*How was it possible that small group of villages in Latium could create the Roman Empire?

•What was the content of the Roman civilization? The heritage of it for today? Was there somekind of unity throughout the Roman

Empire?* Why did the Roman Empire collapse? Effects?

Rise of RomeBackground

- The Etruscans were rulers of the city of Rome in the 7th and 8th C. BC

* turned the villages into a town; Forum Romanum was established

- influence on the Roman religion (signs, offerings)- The Latin alphabet; influence on

European writing- art of temple building, semi-circular

arch..

Establishment of the Roman Republic ( 509-31 BC)The Etruscan kings were thrown off from the city of

RomeWhy Rome and the Romans?

- excellent position by the Tiber-river surrounded by the hills, nearby the sea- famous Roman roads; the Roman army; quality of legions ( citizen´s army, Naval power)- attaracted by violence?- Divide and Rule- policy- the first enlargement took place when the neighbor countries were not ready to challenge…

Political System of RomeSenate- dominated by the aristocrats, the main political power:

foreign policy, law-making, taxes..

People´s Assembly- dominated by the rich, elected the public officials ( for 1 year only)and voted for laws

Public officials –quaestors ( budget), aediles (municipal administrators), praetors ( judges), consuls ( general policy, military people)

Tribunes of the Plebs , from 494 BC– had the right of veto on decisions by the public officials

- The law of 12 Tables ( 5th C. BC): the first corpus of written law in Europe→

http://www.historyguide.org/ancient/12tables.html

Social Classes:1)Patricians – the rich, aristocrats2)Plebeians – servants, the poor, the ordinary people• Patron- Client- relationship• Women:Free-born women were citizens, but could not

vote or hold political office- divorce was legal- under the control of her father/ husband-could own property- the main duty as a mother and a wife

To what extent is it fair to say that the Rome was a democracy? P.66 The Roman constitution”

The Film: Rise, Rule, Collapse/ RomeWhy Rome?/ Enlargement of the Roman

Empire/ when , how?The daily life of the Roman people/ Pompeij

- cultural habits- everyday customs

Collapse of the Roman Empire/ Why?

Was there cultural unity in the Roman Empire?Rome and the provinces

- Romanization deeper in places which had been longest in the Roman Empire/ also in frontier zones (legions)- The Romans founded many towns which were linked by a network of roads

* each town had a temple or an altar dedicated to Rome

* also public buildings; theatres, amphitheatres, baths, arches, aqueducts…

Roman habits and the Roman way of life spread all over empire

Every city had its own institutions and officials, just like in the city of Rome

The citizenship of Rome to the most of provinces

Economic unity→ Pax Romana ( 27BC- 200 AD)one currency, good communications, common use of the Roman law, division of labour; regions specialized in what their could produce best→ the city of Rome became an importer! Map p.77

Economic/ cultural unity of RomeLatin was the official language of the whole

Empire; many other languages were also spoken

Religion was quite the same; same gods together with the traditional/ local gods

* oriental cults spread also all over Europe

* Judaism/ ChristianitySO UNITY WITHOUT UNIFORMITY!* LIMITED, BUT REAL DEGREE OF UNITY..

The Fall of the Roman EmpireWhy?

• Pax Romana

* Internal Crises: economic and social problems; The Military-anarchy-time and disorder generally in society* The Tetrarchy system: The Empire was divided into four parts; Trier, Milan, Sirmium ( West of Belgrade), Nicomedia in Asia Minor→ The city of Rome was no longer the capital of the Empire

* external problems; the Great invasions ( map p.84)

How?Emperor Constantine united the Empire once

again; settled new capital in Constantinople, Byzantium

In 395 the Empire was divided into two parts; The West Rome and the East Rome ( Byzantium)

Effects?- introduction of reforms in the provinces

* Italy lost it privileges, was partitioned* Lack of money; the taxes had to be raised

( a poll tax, based on goods too)* defence

The desert to the countryside; a threat of barbarian attacks and revolts of the poor

- ruralization of the society* the state insisted: those who filled

it, should remain on it* bartering

→ the Villa´s owner became a protector against the insecurity of the time ( roots of feudalism)

* In 476 the Germans attacked the city of Rome: collapse of the West Rome. The rise of Byzantium/ East.Rome