Ancient Rome BCE-CE De nobis fabula narratur (The Story of Us) How did Ancient Rome s rise and eventual fall affect European s perceptions of themselves? A Matter of Time Roman history can be divided into two time periods: Roman Republic (509 BCE 44B CE) Roman Empire (44 BCE 455 CE) Geography- Locus-Locus-Locus (1) Middle of the Mediterranean Larger and more arable land than Greece- mts north and south River valleys- Po in the North, Tiber in middle of boot Rome - inland accessible by boatdefensible, on Seven Hills A Lack of Credible Information While we lack a credible historical record of its beginnings (fall of Rome in 386CE), we do know what stories Romans told themselves about it. Truth might be there, but it s wrapped up in too much myth. At its height, Rome stretched from England (N) to Syria (E) to N. Africa (S) and Spain (W) Origins of Rome (4) Legend Romulus and Remus nursed by she-wolf Founded in 733BCE where they were left as babies (Palatine, Aventine) Later: Virgil s hero Aeneas, hero of Troy, roams the Med looking for a home (Carthage) Hell Hath No Fury Like a Woman Scorned (Dido) Reality Origin unsure - Asia Minor? Troy? Were Romulus & Remus even real? City founded based on waterway connections & the easily defensible positions Mid-way point between Etruria & Magna Graecia Unsavory Beginnings A settlement was formed at the bend in the Tiber, but its early beginnings are filled with war, the theft of women, and possibly assassinations. Opened the city to the dregs of society debtors, former criminals, etc along with building an army of well-to-do (only one w/horses) Romulus stole women from neighboring communities including the Sabine people 100 Senators (patricians) eventually grows to 200 as Sabines join Rome and Romulus forms the first Citizen s Assembly (tribe names come from 10 Sabine women who stayed to build Rome) What happened to Romulus?? Steps to Unification 290- conquered central Italy then Samnites in South 265 took over Greek city states Keys - staying power of army, won over conquered people, become Roman citizens, interact with the new gov t 1
Roman Republic vs. United States Consul (US President) Ruler of Rome Senate (US Senate) Representative body for patricians Tribal Assembly (House of Reps) Representative body for plebeians The Law of the Twelve Tables (450 BCE) Roman Law was codified after plebeians demanded representation in certain parts of the government Result- increase of privileges as well as political & social rights for Plebeians Became basis for most of our laws (Constitution, Bill of Rights) The Punic Wars 264-146 BCE Major rival in Med- Phoenician Carthage Over a series of decades, Carthage is eventually overthrown Carthago delenda est Carthage plowed and sowed with salt Result: Rome now the POWER in the Mediterranean BUT comes at a high price Huge debt; Senate took plebeian s rights away; Roman Traits of courage, hard work, honesty & simplicity disappeared; Unemployment, dislocation, poverty, corruption, & crime forced reforms. Rome s Love/Hate w/senate Corruption and struggle characterized within this law-making body throughout its history Known to murder its own people and even its leaders when threatened Gracchi Brothers (Tiberius and Gaius) meet untimely ends in 121 BCE Caesar murdered in 44 BCE Was Romulus himself murdered?? Julius Caesar (2) Greatest of early Roman leaders; First Triumvirate Julius Caesar, Pompey, Crassus Defeated Pompey/supporters in Egypt after Senate tried to push him out - crosses the Rubicon and seizes power Met Cleopatra and fell in love; Used Gracchus ideas to reform Rome: calendar, freed slaves, reduced debts; Murdered by Cassius, Brutus in 44 BCE How Did Rome Respond?? (2) CIVIL WAR- Antony vs. Octavian; Antony left his wife (Octavian s sister) b/c of his infatuation with Cleopatra Battle of Actium 31 BCE Antony and Cleopatra commit suicide Octavian s rule began the Pax Romana. Augustus carried out reforms of Julius Caesar. 61Mark Anthony Mark Antony The Roman Empire Caesar Augustus - wants to restore the republic but the rush of power convinces him otherwise 27 CE becomes First Citizen Princeps Tried to impact life- morality, building sculpture- deified him, literature as well Consolidated/limited power of Senate 2
