Rome and the Barbarians At height, 2nd century C.E., Roman Empire contained 70-100 million people in an empire reaching 2,700 miles east to west and 2,500 miles north to south Rome enforced Pax Romana across empire Contemporaries praised it for promoeng peace and prosperity while criecs claimed Pax Romana was brute military conquest
The Founding of the Roman Republic Founded in 753 B.C.E. [in legend] Ruled for 250 years by Etrurians [Etruscans] Republic created in 509 B.C.E. when upper- class Romans drove Etruscans out of city New republican government had two consuls and a Senate using a system of checks and balances
The Conquest of Italy Army established on Greek model of phalanx Drove Etruscans out of central Italy, 396 B.C.E. Controlled all Italy south of Po Valley, 264 B.C.E. Offered opponents the choice of alliance or conquest Republic was a society geared for war
Conquest of Carthage and Western Mediterranean Carthage controlled North Africa and was a rival to Rome in commerce Rome and Carthage fought three Punic Wars from 264 to 146 B.C.E. Wars included invasion of Rome by Hannibal using elephants Romans destroyed Carthage and sold ciezens into slavery at end of war
Subsequent Expansion Annexed Spain, 197 B.C.E. Series of wars led to annexaeon of Gaul (France) by 49 B.C.E. Moved into successor states of Alexander s empire at invitaeon of the Greeks Rome applied new wisdom of harsh treatment to conquered areas
InsEtuEons of Empire Support of conquered people achieved by SelecEve offers of full ciezenship to non- Romans Others could get pareal ciezenship, right to marry Roman ciezens, and freedom from arbitrary arrest CiEzenship offer directed toward upper classes
Patrons and Clients An ancient form of relaeonship where strong protected weak and received obedience and support in return Patrons were patricians; clients were plebeians who helped pay patron expenses and showed submission by ritual visit to patron s house RelaEonship present in Republic and Empire
Patrons and Clients [cont.] The Roman Family Paterfamilias (father) had life and death control Control of daughters did not pass to husbands Women had no formal rights but some control in pracece Marriages were arranged RestricEons did not apply to lower classes
Patrons and Clients Class and Class Conflict Existed despite patron- client relaeonship Plebeians and patricians forbidden to intermarry under Etruscans Plebeians not allowed to be army officers in early Republic Etruscan king had protected plebeians from patricians; Republic meant loss of proteceon
Patrons and Clients The Struggle of the Orders Term applies to plebeians long struggle for rights Boycoes of Rome provided leverage in struggle Plebeians had no economic rights First plebeian consul was 360 B.C.E. Fruits of imperial expansion went to patricians Plebeian soldiers would return home to find their land confiscated for debts
Patrons and Clients Urban Splendor and Squalor Rome was most extreme example of wealth and poverty Newly wealthy patricians relocated to Rome and built stunning mansions Poor flocked to Rome in search of work and food and lived in hovels
Patrons and Clients Aeempts at Reform Tiberius Gracchus clubbed to death by Senate for his support of the poor (133 B.C.E.) Gaius Gracchus (consul, 123 B.C.E.) redistributed land, subsidized grain sales, reseeled some poor in lands won in Punic Wars (assassinated in 121 B.C.E.) Tax farming proposal unpopular Reforms fail but lay groundwork for later permanent reform
Patrons and Clients Bread and Circuses New solueon was to bribe poor in form of free daily bread raeon Also presented many free public entertainments to fill idle hours of the poor Threat of revolt by poor conenued throughout life of Roman Empire
Slaves and Slave Revolts Conquests led to agricultural and mineral wealth that required an enlarged labor force Millions of slaves acquired in wars Rebellions included Great Slave War (134-131 B.C.E.) in Sicily and Spartacus- led gladiator revolt of 73-71 B.C.E.
Military Power Roman armies were central to the state Willing to innovate: Greek phalanx, small maneuverable units, cavalry, sophisecated warships, walled camps Service in army made men free but involved lengthy enlistment: 16-25 years under Augustus Conquered people served in army
Generals in PoliEcs Military experience basis of poliecal power Control by Senate and Assembly weakens Julius Caesar a model of how military success leads to poliecal power Augustus Caesar (Octavian) completed process with creaeon of Empire with central power coupled with promoeon of tradieonal family values
The End of the Republic Augustus created imperial monarchy Military expansion conenued into Switzerland, Britain, Mesopotamia Gains consolidated by Trajan (117-138 C.E.) CiEzenship for conquered peoples now limited Created internaeonal law (jus gen(um) to deal with diverse people of empire
Economic Policies of the Empire Romans worked with local elites in provinces Cost of empire to subjects included taxes and military service Prosperity caused some to worry they had lost the simple virtues of Republican life before the rise of military leadership, or even before the overthrow of the Etruscans
Economic Policies of the Empire Supplying Rome Feeding Rome, a city of one million under Augustus, was major task Empire moved a large variety of products by ship within empire Trade included exoec animals and gladiators for public entertainment
Economic Policies of the Empire Building CiEes Empire was largely agricultural but managed by potent urban civilizaeon Built administraeve ciees around empire including ones that became core of London, Paris, and Lyons Empire contained over 5,000 civic bodies (ciees and towns)
Economic Policies of the Empire Luxury Trades Included goods transported over great distances including Chinese silks Payment for luxuries was in metal (gold/silver) Overland routes also vital ( all roads lead to Rome ) Upper classes publicly scorned but privately parecipated in commercial acevity End of Pax Romana sharply reduced luxury trade in the late 2nd century, C.E.
