Unit 1: Foundations of Western Society
• Essential Question: What were
Greece and Rome’s most enduring
contributions to Western civilization?
Rome’s Contributions to Western Society
• Modern Romance languages (Italian, Spanish,
French, Portuguese, and Romanian) trace their
origins to Latin, the language of the Romans.
• Form of government (Republic) and policy
• Christianity, which arose during the Roman Empire,
remains one of the world’s main religions
• Social classes: Tensions between rich and poor
continue to affect society, as they did in the days of
patrician and plebeians
• Classical art and architecture
• Inventions: Developed road construction methods,
aqueducts, domes, and concrete.
Historical Perspective
Greece
• 800-500Homeric Age
•
•
• 500-300 Classical Age •
• 300s Hellenistic Period •
• 133 Romans seize
control of Greece
•
•
Rome
700s kings rule
600s Etruscans rule develop
Rome
500s Etruscans out,
Republic in
300s Rome conquers
surrounding states
200s finished conquering
all of Italy
mid-200s – 100s conquest
of the Mediterranean
Origins of Rome
The Mythical Founding of Rome:
Romulus & Remus
Rome: from
village to
empire
c. 750 BCE: Latins (tribe) settle what becomes Rome
See Rome Expand!
Let’s Talk Topography and Geography
peninsula
mountains
rivers
Long ago on a peninsula far, far
away…
• Apennine Mountains – not so rugged as the
Greek mainland, did not divide the country into small
isolated communities
• Large fertile plains – could support a large
population. Agriculture was the most important
industry in the empire.
• Rome was located on Tiber River –
access to the Mediterranean Sea
• Built on seven hills – easily defended;
military strategy
The early Romans were mostly…
farmers
Ancient Italy
(c. 6th century B.C.)
PEOPLE:
Latins
-Rome: “The First Romans”
-Influence: Latin Language
Etruscans
-Northern Italy
-Urbanized Rome:
Building Programs (the
Forum)
-Influence on Romans:
the arch, alphabet
Greeks
-Southern Italy and Sicily
-Influence on Romans: art,
architecture, literature,
government, grew olives and
grapes (oh and goats!)
c. 600 BCE:
Etruscans
Conquer Rome…
…Romans adopt
Etruscan alphabet,
art, gods, building
techniques (including
the arch)
In 509 BCE...
…the
Romans
overthrew
the
Etruscans
Rome Spreads its Power
• Romans defeat
Etruscans in north
and Greek citystates in south
• Treatment of
Conquered:
– Forge alliances
– Offer
citizenship
• By 265 B.C.,
Rome controls
Italian peninsula
It’s interesting to note that this was the precise time
that we think of Greece as entering its Classical Era.
Unlike the Athenians, who had a direct or participatory
democracy, the Romans established a representative
democracy, or, a “republic…”
…like we have today
Roman social structure
 Patricians: wealthy landowners and office-holders
 Plebeians: farmers, artisans, traders…could vote but not
hold political office
 Slaves: mostly prisoners of war…not citizens…no
rights
Roman Religion
 polytheistic
 absorbed gods of others,
including the Greeks
 lots of public festivals
Roman Women
 educated just like boys
 couldn’t vote but could testify in court
 gained property rights
 more influence in family than Greek women
451 BCE: First
Roman Law Code
THE TWELVE TABLES
carved stone tablets
• 451 B.C., officials
carve Roman laws on
twelve tablets and
hung in Forum.
• Laws confirm right of
all free citizens to
protection of the law
• Become the basis for
later Roman law
The Roman Forum
• Political center of
Roman Empire
• Ideal place for
dramatic public
speeches
• Town Square, mall
(vendors), and
government center
Gradually, the
Romans began
to expand their
control…
…until they had conquered the entire Italian peninsula
plus the islands of Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily
As they expanded
their control…
…the Romans built
an excellent network
of roads
Here’s how they built them:
Their road system is one of the Romans’
greatest achievements
Why do you think they built them?
The Roman road system
 allowed easy military transport
 enabled trade and commerce
 helped unify expanding Roman territories
Back to Roman expansion…who do you think
would be a likely rival for control of the
Mediterranean Sea?
Carthage!!
Between 264-146 BCE the Romans fought 3 wars with
Carthage, known as the “Punic Wars.”
Note: The conflict was called the "Punic War" because Rome's name for
Carthaginians was Punici (older Phoenici, due to their Phoenician ancestry).
In its adjective form : “treacherous”
The First Punic War : 264 to 241 BC
After 23 years of fighting, Rome emerged the victor and
imposed heavy conditions upon Carthage as the price for
peace.
Rome replaced Carthage as the dominant naval power
of the Mediterranean
Both states were financially and demographically
exhausted.
Spoils of War:
They drew what they considered a straight line across the
Mediterranean.
Hispania, Corsica, Sardinia and Africa remained
Carthaginian. All that was north of that line was signed over
to Rome.
The Second Punic War : 218 to 202 BC
After Carthage lost its holdings in Sicily to Rome in the First Punic War,
Carthage moved to compensate for the loss by extending her territory in
Hispania (the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula).
Rome won…and went on to conquer the rest of
the Mediterranean world.
The period 27 BCE-180 AD (the last two
maps) is known as the:
PAX ROMANA
During this period:
o Romans thought they were the entire civilized world
o Rome enjoyed military dominance
o The population of the city of Rome reached 1 million
o Trade increased, bringing a wealth of resources into Rome
o The arts flourished
Well, that’s it for our quick overview of Rome’s
journey from small village to huge empire. Over the
next several weeks we will concentrate on the
following:
 the influence of Greek culture upon the Romans
 Roman contributions to politics, technology and the
arts
 the rise of Christianity within the Roman Empire
 reasons for the decline and collapse of the Empire