Chapter 6 The Roman Empire and the Rise of Christianity

1. Chapter 6The Roman Empire and the Rise of Christianity

2. Geography of Italy • Italy is shaped like a boot • It is centrally located in the Mediterranean Sea • Rome is centrally located in Italy

4. Geography of Italy • The Apennines Mountains run down the peninsula but are not very rugged • Italy has broad fertile plains • The fertile plains make it easy to support a growing population • Most of the population lived in the western part of the peninsula

6. Early Rome • Roman mythology – Romulus and Remus founded Rome in 753 BC • Rome is built on 7 hills on the Tiber River

7. Early Rome • The other peoples that lived in Italy were the Etruscans to the north and the Greeks to the south. • The Etruscans conquered Rome in 600BCE and ruled it for about 100 years

8. Early Rome • The Etruscans will have a great influence on the Romans • Learned how to drain swamps • Introduction of the arch • Adopted the Etruscan alphabet which was adopted from the Greeks • Religion – gods & goddesses, similar to those of Etruscans and Greeks

9. The Roman Republic • 509BCE- Romans overthrew the last Etruscan king – Tarquan the Proud • Swore never to be governed by a monarchy again • Established a Republic – where all citizens had the right to vote to elect their representative

10. The Roman Republic • In the early republic the Senate was the most important governing body • It was made up of 300 members from the Patricians – landholding aristocracy – who served for life • Every year 2 consuls (Patricians) were elected to supervise the government, command the army (limited to one term)

12. The Roman Republic • The Senate in times of emergency could appoint a dictator– absolute power for 6 months • Ideal example was Cincinnatus

13. The Roman Republic • Plebeians were the common people – majority of the population – they had very little say in the government • 450 BCE – the Law of the Twelve Tables– the laws of Rome (first written law code) written down and placed in the Forum • Innocent until proven guilty—face accuser before a judge • Plebeians gained the right to elect TribunesThe tribunes could veto, or block, laws that they felt harmed plebeians.

14. The Roman Republic • Other changes in Roman society • Plebeians allowed to elect tribunesto protect their interests • Opened all high offices to plebeian class • Allowed plebeians to serve in the Senate • Plebeians allowed to marry patricians

15. Roman Government More than 2,000 years later, the framers of the United States Constitution would adapt Roman ideas of government, such as the senate, the veto, and checks on political power.

16. Roman family The family was the basic unit of Roman society. Male was head of household and had absolute authority. – Paterfamilias (dominant male)—until he died son’s could not legally own property He enforced strict discipline and demanded total respect for his authority. His wife was subject to his authority (kill her for adultery or divorce her at will). He could whip, sell, imprison, or kill any of his children. Wife not allowed to administer her own affairs.

17. Women • The ideal Roman woman was loving, dutiful, dignified, and strong. • Virtues expected were fidelity, chastity, modesty, and dedication to family • Women will gain more freedom during the empire • Father arranged marriages of their daughters – legal age for girls to marry -12 but 14 was more common. Boys could marry at 14 but usually later.

18. Women • Wife was matron of the family • Ran household, supervised the domestic slaves, planned the meals, and devoted herself to her children

19. Education • Girls and boys (wealthy) alike learned to read and write. Even lower-class Romans were taught to write.  • Girls pushed into marriage while boys moved into secondary schools – history & rhetoric important. • wealthy Romans were hiring private tutors, often Greeks, to supervise the education of their children.

20. Roman life • No other people in the ancient world had more slaves than the Romans- estimate about 1 slave for every 2 to 4 Romans • Treatment varied from humane to torture – very strict laws against helping runaway slaves. • Manumission—freeing of individual slaves by their masters—will become common so laws were passed to limit the practice

21. Religion • Roman gods and goddesses resembled those of the Etruscans and Greeks. Like the Greek god Zeus, the Roman god Jupiter ruled over the sky and the other gods. Juno, his wife, like the Greek goddess Hera, protected marriage. Romans also prayed to Neptune, god of the sea, whose powers were the same as those of the Greek god Poseidon. On the battlefield, they turned to Mars, the god of war. • Roman calendar full of feast days to honor various gods- everyone joined in - created unity

22. Roman Expansion By about 270BCE, Rome controlled most of the Italian peninsula.

23. Roman Expansion • Rome's success was due to skillful diplomacy and to its loyal, well-trained army. The basic military unit was the Legion, made up of about 5,000 men. Roman armies consisted of citizen-soldiers who fought without pay and supplied their own weapons. Roman citizens often made good soldiers because they were brought up to valueloyalty, courage, and respect for authority. 

25. Roman Expansion • To ensure success, Roman commanders mixed rewards with harsh punishment. Young soldiers who showed courage in action won praise and gifts. If a unit fled from battle, however, 1 out of every 10 men from the disgraced unit was put to death.

