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ANCIENT ROME

ROME. Began and was centered in modern day Italy in the Mediterranean Sea.The city of Rome was located on the Tiber River.Fertile land and good location for trade. Crossroads for eastern and western Mediterranean.Early people of this region: Latins, Etruscans. Both were influenced by the Greek

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ANCIENT ROME

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    1. ANCIENT ROME AND THE RISE OF CHRISTIANITY

    2. ROME Began and was centered in modern day Italy in the Mediterranean Sea. The city of Rome was located on the Tiber River. Fertile land and good location for trade. Crossroads for eastern and western Mediterranean. Early people of this region: Latins, Etruscans. Both were influenced by the Greeks quite a bit.

    3. ROMAN REPUBLIC In 509 BC- Romans established a Republic. A Republic is where citizens elected officials to run the government. By 264 Romans controlled all of Italy and had developed a strong military and political structure. 12 Tables: 450 BC. Foundation of Roman Law. Roman Republic Patricians: wealthy landowners. Could be elected. Plebeians: farmers, craftsmen, merchants. Could vote. Consuls: Like President, but two of them. Praetors: Like Judges Senate: Elected group of 300 patricians who served for life. Made laws and major decisions. Assemblies: According to class. Passed laws as well

    4. ROME EXPANDS PUNIC WARS: Carthage was a north African Phoenician country. From 246-202 BCE, Carthage and Rome fought 3 wars with the result of Rome winning and destroying Carthage. Rome also acquired the land of Sicily, Spain and the rest of the Mediterranean, north Africa, Macedonia, Greece

    5. ROME CHANGES FIRST TRIUMVIRATE Rome’s political situation became unstable when land reform became an issue. The Roman army grew stronger and independent of the government and civil war started. Crassus, Pompey and Julius Caesar combined forces to control the government and share power. They were all military leaders. After Crassus died there was a civil war between Pompey and Caesar. Caesar won and was later assassinated by Senators who feared his growing power. SECOND TRIUMVIRATE Octavian (Caesar’s nephew), Anthony (Caesar’s friend) and Lepidus (Caesar’s general) joined forces and later divided Rome between them. After drama with Cleopatra- Octavian emerged as the leader ROME BECOMES AN EMPIRE Octavian renamed himself as Augustus and became the first emperor of Rome in 31 BCE- 14 CE.

    6. THE ROMAN EMPIRE The Senate had some power although the emperor had the most. Emperors were allowed to choose their successors and choose governors of provinces (conquered territories) The PAX ROMANA lasted 200 years (27 BCE- 180 CE) Emperors became increasingly more powerful and more corrupt. Rome expanded as an empire: Romania, Sinai peninsula, Germany, France, Britain, etc. Got too big to manage effectively. 3.5 million square miles with over 50 million people. Local cultures, customs and religions were respected. Latin was the official language. Trade was widespread and went as far as Egypt and China. The gap between rich and poor expanded more and more. Later Roman emperors expected to be worshipped as gods.

    7. ROMAN LIFE THE ARTS: Borrowed a lot from Greeks. Architecture: Invented concrete, built domed structures, aqueducts to carry water and a network of roads. Literature: Poets- Virgil, Horace. Historian Livy SOCIETY: Upper class could read and there were a lot of schools. Wide gap between classes. Slavery was very common- from prisoners of War. Slaves were often tutors, musicians, assistants, cooks, gardeners, gladiators, etc. Public buildings like temples, markets, baths, theaters, etc. Rich lived in villas, poor lived in apartments. Emperors provided public entertainment in colusseums with: horse/chariot races, dramatic performances and gladiatorial shows RELIGION:: Romans were polytheistic until about 4th Century. They worshipped same gods as Greeks but with different names. They also absorbed local gods as they conquered places. Jews lived in Judaea as a colony and they resisted Roman rule. When Jews revolted in 66 AD the Romans crushed them and kicked them all out of Judaea. As a result, Jews were spread out around the Roman empire. Christianity began in Judea, a Roman colony.

    8. RISE OF CHRISTIANITY Christians believe that Jesus was a Jewish prophet that preached throughout Judaea and Galilee. His teachings became and followers became known as Christians. Leaders in early Christianity included Simon Peter and Paul of Tarsus. Writings passed between early Christian leaders became known as “Gospels” and now make up the New Testament. Most early Christians were former Jews, but increasingly they became Latin speakers within the Roman empire. The Roman government disliked early Christians because they refused to worship the emperors or state gods. So- the Roman government began to persecute Christians and they were blamed for many things that happened. Despite this- Christianity continued to grow throughout 1st -3rd Centuries. Christianity became more organized as a religion. Why was Christianity able to attract so many? The Christian message was personal and offered salvation and eternal life to believers. It was familiar to other religions as it had a savior god who died a sacrificial death. However- Jesus was more human and relatable. It fulfilled the need to belong. Christians formed strong communities and was very attractive to poor and powerless. All people were equal and eternal life was for all- rich, poor, aristocrats, slaves, men and women Persecution ended in the early 4th Century (3oos). Constantine proclaimed official tolerance for the religion in 313 CE. Theodosius the Great made Christianity the official religion of Rome in 378.

    9. DECLINE AND FALL PROBLEMS: Military leaders began assassinating emperors they didn’t like, invasions on the edges of empire chipped away at empire. Plague and civil wars became a huge issue in the 3rd Century causing a labor shortage and a decline in crops. Roman army had to hire foreigners. REFORMS: Under Diocletian and Constantine there was a slight revival (284-337). More Republican rule, Christianity, city of Byzantium to rule eastern side of empire. But other changes in bureaucracy cased economic issues. INVASIONS: Huns from Asia, Visigoths and Vandals from Germany attacked as separate times. DIVISION: Diocletian divided Rome into two parts- The Eastern Roman Empire (Capital: Constantinople) and the Western Roman Empire (Capital: Rome). The Western part was the part consistently invaded. 476: The Germanic tribe of Vandals conquered Rome and the Roman empire “fell”. THEORIES: Why did it decline? Christianity’s emphasis on spiritual weakened military virtues Traditional Roman values declined as non-Latins gained prominence and non Romans became soldiers Lead poisoning in pipes Plague wiped out 1/10 Rome failed to advance due to slavery and there were sharp social class divisions Rome could not create a workable political system. Too much change, too many wars/power struggles

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