Post on 12-Jan-2016
Ancient Rome
World Studies
5 Major Characteristics of Roman Civilization
•Advanced Cities
•Specialized Workers
•Complex Institutions
•Record Keeping & Writing
•Technology/Science
What is the Relative Location of the city of Rome? Where is the city of Rome?
• Central Italy• On a peninsula in N.
Mediterranean Sea• Southern Europe• West of Greece• Absolute location
• 41°54′N 12°30′E
Regional Location
Origins of Rome
• Legend states…
• City founded in 753 B.C.
• Romulus and Remus• Twin sons of war god Mars
• Romulus killed Remus-1st Roman king
• City of Rome• Tiber River
• 7 hills
• Mid-point of peninsula
• Middle of Mediterranean
The First Romans
• 1000-500 B.C.
• Latins
original settlers in Rome
• Greeks • Southern Italy
• Trade
• Etruscans• Northern Italy
• Metalwork/alphabet
• What made Rome an ideal location for a city?
Advanced Cities-City of Rome• Center of the Roman Republic
– Known for:
• Government
• Disciplined Military
• Coliseum
• Pantheon
• Forum
• Aqueducts
Specialized Workers
• Gladiators
• Soldiers
• Architects
• Sculptors
• Slaves
• Senators
• Consuls
• Doctors
Complex InstitutionsGovernment
•Rebellion against Etruscan king= a Republic
• government of elected representatives
•Patricians – wealthy landowners 10%
• Power from ancestry
•Plebeians – merchants, farmers, traders 90%
• Vote, but no leadership
Complex Institutions:Republic
• Comes from Latin word “respublica” meaning, “a matter of the people” - 509 B.C.– A “REPRESENTATIVE” type of government
• Roman citizens elected governmental officials to represent them
– Patricians - Wealthy/Noble class - landowners– Plebeians - Merchants, farmers, traders
• Three components of the Republic– Senate - made up of senators elected by citizens– Consul - elected officials who acted as leaders of the Senate– Assemblies - gathering of citizens to vote on decisions made
by the Senate
Law• Republic
• Rule of Law• 1. People equal under the law• 2. Accused can face the accuser.• 3. Decisions must be fair.• 4. Innocence until proven guilty.• 5. Guilt must be established.
• 12 Tables – Written Law Code (451 B.C.)• Displayed publically, kids memorized them
• Laws were practical/flexible
Republic • Balanced Gov’t
• Consuls – 1 yr.• Lead army• Led Gov’t
• Dictator – 6 mo.• Emergency leader.• All power.
• Senators (Patricians)
• Tribunes (Plebians)
American Government
• Executive – President is head of state and commander in chief
• LegislativeCongress is made up
of the House of representative and the Senate.
Separation of Powers
Quick Quiz
1.Where is the city of Rome located?
2.What makes Rome’s location a good one?
3.Compare and contrast the Roman Republic and the government of the United States today.
Complex Institutions-Roman Military / Legions• In 270 B.C. the Roman legions
controlled Italy. How?
• How?
• Frequent conflicts = skilled warriors
• Age 17-46 could be called
• Strong, disciplined army
• Well-trained
• Treated enemies well.
• Collected taxes.
• Respected some local
customs.
Wars of Conquest 264-146 BCE
• Rome’s greatest enemy-Carthage, a Phoenician city-state in North Africa (Tunisia)
• 3 wars fought between Rome & Carthage for control of Western Med. & Sicily --“Punic Wars”
• Hannibal – a great Carhtagian leader who invaded Rome & heavily damaged Roman Army before retreating 15 yrs later• He famously invaded with war elephants up through Spain & the
French/Italian Alps.
• Rome final winner=control over N. Africa, Spain, Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica
Battle Formations
Battle Formations
Battle Formations
• Tortoise
Roman Empire
• Empire- group of states or territories controlled by one ruler.
• Caesar-title adopted by Roman emperors.
• Julius Caesar- ruler who helped the republic become an empire
Caesar’s Roman Empire
Point to important locations…
Hadrian’s Wall--Emperor Hadrian 122 BCE
Record Keeping/Writing- Literature• Authors:
• Virgil• the AENEID
• Horace• Odes
• Roman Numerals:• I, II, III, IV, V, VI., etc.• Et cetera “and so on”
• Wrote in Latin• Language is still used by
Roman Catholic Church and in science
• “From many; one”• “New order of the ages”
Latin Roots – Romance Languages• Vulgar Latin
• Vernacular
• Language of the empire: soldiers, government, merchants.
Technology-Architecture
• Contact with Hellenistic civilizations
• Arch• Dome• Coliseum
• Bread & Circus• Gladiators, chariots, etc.
• The“Colesseum”• Pantheon
Engineering
• Aqueducts• Catapults• Heating
• Public Baths
• Roads• Siege towers
Bath, England
Pax Romana
• 100 years of peace & prosperity in the Roman Empire.
• Latin for “Roman peace”
• http://www.asterix.com/
The Fall of Rome
1. Economic
1. More Empire=more expenses=higher taxes
2. Declining population ( wars, plague, etc.) meant fewer people paying taxes
3. Poor moved to the cities
4. Distracting entertainment cost $$$
1. “Bread & Circuses”
2. Social
1. Loyalty to government & one another declined
2. Many soldiers fought for $ not their country
3. Wealthy men chased $ instead of governing
The Fall of Rome
1. Political
1. Empire so big it was divided in two. E & W
2. East grew strong/West grew weak
3. Civil war cost many lives and required taxes
4. Enemies at weakened borders
1. Barbarians-believed to be by another culture to be savage or primitive peopel
2. Military
1. Foreign tribes invaded -“barbarians”
1. Visigoths, Vandals, Angles & Saxons, & Huns
Vandals…”vandalism”