Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity

1
Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity
2
(No Transcript)
3
Section 1 The Roman Republic

• The Italian Peninsula
• Centrally located in the Mediterranean.
• Mountains and highlands comprised ¾ of the
  terrain with much of the remainder containing
  rich dark soil.
• Cut off from Europe by the Alps to the north.
• Gallia Cis-Alpina and Gallia Trans-Alpina.
• Early Peoples
• Probably inhabited early on by Neolithic peoples
  who were semi-nomadic.
• Indo-Europeans
• Multiple migrations of Indo-European peoples
  entered into Italy.
• Umbrians- north
• Latins-central plains called Latium
• Oscans- south
• The Etruscans
• Scholars are uncertain of the origins of the
  Etruscans who did not speak an indo-European
  language.
• Borrowed the Greek alphabet but largely
  un-deciphered.
• Very expressive art and sculpture.

4

• Probably had a society with wealthy overlords,
  aristocratic priests, peasant class, and a slave
  labor force.
• Developed what would become the gladiatorial
  games.
• The Rise of Rome
• Ab Urbe Condita From the founding of the city
• Takes place around 753 B.C.
• Legend of Romulus and Remus
• Communities of the Seven Hills of Rome unite to
  form what become the city.
• Etruscan Rule
• After a period of rule by Latin Kings, the
  Etruscans gain control of the city.
• During the reign of the Tarquin Kings, the Latins
  learned to build with brick and to use tile
  roofs.
• The swampy lowland was drained and city streets
  were built as well as the center known as the
  Forum.
• Economic and political center of Rome.
• Under the rule of the Tarquin the Proud, the
  people revolted and expelled the Tarquins from
  the city.
• Legend of the Rape of Lucretia

5

• Fasces symbol of authority
• Social Groups
• Patricians noble class that traditionally
  controlled the Senate.
• Plebeians wealthy middle class, merchants,
  farmers, and workers.
• All had the right to vote ( at different degrees)
  and had to pay taxes and serve in the military.
• Plebeians could not hold public office like the
  Patricians.
• The Roman Republic
• The Patricians organized a legislative and
  judicial branch.
• The Executive Branch consisted of the Consulship.
• Two consuls selected from the Senate, served for
  a one year term.
• Each had the power to veto the other.
• Responsible for overseeing other officials such
  as praetors and censors.
• Dictators Temporarily elected during times of
  crisis.
• Senate 300 patricians elected for life.
• Assembly of the Centuries Elected from the
  plebian class but less powerful than the Senate.

6

• Plebeians against Patricians
• 494 B.C.- Plebeians succeed from the city in
  order to gain more political power.
• Tribuneschosen representatives elected by the
  Assembly of the Tribes. Protected by the law and
  could veto government decisions.
• 451 B.C. The Twelve Tables/ written laws located
  in the Forum.
• By 287 B.C. plebeians could reach high public
  office and make laws in the Assembly of the
  Tribes.
• Religion
• Fortune telling augury, soothsayers
• Heavily influenced by the Greeks.
• Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Pluto, Saturn, Neptune
• Ancestor worship. Vesta hearth
• Family
• Large extended family.
• Pater Familias head of the household/ absolute
  authority.
• Women generally had more freedoms than Greek
  women.
• Strict discipline of children and family members.
• Thrift, discipline, self-sacrifice, devotion to
  family, honor, and duty were traditional Roman
  values.

7
Section 2 Expansion and Crisis

• Roman Legions
• Male citizens who owned land had to serve in the
  military.
• The Romans adapted the Greek phalanx formation.
• Legions 6,000 men
• Smaller divisions of 60 120 soldiers.
• Strict discipline. (Decimate)
• Conquered peoples were treated well if they
  cooperated. Offered various forms of
  citizenship.
• Coloniae permanent military settlements/colonies
• Roads built to link colonies/trade routes.
• Roman against Carthage
• By 300 B.C. Carthage was the most powerful
  Mediterranean city. Known to the Romans as
  Punici.
• The First Punic War
• Carthage threatened to seize the Strait of
  Messina.
• Carthage had naval superiority forcing the Romans
  to build a navy of their own.
• Grappling hooks to board the enemy ships.
• Romans win forcing Carthage to pay a huge
  indemnity.

