Ancient Rome Notes
Pax Romana
Pax Romana
A period of peace and prosperity known as
“Roman peace”, lasted from 27 B.C.E. to
180 C.E. (207 years)
Economic Impact
Agriculture was the most important industry
(90% farmed)
Silver coin, the denarius, was used
throughout Rome,
which made trade
between all parts
of the empire easy
Economic Impact
A complex
network of roads
linked the empire
to Persia, southern
Russia, China, etc.
and were
originally built by
military, but
goods and culture
were spread
because of them
Social Impact
Family was the heart of
Roman society; the
eldest man, known as
the paterfamilias, or
“father of the family”
had power to rule the
household, control
property, banish family
members, etc.
Social Impact
Women, both rich and poor, were nearly equal the
men
Upper-class women could own property and
attended public baths, plays, and festivals, but still
could not vote
Lower-class women could be weavers,
shopkeepers, or entertainers
Social Impact
Few children went to school, boys were
favored over girls, and poor children had to
work and were generally illiterate
Slaves were a bigger part of Roman culture
than any culture before; they worked in
cities and on farms and many were treated
cruelly or forced to be gladiators
Political Impact
Augustus stabilized the frontier, glorified
Rome with splendid buildings and created a
long-lasting system of government
He also set up a civil service, which meant
that he paid workers to manage the affairs
of government, such as the grain supply, tax
collection, and the postal system
Political Impact
The Senate still functioned, but the civil
servants, drawn from plebeians and former
slaves administered the empire
The Roman Forum was a central area in
which commerce and the administration of
justice took place
Ancient Rome Notes
Roman Contributions
Art/Architecture
The Coliseum, a huge arena that could hold
50,000 and hosted gladiators contests,
games, races, animal shows, etc.
Art/Architecture
The Pantheon was a temple for all the gods
in Rome, had massive columns and domes,
which were typical
Art/Architecture
Used bas-relief, where images project from
a flat background
Where also skilled in mosaics, pictures or
designs made by setting small pieces of
stone, glass, or tile onto a surface
Technology
Aqueducts were designed to bring water
into cities and towns
Vast network of roads
built of stone, concrete,
and sand
Languages
Latin was the official language of Rome
Latin influenced French, Spanish,
Portuguese, Italian, and Romanian which
became known
as the Romance
Languages
Literature
Writers used Roman themes and ideas while
following Greek forms and models
Virgil, a poet, wrote The Aeneid, which was
a praise of Rome and Roman virtues; he
believed government was Rome’s most
important contribution to civilization
Religion
Adopted the Greek gods, but changed their names
Most important were Jupiter (Zeus) – father of the
gods, Juno (Hera) – his wife, who watched over
marriage and women, and Minerva (Athena) –
goddess of wisdom and war
Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire
and eventually became the official religion
Law
All persons had the right to equal treatment
under the law
A person was considered innocent until proven
guilty
The burden of proof rested with the accuser, not
the accused
A person should be punished only for actions,
not thoughts
Any law that seemed unreasonable or unfair
could be set aside
Rise of Christianity
Complete the Rise of Christianity WS using
Chapter 6, Section 3 of the World History
book.