Roman Philosophy
Stoicism
Epicureanism
Stoicism
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Zeno – Greek
Source of happiness
is wisdom
Only man has
morals
Apathy – Emotion
and passion destroy
reason
Epicureanism
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Epicurus – Greek
No afterlife
Maximize pleasure
& minimize pain
Materialists
Roman Republic
Roman Republic
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Internally – Republic
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a political system in which the supreme
power lies in a body of citizens who can
elect people to represent them
Externally – Empire
Empire Building: Italian Peninsula
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By 268 BC, Rome controlled most of Italy
Empire Building: Punic Wars
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Carthage versus Rome
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Generals
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Both wanted the western Mediterranean
& Sicily
Hannibal for Carthage
Scipio for Rome
Rome Won
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Kept Spain & North Africa
Literally destroyed Carthage
Empire Building:
Macedonian & Seleucid Wars
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During & after
Punic Wars
Gained control of
Greece and Syria
Total control of
the Mediterranean
Empire Building: Asia
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Anatolian king willed his empire to Rome
What allowed them to conquer so
much territory?
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Military
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Disciplined & well trained
Each province contributed soldiers
Roads
Slavery
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People from conquered provinces
Free labor source helped expansion
Why didn’t conquered peoples rebel?
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Effective governance
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Romanization
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Roman culture
Latin language
Roman laws
Trade benefits
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Protection/Peace
Citizenship
Standardized money
Safe trade
Cities
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Roads
Aqueducts
Roman Government
The Republic
Senate
In charge of:
 Treasury
 Foreign relations
 Enforced laws
 Declared war
Patricians and Plebeians
Patricians
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Aristocrats
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Held political and
religious power
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Large landowners
Government officials
Priests
Forbidden to marry
outside their class
Plebian
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Lower social class
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Land owning men
Had to be a citizen
of Rome
Tribune
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Elected from the Plebeians
Had the power to veto any law
Defended assembly against
Patricians
Consuls
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From the Patricians
Made all legislation
Shared rule by
electing two Consuls
at a time
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Civil decisions
Military power
One consul could veto
the other
Dictator
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Appointed in times of crisis
A single leader who had absolute
power to make laws and command
the army
Temporary – 6 months