Rise of the Roman Empire. Post Mortem I The Cycle of Life

Rise of the Roman Empire

Post Mortem IThe Cycle of Life

Mythological Founding of Rome—c. 758 – 728 B. C.

Apennine mountains in northern Tuscany

Sunny hills

Relatively flat terrain

Broad fertile plains

The EtruscansIn the late 8th century BC Greek colonizers arrived in the south and in Sicily; while in central Italy and the Po Valley came the ETRUSCANS.

Etruscan Rule Cast Off—509 B. C.

Seeds of Roman

Democracy

Overthrow of rule of Tarquinius Superbus

led to division of executive

power

Law of the 12

Tablets—405 B. C.

Putting the law in

writing

Tribunes elected from plebian

class to represent class interest

Tribunes had right of “veto” over any law they believed to be harmful to plebeian

interest

War as a democratizin

g agent

Roman Conquest by 4th Century B. C.

Mastering Italian Peninsula (c. 270 B. D.)

Battle for Sicily—the Punic Wars (264-246 B. C.)

Conquest of Greece (2nd century B. C.)

Hannibal and his father

The 2nd Punic War

Roman general Scipio Africanus—he attacked Carthage

Secret to Military Success

Courage

Loyalty

Devotion to duty

Simplicity

Hard workStyle of Conquest

Payment of taxes

Acknowledgement of Roman leadership

Supply soldiers for future Roman conquests

From Republic to Empire

Control of trade routes

Riches & grain from conquered provinces

Emergence of new wealthy class & the creation of latifundia

Disappearance of small farmer replaced by slave labor

Drastic widening of gap between rich & poor

Increased corruption, greed, self-interest

The PURPOSE of government

Efforts to ReformThe Gracchi Brothers—Tiberius

& Gaius 2nd Century B. C.

Gaius flees from wealthy Roman

elite

Tiberius on Roman Coin

Both were assassinated for trying to reform the government through redistribution of wealth

Julius Caesar

Public Works

Recognition of Provinces

Extension of Citizenship

Bid to be King

Augustus Caesar (Octavian)31 B.C. – A. D. 14

Power struggle with Mark Anthony—victorious after Battle of Actium (31B.C.)

Title princeps (first citizen) but exercised absolute power

Creation of stable government through creation of well-trained civil service to enforce the laws

Achievements of Augustus

• Efficient, well-trained civil service

• High level jobs open to men of talent regardless of class

• Allegiance of cities & provinces to Rome

• Tax system more equitable

• Postal service introduced

• Jobless put to work

Pax Romana1. Well-maintained roads facilitated travel & trade through the empire

2. The Roman army provided protection for travelers and traders

3. Roman and Greek ideas flowed freely as people moved throughout the empire

The Five Good Emperors

Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius

The High Point of Empire

A. D. 96-180

Roman AchievementsArt & Literature

Virgil’s Aeneid—showed Rome’s historic past attempting to portray it as heroic or more so that the history of Greece

Livy’s history—sought to rouse patriotic feeling & restore failing Roman virtues

Art (specifically sculpture) strove for not only accuracy but depicting character

Practical Achievements

Hadrian’s Wall

Sports Arenas

Roman Law

Accused allowed to face his accuser

People of the same status are equal before the law

Accused is innocent until proven guilty

Guilt must be clearly established through evidence

Decisions should be based on fairness

Roman law as applied to Roman citizens

War & Conquest as Agent Carrying Greco-Roman

Civilization