ROME
753 BCE-600 CE
Animated map
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I. Geography
1. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
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Italy at crossroads of Med. Sea
Rome at crossroads of Italian peninsula
2. Mild climate and arable land for surplus
farming
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II. Roman Republic 509-44 BCE
1. Ruled by kings from 753-509 BCE
2. Senate
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Made up of wealthiest, most influential
Romans
3. 2 Consuls
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Led gov’t, served 1 yr, chosen by Senate
4. Conflict: Patricians and Plebians
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Lower classes had few rights, always fighting
for more
Tribune- chosen by lower class, had great
power
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III. Society
1. Paterfamilias
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Oldest male in family ALWAYS in charge
2. Women treated like children
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No voting or property rights
3. Hierarchical society
4. Patron/Client
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Patron (senator) provided benefits for clients
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Legal advice, food, protection, loans
Clients voted for patron and fought for him in
battle
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IV. Roman Expansion
1. By 290 BCE took over all of Italy
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Won support by offering Roman citizenship
2. Punic Wars 264-146 BCE
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Fought Carthage- gained Sicily, Spain,
Carthage
3. Gaius Julius Caesar 51 BCE
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Conquered Celts of Gaul (in France)
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V. Failure of Republic
1. Agriculture began to fail
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The rich bought out land and created
Latifundia-large estate did not produce
necessary grain
2. High unemployment- poverty and riots
3. Influential generals
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Promised benefits to soldiers
Army more loyal to generals than to Rome
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VI. Roman Principate 31 BCE-330 CE
1. Octavian (Augustus Caesar)- military
dictator
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Emperor (Caesar) affirmed by Senate
Emperor began to create laws, not Senate
Emperor was deified after death
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VII. Urban Empire
1. Rome administered through and for a
network of cities and towns:
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Major cities Alexandria, Antioch, Carthage
2. Makeup of towns/cities:
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Temples, gardens, baths, theaters,
amphitheaters, and games
Rich lived in fine townhomes
Poor lived in dark, smelly, wooden
tenements susceptible to fire
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VII. Continued…
3. Commerce greatly increased during Pax
Romana (Roman Peace)
4. Rome depended heavily on grain imports from
Egypt
5. Romanization- spread of Latin language and
Roman way of life
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Mainly in western provinces, east was still
Hellenisitic
Towns sprang up and locals were granted citizens’
rights
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VIII. Rise of Christianity
1. In Judaea (Israel), Jews waited for promised
“Messiah”.
2. Jesus preached a personal faith in God; he was
son of God.
3. Jesus accused of blasphemy by Jews. Turned
over to Romans and crucified.
4. Followers spread religion throughout empire.
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Apostle Paul spread Christianity to most Greek
communities and Rome
At first, it mainly appealed to women, slaves, poor.
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IX. Technology & Transformation
1. Aqueducts- carried water from source to
urban center
2. Arches and domes- extensively used in
Roman construction. Allowed distribution
of great weight
3. Concrete invented and cranes used
extensively
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Amphitheaters, brides, roads, baths, sewers
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IX. Continued…
1. “Third-century crisis”
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Symptom: frequent change of rulers
Germanic tribes raid
Costs of defense raised taxes, coins devalued
Population shifted into countryside
2. Diocletian (284 CE)- ruled more than 20 yrs
and reformed economy to save the Empire
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