THE CHRONOLOGY OF THE CLASSICAL ROMAN CIVILIZATION
2nd Millennium BCE
800 BCE
800 BCE
753 BCE
750 – 600 BCE
550 BCE
509 BCE
5th Century BCE
460 BCE
449 BCE
4th Century BCE
338 BCE
312 BCE
270 BCE
264 – 146 BCE
215 – 85 BCE
2nd Century BCE
1st Century BCE
100 to 27 BCE
50 to 44 BCE
100 BCE to 100 CE
27 BCE
1st Century CE
33 to 70 CE
80 CE
117 CE
2nd Century CE
180 – 284 CE
3rd Century CE
284 – 305 CE
3rd/4th Century CE
4th Century CE
312 CE
323 CE
325 CE
378 CE
380 CE
410 CE
450 CE
451 CE
476 CE
Indo-European Latin tribes settle Italy; society was agricultural, pastoral; strongly patriarchal
Seafaring Etruscans settle Central Italy, loose confederation of aristocracy ruled city-states
Phoenicians establish colony of Carthage; trade rivalry between Etruscans, Carthaginians
Rome founded; later ruled as a city-state by an Etruscan king; Romans were a tribe of Latins
Greeks colonize Southern Italy; introduce alphabet, grape, olives, religion to area; trade thrives
Etruscan power at height, establish colonies in Southern Italy; Roman culture heavily influenced
Rome throws Etruscans out; creates republic ruled by Senate, Assembly, two elected consuls
Roman religion is public expression of state, rituals; no emotional appeal; tolerant of other faiths
Roman military organized into legions of citizen soldiers; service in army part of duty to state
Patricians dominate; plebeians (commoners) have no power; slaves, foreigners not citizens
Law rests with father of the family; women have influence within family; society hierarchical
Cincinnatus was model dictator: elected twice during crisis; gave office up after emergency
12 Tables of laws published; citizens have trial by jury, right to appeal, right to confront accusers
Plebeians acquire vote, own assembly, can elect 10 tribunes who can veto consuls, laws
Socially clientage popular: land lords protect plebeians in exchange for loyalty, work
Rome conquers central Italy; build colonies to govern lands, settle excess population, veterans
Romans allow intermarriage of classes, grant citizenship to loyal allies; limited social mobility
First roads, bridges used by legions, merchants, link conquests to capital
Rome conquers Greek city-states of Southern Italy; Greeks become teachers, artists to Romans
Punic Wars with Carthage lead to Roman conquest of Spain, North Africa; Rome develops navy
Wars with Hellenistic empires leave Rome in control of Greece, Asia Minor, Syria, Palestine
Wars bankrupted Roman small farmers; debt slavery, poverty increase; poor swell cities
Plantations replace small farms, commercial agriculture for export; gap between rich, poor wide
Rise of slavery due to constant warfare; slave trade thrived; plantations convert to slave labor
Upper class women acquire land, begin to supervise financial affairs, manage family businesses
Stoicism spreads in Rome; teaches philosophy of living in accord with nature, reason
Rise of artisans, shopkeepers, workers; urban poor receives subsidized grain, public games
Gracchi brothers attempt reform; rise of two factions with professional armies of paid soldiers
Civilian, military leaders destroy republican government; many civil wars, annexations continue
Caesar becomes dictator, reforms favor poor, commoners, soldiers; murdered by senators
Golden Age of Literature: Vergil’s Aeneid, Horace, Livy, Ovid; Romans often imitate Greek styles
Augustus centralized imperial government; builds army loyal only to emperors; annexes Egypt
Peasants pressed to produce grain for export; horrible soil exhaustion, increased desertification
Rise of salvation religions, mystery cults, supported by poor, women, soldiers; emperors deified
Christ crucified; apostles spread teaching; converts were women, poor, slaves; Jewish diaspora
Coliseum built; Romans specialize in public architecture, engineering; use concrete, dome, arch
Rome at height, linked by roads; cities stimulate trade; Latin widely spoken in Western cities
Slaves 1/3 of population, used in agriculture, mines, homes; urban slaves could buy freedom