Cultural Policies of the Empire Greco- Roman Culture Incorporated Greek ideas and language through conquest and spread them across empire Greek was the language of high culture; LaEn was the language of administraeon Sense of Roman triumph a key element of Roman sense of self and others
Cultural Policies of the Empire Stoicism From Zeno, a Greek philosopher (c. 300 C.E.) World is raeonal, well- ordered system People should accept events without joy or grief Treat all people with decency as brothers and sisters Stoics sought more humane treatment of slaves Height of influence under Emperor Marcus Aurelius (r. 161-180 C.E.)
Cultural Policies of the Empire Religion in the Empire Accepted religious diversity and divinity of emperor Mithraism and cult of Cybele aeracted women Monotheism of Judaism led to Jewish revolts and Roman suppression ChrisEanity seen as atheisec (ChrisEans rejected divinity of emperor) and treasonous (refused to parecipate in public religious fesevals)
Cultural Policies of the Empire ChrisEanity Triumphant ChrisEans gained by Eme of Marcus Aurelius Stoic idea of orderly world and concern for social welfare paralleled ChrisEan ideals IniEally aeracted poor and women Acceptance in Edict of Milan (313 C.E.) culminates in ChrisEanity being named official religion of empire in 394 C.E. when polytheisec cults are banned
Barbarians and Fall of Roman Invaders at the Gates Empire Celts sacked Rome in 390 B.C.E.; fomented revolt in 61 C.E. led by Boudicca, a woman Goths (Germanic) on northern border from 50 B.C.E. move west into Empire (under pressure from Huns) and form states within empire Huns pressure late Empire, topple dynasty in China and invade India
Barbarians and Fall of Roman Empire Decline/Dismemberment of Roman Empire Roman vulnerability to invasion increased by plague that killed one- quarter of Roman populaeon (165-180 C.E.) Marcus Aurelius recognized invaders could be assimilated Some invaders took ciezenship, others wanted plunder, others wanted to set up separate states
Barbarians and Fall of Roman Empire Decline/Dismemberment of Empire [cont.] Crisis of the 3rd Century Repeated invasions along Danube and Rhine rivers Invasion of Italy thwarted in 253-268 C.E. Loss of territory beyond Danube Persian revolts unsuccessfully threaten Roman control of the east
Barbarians and Fall of Roman Empire Decline/Dismemberment of Empire [cont.] The FragmentaEon of Authority Warfare required decentralizaeon of power to regional capitals, including use of ConstanEnople as home to a second, eastern center of Roman power ValenEnian (r. 364-375 C.E.) last emperor able to defeat invaders AdministraEon moved to Milan and Ravenna [c. 400 C.E.] Vandals and Huns extended power into west Control of west into barbarian hands
Barbarians and Fall of Roman Empire Causes of the Decline and Fall Structural problems Class conflict conenued Cost of armies drained treasury People more impoverished over Eme Yeoman- farmer class, backbone of the Republic, was ruined although wealthy sell prospered Support of idea of empire faded
Barbarians and Fall of Roman Empire Causes of Decline and Fall [cont.] Quality of emperors declined Couldn t defeat enemies or assimilate them ChrisEanity criecal of pursuit of earthly power Climate change and epidemics TradiEonal list includes overextension, military and financial exhauseon, leadership failure, new values systems, infiltraeon of outsiders, new states that rejected Roman leadership
Barbarians and Fall of Roman Empire The Empire in the East Focus on ConstanEnople, the New Rome Combined Greek culture, Roman law, and ChrisEan faith ConstanEnople, later called ByzanEum, lasts to 1453 C.E.
Barbarians and Fall of Roman Empire The Empire in the East [cont.] Resurgence under JusEnian ConstanEnople impervious to Germanic aeacks JusEnian recaptured lost poreons of western empire [r. 527-565 C.E.] Created legal codes known as JusEnian Code Suppressed Monophysite understanding of ChrisEanity, the basis for ongoing religious conflict in the east and amenability to Islam
Barbarians and Fall of Roman Empire The Empire in the East [cont.] Religious struggles Armies of Islam launch invasions aqer 632 C.E. Divisive iconoclasec controversy: is there a place for icons within ChrisEan religion and pracece? Ability to resist invaders declines ByzanEne emperor asks Pope [western ChrisEan leader] for help Result is start of the Crusades
Barbarians and Fall of Roman Empire The Empire in the East [cont.] A Millennium of ByzanEne Strength Ruling classes not as separated from rest of people as in Rome Less geographical overextension Longstanding urban tradieon
The Legacy of the Roman Empire What Difference Does It Make? Language was basis of many European languages and survived in liturgy to 20th century Law a basis of and inspiraeon for modern law Roman towns survive to present day Roman Catholic church was organized along Roman imperial lines Remains a model for modern empires