Geography & Early Republic
Transcript of Geography & Early Republic
Geography & Early Republic
1. Setting the Stagea. With the defeat of the Persians by Alexander and the eventual
decline of the Greek Civilization, power would eventually shift west
towards the Italian peninsula
b. The Romans would build an amazing empire filled with many
different cultures and help spawn a brand new religion: Christianity
Geography & Early Republic
2. Origins of Romea. Legend says that twins Romulus and Remus were abandoned on
the Tiber River and raised by a she-wolf
b. Later the two boys decided to build a city
c. Eventually Romulus kills Remus & city of Rome is named after Romulus
Geography & Early Republic
3. Geographya. Rome was built on 7 rolling hills of Tiber River
b. Located on Italian Peninsula (Italy)
c. Bordered by Adriatic Sea to the east
d. Near midpoint of Mediterranean Sea
e. Mediterranean Climate: warm year round- encouraged outdoor activities
Geography & Early Republic4. The First Romans
a. Three groups settled on Italian Peninsula from 1000-500 B.C.
i. The Latins
1. Built original settlement of wooden huts
2. Considered to be the first Romans
3. Helped spread Latin derived languages to the area
Geography & Early Republicii. The Greeks
1. Moved north into Italy during decline of Hellenistic Culture
2. Settled in Southern Italy and Sicily
3. Brought all of Italy, including Rome, into contact with the
Greek civilization
4. Brought architecture, democracy, and philosophy
Geography & Early Republiciii. The Etruscans
1. Skilled metal workers native to northern Italy
2. Strongly influenced Roman civilization
3. Influenced Roman arch
4. Influenced Roman lust for killing (ex. Gladiator battles)
Geography & Early Republic
5. Early Romea. Early Etruscan kings and successors built temples and public
centers in Rome
b. The Forum was the heart of the Roman political life
c. After Rome’s last king was driven from power in 509 B.C for being too harsh, the Romans declared they would never again be ruled by a king
d. Instead they established a republic, which meant “public affairs”
e. A republic is a form of government in which power rests with citizens who have the right to vote for their leaders
f. In Rome, citizenship with voting rights was granted only to free-born
male citizens
The Roman Forum
Roman Forum Ruins
Geography & Early Republic
6. People of Romea. Rome was divided up into several different groups who struggled for power
b. Patricians: wealthy landowners who held most of the power
c. Plebeians: the common farmers, artisans, and merchants; majority of pop.
Geography & Early Republicd. Tribunes: elected representatives who protected the rights of the
plebeians from patrician officials
Geography & Early Republice. Consuls: two officials with limited power and one year terms; one
controlled the army the other directed the government
f. Dictator: in times of crisis, the republic could appoint a leader with absolute
power to make laws and control the army; power lasted for 6 months
g. Legions: military units made up of 5,000 soldiers
Geography & Early Republic
7. Roman Power Expandsa. Steadily the Romans conquered the Italian Peninsula
b. As Rome conquered lands, people were absorbed into their ever
growing territory
c. Some people were accepted as citizens, others simply became allies
d. Rome went to war against Carthage; a powerful city in North Africa
e. The struggle became known as the Punic Wars (264-146 B.C.)
The Punic Wars
Geography & Early Republicf. Carthage was led by a brilliant general named Hannibal
g. Hannibal assembled an army of 50,000 infantry, 9,000 cavalry, and 60
elephants intent on capturing Rome
h. He led his troops up through Spain and crossed the Alps into Italy
Punic Wars
Roman Legions all male citizens who owned land
required to serve in army
legion: group of 6000 men
well-trained, disciplined
treated conquered people pretty
well
1st Punic War Carthage – compete w/
Rome for trade, control
Carthage=strong navy,
Rome=has to build one
Rome wins,
gains Sicily
2nd Punic War Hannibal
– General from Carthage
– attacked Rome by land
(with elephants!)
– defeated by Scipio
3rd Punic War Romans=50 years of peace
“Carthago delenda est”
Cathage must be destroyed!