Eastern lands dominated by Greeks, commerce; non-Latin elites become citizens, acquire rights
Barrack emperors; generals control government through military takeovers; constant strife
Despite state persecutions of Christianity, Catholic apologists convert many Latin elite to faith
Rise of Germans, attack empire; some settled in empire as mercenaries; plague ravages empire
Diocletian stabilizes empire, reforms army, currency, balances budget; saves empire
Breakdown of civil authority leads to decline of commerce, cities; rise of pirates, bandits
Pope, patriarchs create institutionalized church, resolve disputes by council; create Bible
Augustine’s Confessions: fully Christian but blend Roman classical style, Greek philosophy
Germans converted to Arian Christianity; Huns invade, force Germans into empire
Rise of feudalism, social stratification: sons follow profession of father; end of social mobility
Constantine legalizes Christianity; Christians about1/5 population; elite Romans enter Church
Constantine builds new capital in east; Eastern portion of empire richer, more populous
Councils of Nicaea declares Christ is man and God, denounce Arians as heretics
Goths defeat Romans at Battle of Adrianople, pour into Greece, turn west into Italy
Empire permanently divided into West, East; Christianity declared state faith
Rome sacked by Vandals; Vandal state in Africa, Goth states in Spain, Italy; Frankish in Gaul
Romans, Germans ally to defeat Huns; after Huns, Germans turn on Romans
Council of Chalcedon denounces Nestorian heresy (Christ has one nature, man or divine)
Germans depose last emperor; their kings, nobles rule over Latin masses, use two law systems
CHANGE OVER TIME BY CHRONOLOGICAL PERIOD
THEME
Patterns, impacts of interaction amongst major societies:
trade, exchanges, diplomacy, war, and international organizations
ANCIENT PERIOD
TO 509 BCE
EARLY CLASSICAL
509 BCE to 180 CE
LATE CLASSICAL
180 to 476 CE
THEME
Changes in functions and structures of states, attitudes towards states, inc. identities,
political parties (the political culture) and emergence of the nation-state
ANCIENT PERIOD
TO 509 BCE
EARLY CLASSICAL
509 BCE to 180 CE
LATE CLASSICAL
180 to 476 CE
CHANGE OVER TIME BY CHRONOLOGICAL PERIOD:
THEME
Impact of demography on people and the environment including migration, population growth and decline,
disease, urbanization, environmental degradation, and agriculture
ANCIENT PERIOD
TO 509 BCE
EARLY CLASSICAL
509 BCE to 180 CE
LATE CLASSICAL
180 to 476 CE
THEME
Impact of technology including agricultural techniques, weaponry, manufacturing, transportation and
communications systems, and inventions
ANCIENT PERIOD
TO 509 BCE
EARLY CLASSICAL
509 BCE to 180 CE
LATE CLASSICAL
180 to 476 CE
CHANGE OVER TIME BY CHRONOLOGICAL PERIOD
THEME
Religious, intellectual, cultural, and artistic aspects, developments,
interactions among and within societies
ANCIENT PERIOD
TO 509 BCE
EARLY CLASSICAL
509 BCE to 180 CE
LATE CLASSICAL
180 to 476 CE
THEME
Systems of social, economic and gender structure
including inequalities and work or labor systems
ANCIENT PERIOD
TO 509 BCE
EARLY CLASSICAL
509 BCE to 180 CE
LATE CLASSICAL
180 to 476 CE
CHANGE OVER TIME BY CHRONOLOGICAL PERIOD
THEME
The relationship of change and continuity between chronological periods
What led to the changes or continuities between each periods?
ANCIENT PERIOD
TO 509 BCE
EARLY CLASSICAL
509 BCE to 180 CE
LATE CLASSICAL
180 to 476 CE
What would be a good thesis sentence to describe the change over time between arrival of the
Latins in Italy and the end of the Roman Empire? Write one using at least three of the themes.
NAME: _________________________ PERIOD: _______ DATE: ________________
CHART: CHANGE OVER TIME OF ROMAN WORLD
Summarize the time period – use SCRIPTED. Do at least three themes
BEGINNING
TIME
PERIOD:
Dates:
Ancient
and Etruscan
Periods
Key continuities from
previous period
INTERIM
TIME
PERIOD
Dates:
Republic to the
early Empire
END
TIME
PERIOD
Date:
Late Empire to
the collapse of
the Roman
Empire
Key changes from
previous period
Explain why change or continuity
occurred