On this day we continued notes over Roman life. Here are those notes:
Hannibal Crossing the Alps: One of the greatest military achievements of ancient warfare. During the 2nd Punic War. Took 16 days. Many elephants didn't survive the journey. Hannibal thought that it would give him a better chance against the Romans if he came down with all his elephants. Wars were fought over pure hatred against each other.
Roman Trade: Very vital to Roman Empire. Common items included corn, beef, glassware, iron, lead, leather, marble, olive oil, perfumes, purple dye, silk, silver, spices, timber, tin and wine. They traded with Spain, France, the Middle East, and North Africa. Used only one form of currency. Used the Tiber River, Mediterranean Sea, and the Black Sea for routes. Manufacturing of goods increased in the empire's cities, and many opportunities for commerce existed. Two-way trade routes extended to Egypt, Germany, and China. Empire's location around the Mediterranean helped make all this possible.
Roman Agriculture: Used crop rotations. Sometimes had to import food because of mountains. After conquering Egypt what was able to be imported. Most crops raised on large estates called latifundias. Cicero considered farming the best occupation for Romans. Main crop was wheat, and bread was always on the table. Majority of work on the farm done by slaves and servants. Main source of income for Romans. Certain types of foods were given to the public. Since the Roman Empire stretched there were different climates to allow mixture of crops. Romans had four systems of farm management-work done by owner and family, tenant farming, and share cropping forced labor, and other arrangements in which farm owner lent farm out.
General info-Slavery: Ancient Roman depended on slaves. Most slaves were foreigners and it didn't depend on race. Not uncommon for desperate Romans to sell their children into slavery. When freed, they would work the same jobs as Plebeians. Debt slavery was common. Some slaves were forced to become gladiators.
Saturnalia: A Christmas for the slaves in which the slaves and masters switched places. A way to the masters would show appreciation and respect for their slaves.
Slaves: Manual labor. Domestic services. Could be highly educated and skilled, such as teachers and physicians. Tasks included working on farms, manage shops, shop keeping, lending money, selling merchandise, work on aqueduct systems, built roads, bridges, and arenas.
Gladiators: Gladiator games were games fought been an armed man and a criminal, wild animal, or soldier. Fought in the coliseum in front of mass crowds. Many who fought the criminals and wild animals risked their social standing and lives. They had costumes and used scenery. Thumbs up meant the gladiator that was down would survive; thumbs down meant death.
Order of Events-
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 without any skills, weapons, or armor.
Tiberius: Adopted son of Augustus. 22 years and 6 months as Emperor. Possibly assassinated by Caligula. He was a cruel tyrant who put his men to death upon mere suspicion.
Caligula: Great nephew of Tiberius. 3 years and 10 months as Emperor. Assassinated in conspiracy involving senators and Praetorian guards. Was insane and once threatened to have his horse made consul, and at another time raised a grant army and marched it hundreds of miles and commanded the soldiers to gather shells on the beach and carry them back to Rome.
Claudius I: Nephew of Tiberius and uncle of Caligula. 13 years and 9 months as Emperor. Probably poisoned by his wife Agrippina. A weak and foolish emperor who allowed the cruelest acts to be committed in his name and then forgot them. Invited the persons to dinner whom he had just put to death.
Nero: Stepson and adopted son of Claudius. 13 years and 8 months as Emperor. Was a monster of vanity and cruelty. Was suspected of setting fire to the city and allowing more than 2/3 of it to burn up, in order that he might rebuilt it finer than it had before.
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