Romans attack AND burn Carthage, enslave people
Rome now Controls
the Mediterranean
Problems in the Republic
Provinces complain of corrupt officials
Wealthy Romans take land from small
farmers
Slaves used on big farms (latifundia).
pushes small farmers/workers into cities
Problems in the Republic The Gap between rich and
poor widens (_),
The poor revolt
Slaves revolt too
–135-132 BC
– Spartacus led
70,000 slaves
Reform Attempts2 Brothers try to help
Tiberius Gracchus
– Wanted to redistribute (give back) land to the poor
– BUT, he was killed by senate
Gaius Gracchus
– Same reforms, same fate
The Army Changes– paid, equipped soldiers
(mercenaries)
– gave land to veterans
This is the beginning of a
professional fighting force
soldiers become more loyal
to generals than republic!!!!
RECAP OF THE PROBLEMS IN THE ROME REPUBLIC
Problems for the Roman Republic ■Rome’s expansion brought wealth,
and problems
–gap b/t rich & poor
–Inflation cost of goods rise
–Large farms and slave labor = small farms out of biz
–Armies loyal to generals
•Generals had more power than senate
–Leads to civil wars in Rome
Biggest Problem: The Generals
■The most powerful politicians (Patricians) are also the powerful generals
■They recruited and paid their soldiers (the poor)
–Armies loyal to the general, not the Republic
Julius Caesar
■Brilliant general
■Conquered Gaul (France) for Rome
■Fought with his men, they were dedicated to him
First Triumvirate
■Caesar, Crassus and Pompey leader of Republic as the First Triumvirate
■The Senate worried that Caesar was
getting too powerful
– Orders ceasar to return to Rome and break up army
Caesar Pompey Crassus
Crossing the Rubicon
■Nope! Ceasar took
his army across the Rubicon River, and into Rome
■5 yrs of Civil War wins
■Took power=dictator for life..absolutepower
Caesar’s Reforms
■Expanded citizenship to provinces
■Created jobs by building
government buildings
■Increased soldiers’ pay
■Very popular with the
people
Caesar Assassinated
■The Roman senate worried about Caesar again
–considered him a tyrant
■Several Senators, Marcus Brutus and Gaius Cassius, assassinated him by stabbing (Ides of March)
■The Ides of March. 15 March, marked by several religious observances
In 44 B.C., Senators assassinated Julius Caesar
End of the Republic & Rise of the Empire ■Caesar’s death changed Rome:
–People no longer trusted the Senate to rule Rome & the Roman Republic came to an end & the empire began
The assassination led to another civil war led by Caesar’s adopted nephew Octavian &
his best general, Marc Antony
Second Triumvirate
■Octavian, Lepidus and Marc Antony take control of ROME
■Octavian strongest of the 3, defeats Antony and Egyptian ally Cleopatra.
■ Put Lepidus into exile.
Octavian
■Caesar’s adopted son
■Very smart politician
■Caesar’s assassinated,Rome…civil war.
■Octavian wins
First Emperor
■Augustus defeats Antony, Rome‘s first emperor
■Maintained control of the army
■Senate had little real power
Further expansion
The Rise of the Roman Empire
Octavian leader of Rome, given the title Augustus (“Exalted
One”), & became Rome’s first emperor
Under Augustus, Rome was ruled as an empire; absolute
rule…senate no power
The Pax Romana Augustus’ 41 year reign started a 207-year era
of peace, wealth, & expansion known as the Pax Romana (“the Roman Peace”) from 27 B.C. to
180 A.D.
Pax Romana
Pax romana
■Roman Peace
■27 BC- 180 AD
■Expansion and solidification of Roman Empire
■Afforded safety and leisure time inside the empire
–Some people talk about a Pax Americana since World War II
During the Pax Romana, the empire expanded to its height & brought great wealth to Rome
Lyon FranceLondon
Africa
Political Impacts of pax romana
■Uniform rule of law
■Developed civil service
■Expanded control of Europe and Mediterranean world
Economic impacts of Pax Romana
■Uniform system of money/currency
■Trade inside the empire flourished
–Trade with India and China
Roman roads
■Romans build a network roads
–Good for:
•Trade
•Travel
•Moving armies around
•Communicating withprovinces
The Pax Romana became the “golden age” of Rome as emperors like Augustus built roads & a merit-based bureaucracy to rule the empire
Roman aqueducts brought water to cities
Roman architects used new styles like domes & concrete to beautify cities
Emperors built arenas & used chariot races, gladiator events, & theater to entertain the poor
The Roman Coliseum
Gladiators
■To control the masses in Rome, colosseum
Conclusions
■Rome started out as a city, to a republic, to an empire
–The era of the Roman Republic introduced representative democracy
–The era of Pax Romana & the “golden age” of Roman innovation & culture