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1. Rome
2. The Italian Landscape Geography made Italy easier to unify compared to Greece
Rome is in the center of Italy, which is in the center of the Mediterranean Sea
Fertile plains supported a growing population
3. Roman Beginnings Etruscans were the biggest influence on Roman people
Romans used their alphabet which was acquired from the Greeks
Also used their architectural techniques for building and draining – the arch and drainage systems
4. The Early Republic 509 B.C. – Rome is founded when the Etruscan king is driven out
Romans establish a new type of government – republic – thing of people
Republic – would keep any individual from gaining too much power
They also developed a military to conquer the entire Mediterranean world
5. Romulus and Remus Romulus & Remus were the sons of Mars
They were found by a wolf who them fed them with her milk
The boys grew up to be very strong and clever and they decided to build a town
They had an argument about who should be in charge.
Romulus killed his brother in the fight
6. The Senate Was the most powerful governing body
Patricians – members of the landholding upper class
300 Senators served life sentences and interpreted laws
Also elected two consuls each year
7. Consuls Watched over the government and commanded the military
Consuls served only one term
Consulted with the senate
Limited time in office meant Rome had a system of checks on power
If a war occurred the senate could choose a dictator that had complete control for six months
8. Plebians Plebeians – working class people that made up the bulk of the population but had little influence
450 B.C. – the laws of Rome were inscribed on 12 tablets and set up in the Forum (marketplace)
Meant that everyone knew the laws and could protest ruling thought to be against them
9. Tribunes Were elected by plebeians and could veto laws that would hurt plebeians
This all became a basis for the United States Constitution
10. Expansion in Italy 270 B.C. – Romans had conquered the Etruscans and all of Italy
Armies were made of citizen-soldiers who fought without pay and used their own weapons
Made of legions consisting of 5,000 men
They had good skills and valued loyalty and courage
Victory gained gifts and praise
Retreat meant 1 in 10 men would be killed
11. Conquered People Had to pay taxes, supply soldiers and acknowledge Roman law
Rome let they keep their customs, money and local gov’t.
Some people were allowed to become citizens
Other could be partial citizens who could marry Romans
This all created loyalty to the empire
12. Roman Empire Soldiers were dispersed throughout the empire
All weather roads were built to link distant lands to Rome
13. Punic Wars From 264 B.C.-146 B.C. Rome fought three wars with Carthage called the Punic Wars
1st Punic War – Rome defeated Carthage and gained Sicily, Corsica and Sardinia
14. Hannibal 2nd Punic War – Hannibal led the Carthaginian army all over Italy winning battle after battle for 15 years
Rome then attacked Carthage to end the war
Carthage lost all its land except Africa and had to pay a huge tribute to Rome
Rome was now the strongest power in the Mediterranean
15. 3rd Punic War Carthage kept the peace but was attacked by Rome because they were still seen as a threat
Survivors were killed or sold into slavery
Salt was poured over their fields so nothing would grow ever again
16. Ruler of the Mediterranean World Rome expanded east attacking the successors of Alexander the Great’s empire
Macedonia, Greece and Asia Minor were all conquered
Egypt allied with Rome
Rome now ruled everything from Spain to Egypt
17. Effects of Expansion Rome conquered many lands and gained control of important trade routes
Some Romans became rich while many people were still poor
Government officials became greedy and corrupt
Reform was implement by two tribunes Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus
18. Tiberius Asked Rome to give land to the poor
19. Gaius Wanted Rome to buy food to feed the poor
The senate killed them and thousands of their followers leading to 100 years of civil war
20. Caesars Bid for Power 48 B.C. - Julius Caesar became the absolute ruler of Rome and implemented many reforms
Created public works to employ the jobless
Gave public land to the poor
Granted Roman citizenship to more people
Introduced a new calendar, the Julian calendar that is the basis of our calendar today
Became feared because of his power and was killed by senators
21. Augustus Civil war broke out again and in 31 B.C. his grandnephew Octavian Augustus came to power
Augustus ruled with absolute power causing the end of the 500-year republic and the beginning the age of the Roman empire
22. The Roman Peace The 200-year period that began with Augustus was called the Pax Romana, or Roman Peace
This was a time of peace, order, unity and prosperity
Legions maintained roads and fleets chased pirates while trade moved freely all the way to China
23. Circuses Chariot races and gladiator contests were paid for by the emperors in order to entertain them and keep them from becoming restless mobs
24. Bread and 2. Free grain was provided to feed the poor
25. Jews and the Roman Empire Rome allowed its citizens to worship as they pleased
Some Jewish reformers called for independence
66 A.D. - The Jews revolted but were defeated by the Romans and forced out of their homeland, Palestine
26. The Life of Jesus A new religion emerged with a Jew named Jesus
He claimed that he was savior of the Jewish people
27. Crucifixion To the Roman authorities Jesus was a revolutionary who might start another Jewish rebellion
He was arrested by the Romans, tried and crucified – a Roman method of execution
28. Spread of Christianity Rome’s tolerant attitude toward religion did not extend to Christianity
Forced to meet in secret to avoid persecution
Were often accused of engaging in evil practices
The inclusion of Greek philosophy in Christianity attracted educated Romans to the religion
Willingness of Christians to die for their religion impressed and brought even more converts
29. Early Christian Church 313 A.D. - Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan – ending the persecution of Christians
80 years later emperor Theodosius made Christianity the official religion of the Roman empire
30. Empire In Crisis After the end of Pax Romana political turmoil overtook Rome
Generals seized power, ruled for a few months to a year and were overthrown
31. Efforts at Reform Diocletian divided the empire into two parts
Kept control of the eastern part and appointed a co-emperor for the west
32. Constantine Tolerated Christianity
Built a new Roman capital on the Bosporus called Constantinople, making the eastern empire the center of power
33. End of Greatness Military Causes
Invasion by Germanic tribes
Roman armies lacked discipline in training in the end
Political and Economic Causes
The government became oppressive and authoritarian
The division of the empire weakened it
Heavy taxes and the reliance on slave labor hampered technological advances
The population declined due to war and disease
The eastern Roman empire later became known as the Byzantine empire and lasted for another 1,000 years