The Mythical Founding of Rome:

Romulus & Remus

ROMAN REPUBLIC• Was not a static institution

but rather a continually evolving structure– Twelve Tables– Political participation and

eligibility to run for office widened over time

– But it also became increasingly corrupt

PATRICIANS• Original aristocracy of Rome

– Had been distinguished citizens who advised Latin kings

– Played leading role in overthrowing Etruscans

• Control strengthened by institution of clientage– Client was a free man who pledged himself

to a patrician (called patron)• Honor-bound to serve interests and

obey wishes of patron– In return the client received favors

– Originally used to create political bases for patricians

• Wealth based primarily on ownership of farmland and/or urban real estate

PLEBEIANS • Free men who could not trace

their ancestry back to advisors of Latin kings– Did not become clients– Number swollen by

immigrants who moved to Rome during Etruscan period

– Many were well-off and served in the army under Etruscans• Etruscans had promoted

their interests and protected their civil status

– With overthrow of Etruscans they lost protector• Patricians would not let

them share in government

POLITICAL AND SOCIAL EVOLUTION

• Result was long-term power struggle within Rome as patricians attempted to preserve their exalted status and monopoly of political power and plebeians tried to gain a share of power that corresponded to the contribution they made to Rome’s success and prosperity– Result was a blurring and mixing of original social

distinctions and gradual emergence of a new hierarchy based on wealth

– Parallel political evolution in which the patrician monopoly on government gave way to the domination of the wealthy (whether patrician or plebeian)

ROMAN CITIZENSHIP• Entitled a man to vote in

elections• Could not be flogged as

punishment• Entitled to the Roman trial

process and had right of appeal

• Originally, both parents had to be citizens for that person to be considered a citizen– Later, only a person’s

father had to be a citizen to qualify his offspring as citizens

SENATE• Most powerful

governmental institution in Rome during the Republic– Made up of 300

members– Descended from

the ancient advisory body to Septimontium kings

LIMITS AND STRENGTHS

• Senate did reign supreme in certain areas

– Controlled treasury

– Declared war and appointed military commanders

– Appointed provincial governors and regulated affairs

– Had right, in times of civil emergency, to override all other bodies of government and establish martial law

“Senatus consultum de republica defenda”

Dispute over control of Sicily and trade

routes in the western Mediterranean

brought Rome into conflict with the powerful North

African city-state of Carthage

Carthage

Carthage had been

founded as Phoenician colony 500

years earlier

Result was the three Punic Wars264-146 BC

FIRST PUNIC WAR• Primarily a naval

war

• Carthage very good at this because of long experience as naval power (Phoenicians)

• Rome had small navy and little experience in naval warfare

ROME WINS THE FIRST ONE• Rome would not

surrender

• Finally turned the tables on Carthage by changing rules of naval warfare

• Won First Punic War as a result

1.Following its defeat in the First Punic War, the Carthaginian Empire looked to

rebuild its power base by controlling Spain were there were silver mines, so

they could pay back Roman reparations.

2. At the same time, the Romans were taking over some of northern Spain, where there were gold mines. The

Romans and the Carthaginians made a treaty to stay out of each other's

territory in Spain.

3. Hannibal took a huge army and a lot of elephants and horses and

crossed over the Alps to Italy. Hannibal thought that when he got to Italy all the cities would be glad to help him and get free of Rome.

4. When the Romans heard that Hannibal was coming, they kept one half of their big army in Italy to fight

Hannibal, and they sent the other half of their army to Spain

5.But finally Scipio succeeded in taking over Spain. Then Scipio took his army to Africa and

attacked Carthage itself. The Carthaginian Senate got frightened and told Hannibal to

come home and help them. There was a big battle at Zama, near Carthage, in 202 BC, and

the Carthaginians lost.

SECOND PUNIC WAR

THIRD PUNIC WAR• After the Second Punic War, in 202

BC, Italy was a wreck.

• Victorious army syndrome

• Cato the Elder

• Greece to W. Asia to Carthage

• Carthage is finished and Rome is the undisputed superpower of the West.

Cato the Elder "Carthage must be destroyed."

Later, the conquests of Gaius Marius, Lucius Cornelius Sulla, Pompey

Magnus, and Julius Caesar would add more territory

Gaul, the rest of Asia Minor, Mesopotamian, Mediterranean Middle

East, Belgium

BIG PROBLEM• Ambitious politicians (who

were also always military commanders) all tried, and eventually succeeded, in subverting republican institutions in order to achieve personal dictatorial power over the empire and its wealth– Marius, Sulla, Publius

Clodius, Pompey, Marcus Crassus, Julius Caesar, Marc Antony, and Octavian/Augustus

Julius Caesar Lucius Cornelius Sulla

FALL OF THE REPUBLIC• Civil wars racked the empire

during the last century BC– Marius vs Sulla; Pompey vs

Caesar; Octavian vs Marc Antony

– Together they ultimately destroyed the Republic• Accompanied by

increased level of political violence within Rome, the murder of political opponents, the destruction of property, physical intimidation, riots, armed clashes

– All became part of everyday politics and contributed to decay and death of the Republic

Imperial Roman Road System

Patriarchs did not recognize the popes’ supremacy claims at first, but over time popes gained more influence within the Christian Church.

By about 100, priests who were trained in these ceremonies became prominent within Christianity. The authority of the priests was based on the authority Jesus gave the Apostles. This spiritual authority distinguished the priests from the general congregation of the church.

• Church expanded, developed administrative structure

• Bishop oversaw church affairs, had authority over other priests

• 300s, heads of oldest congregations, patriarchs, had authority over other bishops

Administrative Structure

Expansion of the Church

• Many believed Peter founded Roman Church, was first bishop

• Later bishops of Rome, popes, Peter’s spiritual heirs

• Gospel of Matthew: Jesus gives Peter keys to kingdom of heaven

• Therefore future popes inherit keys

Peter the Apostle

Diocletian Splits the Empire in Two: 294

CE

The Decline and Fall of Rome

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