skilled metal workers and engineers.
-They were very influential in the development of Roman civilization.
-Romans adopted their alphabet.
-Also they adopted some of their architecture, especially the arch.
Republic
Republic- is a form of government in which the power rests with citizens who have the right to vote for their leaders.
-In Rome, citizenship with voting rights was granted only to free-born adult male landowners.
Patricians and Plebeians
-In the Early Republic, different groups of Romans struggled for power.
Patricians-the wealthy landowners who held most of the power.
Plebeians- The common person, but could still vote. Usually farmers and merchants
-The Patricians inherited their power and social status, and claimed that they had the right to rule due to their ancestry.
-They barred the Plebeians from holding high offices in the government.
-In time, the leaders of Rome, allowed the Plebeians to form their own assembly and elect their own representative to protected their rights from the Patrician officials, they called them their Tribunes.
Roman government
Executive Branch
-Two consuls vs one President
-1 yr term vs 4 year term
legislative Branch
Senate
-High social and economic status
-Serve for life
-Advises consuls
Centuriate Assembly
- Soldiers only
-Chose consuls
-Serve for life
Tribal Assembly
-Ordinary citizens
-serve for life
-makes laws
Judicial Branch
-8 judges
-1 year by the Centuriate Assembly
-Two oversee civil and criminal courts( the others govern provinces).
Legal Code
Twelve Tables- This was a list of rules that was the Supreme law of the land in Rome.
-In America, this is equal to the Constitution.
Army
-Along with their government, the Romans also took great pride in their military as well.
-All men who owned land were required to serve in the army.
-Some of the high public office positions required 10 years of military service.
Legions
-The Roman soldiers were organized into large military units called Legions.
-Legions were made up of 5,000 foot soldiers.
-A group of cavalry would support each legion.
-The military organization and fighting skill of the Roman army were key factors in Rome's rise to greatness.
Expansion
-By fourth century B.C., the Romans dominated central Italy.
-They had defeated the Etruscans to to the north and the Greek city-states to the south.
Treatment
-Latins on the Tiber became full citizens.
-In territory farther from Rome, the conquered people were citizens as well but didn't have voting power.
-The remaining people became "allies" of Rome. We won't touch or help you but you still have to give us supplies.
Punic Wars
Who Fought- Rome vs. Carthage
Key Players- Rome and Hannibal
How long did it last-From 264 B.C. to 146 B.C.
Who Won- At the beginning of the first war Carthage was dominant but then Rome won overall.
Lasting effects:There was a rise in the plebeian classes. The Roman political system changed to better secure Roman victory in times of war. After commodity prices fell, many owners of farms couldn’t operate on a profit, and were ultimately bankrupt. The Roman Empire ended up with more conquered land, Carthage was destroyed.
Hannibal- Son of Hamilcar Barca. He was a Punic Carthaginian. He was the military commander of Carthage. his younger brothers were Mago and Hasdrubal, and he was brother-in-law to Hasdrubal the fair.
-1st war- was over control of Sicily
-2nd war- when Hannibal became general of Carthage and he wanted to avenge first defeat. Hannibal attempted a sneak attack through the alps to attack and capture Rome
-3rd war- Scipio attacked Carthage and Hannibal retreated and fought back at native city.
-Rome defeated Carthage in all 3 of the wars. Each war was harder for the Romans to win though
-War 1-2, Rome was on the defensive. Aggressor in the last war.
-Key players- Hannibal(C) Scipio(R) Cincinnatus(R)
-Showed the civilizations in the Mediterranean that Rome was a dominant force.
-By 70 B.C., Rome had conquered a lot of land around the Mediterranean coast.
Roman Republic
-Shortly after their victories in the Punic Wars, the quick and rapid expansion began to hurt the empire.
-The land was going to large estate and the small farmers were not making any money and were out of jobs.
-One of the reasons leading to a civil war.
Julius Caesar
-Another civil war broke out because of Caesar death
Avengers of Caesar
-Octavian, Mark Antony, Lepidus avenged Caesar and became the 2nd triumvirate.
-Even jealousy here, Octavian forced Lepidus to retire his power.
-Mark Antony fell in love with Cleopatra and followed her to Egypt.
-Leaving Octavian to be the sole leader.
Augustus-"Exalted One"
-The term given to Octavian meaning "exalted one"
-Rome was at the peak of its power and at peace throughout Augustus's Rule and even to 180 A.D.
Pax Romana-"Roman Peace"
Research. Our group has Gladiator Games
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 of the second 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.
Roman Trade
-Very vital to the Roman Empire
-Most common trade items: beef, corn, glassware, iron, lead, leather, marble, olive oil, perfumes, purple dye, silk, silver, spices, timber, tin, and wine.
-Main trading partners: 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 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.
Roman ag
-Used crop rotation
-Sometimes had to import food because of mountains
-After conquering Egypt, able to import lots of wheat.
-Most of 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 owner lended farm out.
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, depending on the debt.
-Some slave were forced to become gladiators.
Saturnalia- a Christmas for the slaves in which the slaves and masters switched places.
-During this celebration the master performed all the task a slave would.
- it was a way that masters would show appreciation and respect for slaves
-Manual labor
-Domestic services
-Could be highly educated and skilled, worked as teachers and physicians
-slaves task include working on farms-produced they 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
-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.
-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.
Emporers
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 weak 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 had put to death.
Nero- 13 years and 8 months-Stepson and adopted son of Clausius
- 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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