26. Roman Expansion Why was Rome’s expansion in Italy successful? • Skilled diplomacy • Loyal, well-trained army • Treated defeated enemies fairly • Gave rights to conquered people • conquered people to keep own customs, money & local government

27. Roman Expansion • Roman soldiers were posted to protect the conquered lands • Retired soldiers given lands on the frontier • Romans built excellent road system – helped trade & travel • Appian Way

29. The Punic Wars 264 BCE – 146 BCE After gaining control of the Italian peninsula, Rome began to build an empire around the Mediterranean Sea. • The Romans followed a policy of imperialism, establishing control over foreign lands and peoples • Carthage, Macedonia, Greece, and parts of Asia Minor became Roman provinces, or lands under Roman rule.

30. The Punic Wars 264 BCE – 146 BCE • Rome's conquest of the Italian peninsula brought it into contact with Carthage, a city-state on the northern coast of Africa. Settled by North Africans and Phoenician traders, Carthage ruled over an empire that stretched across North Africa and the western Mediterranean. As Rome expanded westward, conflict between these two powers became inevitable. • Punic Wars fought for control of Western Mediterranean Region

32. First Punic War • Lasted 23 years • Fought mainly for control of Sicily, Corsica & Sardinia • Rome needed to develop a navy – the Raven • Rome wins: Carthage forced to pay war indemnity plus lost Sicily, Corsica & Sardinia

34. Second Punic War 218 BCE • Carthaginians wanted revenge • Carthaginian general Hannibal led his army, including dozens of war elephants, on an epic march across the Pyrenees, through France, and over the Alps into Italy. The trek cost Hannibal nearly half his army and almost all his elephants.

35. Second Punic War 218 BCE • However, the Carthaginian general had surprised the Romans. For 15 years, Hannibal and his army moved across Italy, winning battle after battle. • Battle of Cannae Hannibal most impressive Rome lost about 70,000 men – 20% of the Senate, 1 consul, and nearly all their officers

36. Second Punic War 218 BCE • Rome decides to attack Carthage – Rome led by General Scipio • Hannibal returns to defend Carthage and is defeated—battle of Zama • Carthage must give up all lands outside Africa, pay huge tribute to Rome, can not wage war without Rome permission

37. Punic Wars Cato, a wealthy senator, ended every speech he made with the words “Carthage must be destroyed.”

38. Third Punic War • Third Punic War, Rome completely destroyed Carthage. Survivors were killed or sold into slavery. The Romans poured salt over the earth so that nothing would grow there again. The Romans were now masters of the western Mediterranean

39. Roman Empire 133 BCE Macedonia, Greece, and parts of Asia Minor surrendered and became Roman provinces, that is, lands under Roman rule. Other regions, like Egypt, allied with Rome. Romans called the Mediterranean Mare Nostrum, or “Our Sea.”

41. Effects of Expansion • A new class of wealthy Romans emerged. They built lavish mansions and filled them with luxuries imported from the east. Wealthy families bought up huge estates, called latifundia. As the Romans conquered more and more lands, they forced people captured in war to work as slaves on the latifundia. The farmers' problems were compounded when huge quantities of grain poured in from the conquered lands and drove down grain prices. Many farmers fell into debt and had to sell their land. 

42. Effects of Expansion • Latifundia- huge estates owned by the wealthy. They used slave labor which hurt Roman farmers by driving down the price of grain • Small farmers went into debt and lost their land, flocked to cities to find work

43. Effects of Expansion • Farmers joined a restless class of unemployed people. As the gap between rich and poor widened, angry mobs began to riot.  • The new wealth also increased corruption

44. Attempts at Reform • Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus, two young patricians brothers, attempted reforms. Tiberius, elected tribune in 133 BCE, called on the state to distribute land to poor farmers. Gaius, elected tribune 10 years later, sought a wider range of reforms, including using public funds to buy grain to feed the poor

45. Attempts at Reform • The Gracchus brothers’ reforms angered the senate, which saw them as a threat to its power. • What do you think happens to brothers? • What will be the result?

46. Results • 100 years of Civil War • Slave uprisings – Spartacus (73-71 BCE) as well as revolts by Roman allies • Changes in the Roman army – Legions became professional armies with loyalty to their commanders – generals became very powerful-Marius recruited army from urban poor-Sulla wins civil war

47. Julius Caesar • Caesar along with Crassus and Pompey form the First Triumvirate • 59 BCE, Caesar set out with his army to make new conquests. After nine years of fighting, he completed the conquest of Gaul—the area that is now France.

48. Julius Caesar • Fearful of Caesar's rising fame, Pompey persuaded the senate to order Caesar to disband his army and return to Rome. • If Caesar obeyed Senate, what would his fate be on returning to Rome? • Caesar defied the order. Swiftly and secretly, he led his army across the Rubicon River into northern Italy and then headed toward Rome

49. Julius Caesar • Caesar crushed Pompey and his supporters to take power. He then swept around the Mediterranean, suppressing rebellions. “Veni, vidi, vici”—“I came, I saw, I conquered”—he announced after one victory.

50. Julius Caesar • Returning to Rome, he forced the senate to make him dictator. Although he kept the senate and other features of the republic, he was in fact the absolute ruler of Rome.