8

• The Second Punic War
• 221B.C. Hannibal became the Carthaginian General
  in Spain. Father- Hamilcar Oath
• Captured a Roman allied city.
• Marched 40,000 soldiers and 40 elephants across
  Gaul, over the Alps and into Italy.
• Lost half of his forces and most of his
  elephants.
• Defeated Roman legions at every turn nearly
  destroying the entire army at Cannae.
• Romans regrouped under Scipio.
• Scipio attacked Carthage to protect Rome.
• Defeated Hannibal at Zama in 202 B.C.
• Scipio Africanus Forced yet another indemnity
  and forced Carthage to hand over most of their
  navy.
• The Third Punic War
• Carthage regained strength despite the indemnity.
• Rome wanted to eliminate Carthage once and for
  all.
• Started another war by convincing an ally to
  attack Carthage.
• 146 B.C. Carthage was burned, population sold
  into slavery, and fields sowed with salt.
• Rome now controlled the Western Mediterranean.

9

• The Republic in Crisis
• Expansion caused problems in governing the
  provinces.
• Nearly all of the Mediterranean was under Roman
  rule or in friendly alliance with Rome.
• Mare Nostrum Our Sea
• Roman government designed to manage a city-state,
  not an empire.
• Exploiting the provinces
• Provinces paid tribute to Rome.
• Proconsuls were appointed by the Senate to govern
  the provinces.
• Often accepted bribes and stole from the
  treasuries.
• Tax collectors also took money from the
  provinces.
• Provinces often rebelled forcing the Romans to
  place standing garrisons and legions in the area.
• Romans put down Jewish revolt and sacked
  Jerusalem in 70 A.D.
• Changing the Countryside
• Latifundia plantations/ slave labor
• Produced grains at a cheaper price.
• Forced small farmers of the farms and into the
  cities.
• Latifundia captured the market in grains, olives,
  grapes, and livestock.

10

• Crowding in the Cities
• Landless farmers enter the cities looking for
  jobs that were already taken by slaves. Equites
  knights wealthy merchants/ not nobility.
• Reformers and Generals
• The Gracchi
• Tiberius Gracchus grandson of Scipio elected
  to the Tribunate in 133. B.C.
• Passed agrarian legislation to give land to the
  poor despite opposition from the Senate.
• Murdered along with 300 supporters by angry
  Patricians.
• Gaius Gracchus brother elected Tribune 10
  yrs. later.
• Passed laws giving land to the poor and organized
  programs to sell grain at cheaper prices.
• Also murdered in a riot organized by his
  opponents.
• Marius and Sulla
• Gaius Marius was elected Consul in 107 B.C.
• Provided jobs in the army.
• Paid soldiers and promised them land on
  retirement.
• Soldiers owed allegiance to the General not the
  State.
• Lucius Cornelius Sulla Arguing over control of
  the eastern armies, used his army to attack Rome
  and push Marius into exile.

11

• The First Triumvirate
• Gnaeus Pompey and Marcus Licinius Crassus elected
  consuls in 70 B.C.
• Gained support of Julius Caesar in 60 B.C.
  forming a Triumvirate.
• Caesar took control of the legions in Gaul and
  soon conquered the Celts as he pushed further
  north into Europe.
• Crassus killed in battle in 53 B.C.
• Pompey and the Senate recall Caesar and force him
  to leave his legions north of the Rubicon river.
• Caesar crosses the Rubicon with his soldiers and
  within two months captured all of Italy and drove
  Pompey and his allies out and finally defeated
  him.
• Julius Caesar
• 45 B.C. Caesar took the title of Dictator for
  Life.
• Gave jobs to the unemployed, public land to the
  poor, granted citizenship to many people in the
  provinces.
• Julian calendar.
• Despite great popularity among the people,
  Senators led by Marcus Brutus and Gaius Cassius
  assassinated Caesar on his way to the Senate.

12

• End of the Republic
• Caesars grandnephew Octavian joined with Marc
  Antony and Marcus Lepidus and formed a Second
  Triumvirate and defeated the armies of Caesar's
  assassins in 42 B.C..
• Octavian took command of Italy, Antony ruled in
  Greece, and Lepidus took control of North Africa.
• Octavian forced Lepidus into retirement and
  convinced the Romans that Antony wanted to invade
  Italy with his and Cleopatras army.
• Octavian soundly defeated Marc Antonys navy at
  the battle of Actium in Greece. A year later,
  Antony and Cleopatra both committed suicide to
  avoid capture.
• Octavian became the sole ruler of Rome.

13
(No Transcript)