THE CULTURE OF ROME

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THE CULTURE OF ROME
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P.E.R.S.I.A.

• POLITICAL
• Republic (senate)
• Dictator
• Military Rule
• LAWS OF THE 12 TABLES.

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Political continued

• 2 Consuls
• (Rulers of Rome)
• Senate
• (Representative body for patricians)
• Tribal Assembly
• (Representative body for plebeians)

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ECONOMICS

• Wheat Farming, vegetables (tomato), grapes,
  olives.
• Sea towns of the Empire flourished with fish
  trade

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Julius Caesar
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Julius Caesar

• Sullas program did not address Romes most
  serious social problems
• Conquered lands were distributed to military
  leaders creating huge farms that were called
  latifundia
• The latifundia continued to crush small farmers
  and poverty was rampant
• There were many social eruptions when times were
  especially hard
• Julius Caesar stepped into the chaos and
  inaugurated a process that replaced the Roman
  republican constitution with a centralized
  imperial form of government

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Julius Caesar

• Caesar was a nephew of Marius and he favored
  Marius liberal policies and social reform
• In the 50s B.C., Caesar led an army that
  conquered Gaul and made him very popular

Gaul (now mostly France)
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Julius Caesar

• In 49 Caesar marched his army to Rome and by
  early 46 he had named himself dictator
• The die has been cast
• But instead of the constitutional six month term,
  Caesar claimed to be dictator for life

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Julius Caesar

• Caesar centralized military and political
  functions and brought them under his control
• He confiscated property from conservatives and
  distributed it among veterans of his army and
  other supporters
• He launched large scale building projects to
  provide employment for the poor
• He extended Roman citizenship to people in the
  imperial provinces

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Julius Caesar

• But Caesars reforms alienated many of Romes
  elite who considered him a tyrant
• In 44 B.C. they assassinated him
• However it was too late to return to the old
  conservative ways and a new round of civil crisis
  ensued for thirteen years
• Octavian emerged in power

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Octavian

• Octavian was a nephew, protégé, and adopted son
  of Julius Caesar
• He defeated his principal rival, Mark Anthony,
  and Anthonys ally Cleopatra at Actium, Greece in
  31 B.C.

Anthony and Cleopatra by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema
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Augustus

• Octavian consolidated his rule and in 27 B.C.,
  the Senate bestowed upon him the title Augustus
• Augustus has religious connotations suggesting
  a divine or semidivine nature
• Augustus ruled virtually unopposed for 45 years
  in a monarchy disguised as a republic

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Pax Romana

• 200 year peace in the empire. Began with Caesar
  Augustus (grandnephew of Caesar)

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Aqueducts of Rome
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ROADS OF ROME

• All Roads Lead to Rome
• Move Military
• Appian Way

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RELIGION IN ROMAN EMPIRE

• Polytheism Similar to Greek Gods (War, love,
  victory)

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Birth of Christianity

• 4 A.D. Jesus of Nazareth is Born
• Killed in 37 A.D.
• Followers begin New religion named Christianity
• Monotheistic belief conflicts with Roman Gods

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SOCIAL SETTING IN ROME

• Persecution of captives, slaves, Christians
• Slaves held throughout Empire
• Rigid Class Structure
• Entertainment at Coliseums BREAD AND CIRCUS

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SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF ROME
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Plebeians Patricians

• Lower Class
• Merchants, farmers, and artisans of Rome
• Allowed to Vote
• Could not serve in Senate
• 10 Representatives

• Upper Class
• Republic form of govt
• They elected Senators

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INTELLECTUAL LIFE IN ROME

• Reserved for wealthy males
• Military Training
• LATIN Language

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ART OF THE THE ROMANS

• Architecture

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ROMAN ARCHITECTURE
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Roman Cities
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Roman Empire, 117 A.D.
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What are the problems with an empirethis
big?!?!?!?!

• Economics- costs to much to defend, hired out,
  hoarding, inflation, welfare, infrastructure
  costs, etc
• Decay- Christianity, cultural diffusion on the
  frontier

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Rome Splits

• Rome splits in an attempt to govern itself more
  efficiently
• Eastern Rome stronger, better military, more
  population, better economy.
• Eastern Rome is named Byzantium and survives
  until the 1400s when it is conquered by the
  Ottoman Turks.
• Constantinople is the capitol.

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The Split
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Invasions and Downfalls
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