Map, Rome s road system 8/31/2015 57Octavian Augustus Octavian Augustus The Roman World The dream of returning Rome to a republic dissolves into emperor/ dictatorship Extended Roman citizenship as they spread Augustus also changes the Roman family- Pater Familias dissolves into balanced rights family strong unit- run like the state women become more independent- socially and ownership politically active as wives of emperors- Livia The Roman World (cont) Augustus ushers in a Golden Age of literature (Horace, Virgil, Ovid and Livy) Religion- state religion, Roman gods reflected Greek Emperor became divine connection to gods tolerant of other religions Mithras, Persian god of light Christianity- And there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus persecutions not as many as thought- made stronger sometimes combined with others- e.g. Celtic gods Slavery in the Roman World Important to building projects and way of life Conquests supplied slaves so came from all over Not related to ethnicity or skin color Greek slaves educated and highly prized Rebellions like Sparticus 73BCE occurred- put down, crucified slaves and held a 10 day party for Rome Slaves gradually won freedom and numbers decreased The Roman Builders - All over the Empire (4) Amazing accomplishments- Roads that still last (PICK 4 BELOW TO WRITE BASED ON INTEREST) Aqueducts- bringing water to every important city Temples for the gods- copied Greek style- massive Forum- public area of the city- center- oration etc. Theaters- for entertainment- drama Coliseums- more fun, fights, gladiators, animals Baths- public places- series of rooms dif temps military training, organization & technical development. stories written to glorify Rome, but now tell us much about their culture. The Roman legacy - writing and the law Alphabet- should look familiar to us (Latin) Romans wrote down everything- very literate, passed on to use use every day (alma mater, alter ego, per capita, vice versa, a.m/, p.m., RIP) list goes on ad infinitum Statutes and case law most important legacy - took idea that a written law can protect one person from another Tried to appeal to people through argument- idea of people deciding Magistrates important in Rome Pontiff Maximus taken over by the Pope when Rome fell 151Great Bath in England 54toilets Rome s early road system Roman Bath in England Roman public toilets shared by men & women 3
100Roman Forum Roman Forum Temples & government buildings 19Roman Forum speaking platform Roman Forum Platform for public speaking at the Roman Forum 107Coloseum 109Col Roman Coliseum: For Gladiatorial events Inside the Roman Colosseum & beneath the floor 115Circus Maximus Maximus for chariot racing 131amphitheater 133Wathletes Roman amphitheater Roman female athletes 4
168Pantheon 169Pantheon Roman Aqueductbrought water to Roman cities. Pantheon: Temple dedicated to all the gods Interior of the Pantheon 138Aqueduct 142Aque 147hadrian swall Hadrian s wall in N. England, 127 AD Appian Way: A famous Roman road; an engineering accomplishment 81Ballista Cicero Orator/statesman who promoted ideas & ideals of Roman society (Roman traits). Ballista A machine for hurling stones & bolts of hot iron 5
Barbarian Invasions 8/31/2015 Livy - One of Rome s 3 great historians who wrote the 1 st great history of Rome. - Not known for his accuracy but revived the ancient past about what it meant to be Roman. - 142 books (at least 3 per year) The Roman Emperors- the Good, Bad and Ugly The 200-year peace of Pax Romana gave way to a 3 rd Century CE of deteriorating leadership Good: Diocletian (reforms) and Marcus Aurelius ( citizen of the world ) Bad: Caligula- named horse consul, Commodus, fought gladiators with blunted weapons, Nero, mass murder including his mother, pregnant wife, brother Ugly: Between 235-285, Rome had more than 20 emperors (Majorian/Ricimer), many of whom were murdered by their own armies Constantine - Roman emperor responsible for legalizing Christianity throughout the Roman Empire - Professed to seeing Christian monogram in the sky before his famous battle at Milvian Bridge converted soon after his victory - During the Decline and Fall of Rome this emperor established a new Rome at Byzantium that was renamed Constantinople stayed alive for 1,000 yrs (1,483) after Rome s fall in 476 Some possible Causes for the Decline & Fall of Rome (3) 1. Legalization of Christianity 2. Moral decline 3. Government corruption (Caligula) 4. Exhaustion of the soil 5. Plague & disease 6. Barbarian invasions (Goths, Huns, Vandals) Barbarians at the Gates Pressure from Germanic tribes looking for safety Huns pressured the Visogoths-410- ran into the empire Vandals- 455- sacked Rome Series of invasions- physical damage, but also intellectual established German kingdoms in West- illiterate The East survives- becomes Byzantium- keeps the learning from the ancient world Barbarian Invasions 6
261Barbarian Map 8/31/2015 How did Ancient Rome s rise and eventual fall affect European s perceptions of themselves? 7