Chapter 6 – Rome and Early Christianity
Chapter 6 – Rome and Early Christianity
Section 1 – The Foundations of Rome
A she-wolf suckles Romulus and Remus,
founders of Rome
Section 1 – The Foundations of Rome
Main Idea
From a small town on the banks of an Italian river,
Rome grew to control the entire Mediterranean
region.
Reading Focus
• Where and how did Roman civilization develop?
• What led to Rome’s becoming a republic?
• What were the major events in Rome’s expansion?
I. Roman Civilization Develops
The Seven Hills of Rome
A. Italy’s Geography
Italian Peninsula – situated in center of
Med Sea. Rich soil, mild climate; Protected
by mountains and sea
B. The Founding of Rome
1000s BC - Latins settled along Tiber River
753 BC - united to form Rome; prospered
through trade
C. The Etruscans
700s B.C. – Etruscans from northern Italy ruled
Rome
II. Rome Becomes a Republic
509 BC – Romans overthrew the Etruscans,
established a republic
Tarquin and Lucretia
by Titian (1571)
Tarquin the Proud was the last king
of Rome. The story of the Rape of
Lucretia was a popular tale which
explained the downfall of Tarquin
and Etruscans. Overcome with
desire, Tarquin's son, Sextus, raped
Lucretia. She told her husband what
had happened and urged him to
avenge her. She then took her own
life, sparking a rebellion that
brought about the end of Etruscan
rule and the beginning of the
Roman Republic.
A. Patricians and Plebeians
Patricians - aristocrats who controlled society
Plebeians - common people
A. Patricians and Plebeians
494 BC - Invaders threatened, plebeians
refused to fight; Patricians forced to expand
plebeian rights
The Plebian struggle to
win more rights became
known as the “Conflict of
the Orders”
A. Patricians and Plebeians
New Plebeian rights:
- elect officials (tribunes)
- right to veto laws
- Law of the Twelve Tables
The Twelve
Tables on
display in the
Roman Forum
B. Republican Government
Romans created an unwritten constitution and
a three-part government
1. Senate
300 members, advised officials, controlled
finances, handled foreign relations
2. Assemblies
Citizens who voted on laws and elected
officials
3. Magistrates
Included consuls, censors, and praetors
Consuls
Censor
Praetor
a. Consuls
Elected for one year: chief executives and
army commanders
b. Censors
Recorded people’s wealth and residence;
filled Senate vacancies
c. Praetors
Judges and acting consuls; became military
commanders or governors after term ended
B. Republican Government
System of checks and balances prevented
any part from becoming too powerful
C. Life in the Republic
The Forum was Rome’s political center; also
shopping and social center
C. Life in the Republic
Forum was between Palatine (where wealthy
lived) and Capitoline hills (had grandest
temples)
C. Life in the Republic
Proud of agrarian roots; farming and
landownership noblest ways to make money
C. Life in the Republic
Legend of Cincinnatus – called from farm,
made dictator, saved Rome, and returned to
his fields
III. The Republic Expands
As population grew, Rome fought wars to
expand territory
A. Military Might
All land-owning male citizens aged 17 to 46
required to serve in army during times of war
A. Military Might
Army was a disciplined, well-trained force,
organized into legions
Roman Legion:
4500 to 6000 men
A. Military Might
Backbone of legion were the centurions,
officers who commanded 100 men
B. The Conquest of Italy
By mid-200s BC, Rome controlled all the
Italian Peninsula south of the Rubicon
B. The Conquest of Italy
Rome aided allies in Sicily, causing conflict
with Carthage
C. The Punic Wars
Struggle for dominance resulted in three
conflicts lasting 80 years – the Punic Wars
C. The Punic Wars
First Punic War began in 264 BC; lasted 23
years
C. The Punic Wars
Rome built a navy, used land warfare tactics at
sea – rammed and boarded Carthaginian ships
C. The Punic Wars
After 23 years, Carthage sued for peace; were
forced to pay reparations and give up Sicily
C. The Punic Wars
218 BC - Second Punic War began;
Hannibal assembled an army of infantry,
cavalry, and elephants
C. The Punic Wars
Marched across Alps into Italy; spent 15 years
raiding Italian countryside
C. The Punic Wars
Rome invaded Africa and threatened Carthage;
Hannibal ordered home to defend the city
C. The Punic Wars
202 BC - Scipio defeated Hannibal at the battle
of Zama; Carthage lost its power
Publius Cornelius
Scipio Africanus
(236 - 184 BC)
Victory of the Roman Scipio Africanus over
the Carthaginian Hannibal. It was the last
and decisive battle of the Second Punic
War
C. The Punic Wars
149 -146 BC: Third Punic War - Rome declared
war against, besieged, and then
destroyed Carthage
"The Sack of Carthage"
D. The Conquest of Greece
Macedonia, Persia, and Egypt fought
constantly; Greeks became Rome’s ally
D. The Conquest of Greece
Macedonia, Persia defeated, made Roman
provinces; Romans then annexed Greece
Rome added Spain, Carthage, Macedonia and Greece,
after the Punic and Macedonian Wars
D. The Conquest of Greece
Romans adopted elements of Greek culture,
especially art, architecture, and religion
Discus Thrower (Discobolus),
Roman copy of Greek bronze by Myron
(c. 485 - 425 BC)
D. The Conquest of Greece
By 133 BC, Rome was the supreme power in
the Mediterranean world
D. The Conquest of Greece
Conquered peoples became subjects of Rome,
not citizens or allies
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