Western Humanities Ms. Hernandez Why study Ancient Rome

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Ancient Rome
From Village to Empire
Western Humanities Ms. Hernandez
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Why study Ancient Rome?

• Modern Romance languages (Italian, Spanish,
  French, Portuguese, and Romanian) trace their
  origins to Latin, the language of the Romans.
• Form of government (Republic) and policy
• Christianity, which arose during the Roman
  Empire, remains one of the worlds main religions
• Social classes Tensions between rich and poor
  continue to affect society, as they did in the
  days of patrician and plebeians
• Classical art and architecture
• Inventions Developed road construction methods,
  aqueducts, domes, and concrete.

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What the Greeks are up to

• Greece
• 800-500Homeric Age
• 500-300 Classical Age
• 300s Hellenistic Period
• 133 Romans seize control of Greece

• Rome
• 700s kings rule
• 600s Etruscans rule develop Rome
• 500s Etruscans out, Republic in
• 300s Rome conquers surrounding states
• 200s finished conquering all of Italy
• mid-200s 100s conquest of the Mediterranean

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Origins of Rome
The Mythical Founding of RomeRomulus Remus
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Legend versus Reality

• City built by twin brothers who fought for power
• In reality, people began to settle in Rome
  because of its location and fertile
  soil.basically the GEOGRAPHY of Rome was
  favorable
• Why did the Romans support a mythical foundation?

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Rome from village to empire
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c. 750 BCE Latins (tribe) settle what
becomes Rome
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See Rome Expand!
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Lets Talk Topography and Geography
peninsula
mountains
rivers
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Rome is west of Apennines Mts more fertile land
river access
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Long ago on a peninsula far, far away

• Apennine Mountains not so rugged as the Greek
  mainland, did not divide the country into small
  isolated communities
• Large fertile plains could support a large
  population. Agriculture was the most important
  industry in the empire.
• Rome was located on Tiber River access to the
  Mediterranean Sea
• Built on seven hills easily defended military
  strategy

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The early Romans were mostly
farmers
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PEOPLE Latins -Rome The First
Romans -Influence Latin Language Etruscans -Nor
thern Italy -Urbanized Rome Building
Programs (the Forum) -Influence on Romans the
arch, alphabet Greeks -Southern Italy and
Sicily -Influence on Romans art, architecture,
literature, government, grew olives and
grapes (oh and goats!)
Ancient Italy (c. 6th century B.C.)
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c. 600 BCE Etruscans Conquer Rome
Romans adopt Etruscan alphabet, art, gods,
building techniques (including the arch)
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In 509 BCE...
the Romans overthrew the Etruscans
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Rome Spreads its Power

• Romans defeat Etruscans in north and Greek
  city-states in south
• Treatment of Conquered
• Forge alliances
• Offer citizenship
• By 265 B.C., Rome controls Italian peninsula

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Its interesting to note that this was the
precise time that we think of Greece as entering
its Classical Era.
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Unlike the Athenians, who had a direct or
participatory democracy, the Romans established a
representative democracy, or, a republic
like we have today
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Roman social structure

• Patricians wealthy landowners and office-holders

• Plebeians farmers, artisans, traderscould vote
  but not hold political office

• Slaves mostly prisoners of warnot citizensno
  rights

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Roman Religion

• polytheistic

• absorbed gods of others, including the Greeks

• lots of public festivals

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Roman Women

• educated just like boys

• couldnt vote but could testify in court

• gained property rights

• more influence in family than Greek women

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THE TWELVE TABLEScarved stone tablets
451 BCE First Roman Law Code

• 451 B.C., officials carve Roman laws on twelve
  tablets and hung in Forum.
• Laws confirm right of all free citizens to
  protection of the law
• Become the basis for later Roman law

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The Roman Forum

• Political center of Roman Empire
• Ideal place for dramatic public speeches
• Town Square, mall (vendors), and government
  center

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Gradually, the Romans began to expand their
control
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until they had conquered the entire Italian
peninsula plus the islands of Corsica,
Sardinia and Sicily
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As they expanded their control
the Romans built an excellent network of roads
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Heres how they built them
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Their road system is one of the Romans greatest
achievements
Why do you think they built them?
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Right! The Roman road system

• allowed easy military transport

• enabled trade and commerce

• helped unify expanding Roman territories

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Back to Roman expansionwho do you think would be
a likely rival for control of the Mediterranean
Sea?
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Right again!
Carthage!!
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Between 264-146 BCE the Romans fought 3 wars with
Carthage, known as the Punic Wars.
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Rome wonand went on to conquer the rest of the
Mediterranean world.
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The period 27 BCE-180 AD (the last two maps) is
known as the
PAX ROMANA
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During this period

• Romans thought they were the entire civilized
  world

• Rome enjoyed military dominance

• The population of the city of Rome reached 1
  million

• Trade increased, bringing a wealth of resources
  into Rome

• The arts flourished

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Well, thats it for our quick overview of Romes
journey from small village to huge empire. Over
the next several weeks we will concentrate on the
following

• the influence of Greek culture upon the Romans

• Roman contributions to politics, technology and
  the arts

• the rise of Christianity within the Roman Empire

• reasons for the decline and collapse of the
  Empire

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That's all, folks!