Chapter 6B Ancient Rome
The Roman Empire, 117 A.D.
The Romans controlled the M_____ sea.
Today, Rome is in the country of ____.
The Romans spoke the language L____.
From Latin come the languages:
___ ___ ___ ___ and ___ . They are known as the Romance languages. (get it romance,
roman)
Ancient Rome sprung from the Latin people.
The Etruscans gave the Latins the alphabet and writing.
The Greeks gave the Romans art, architecture, government, and gods. The Romans changed
the names of the gods: Zeus became Jupiter, Hera became Juno, Poseidon became Neptune,
etc.
The Roman Republic
The Senate represented the wealthy.
The Twelve Tables were laws, 451 B.C., that protected all Roman citizens.
Patricians of the Senate were wealthy land owners who held the power.
Plebeians were farmers, merchants and artisans (bakers, shoemakers, potters, weavers,
carpenters, tanners, tailors, stone masons, furriers and others).
The Roman Army
All land owners were required to serve in the army.
Rome’s domination of the Mediterranean Sea was possible because of their strong military.
The Second Punic War
Hannibal pillaged the Roman peninsula for 10 years!
Finally, Roman general Scipio attacked Carthage, drawing Hannibal back, and then defeated
him.
The Third & Final Punic War
The Romans attacked Carthage and enslaved its 50,000 citizens, sowed the Carthage fields
with tons and tons of salt.
Carthage was no more.
In 49 B.C.E. Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon River into the Roman state armed as a soldier.
Today, crossing the Rubicon means there is no turning back. Caesar knew he would have to be
victorious against other generals or be killed.
In 49 B.C.E. Julius Caesar became dictator and brought order to Rome.
Caesar’s reforms
extended citizenship to others
created public works jobs for the poor
gave land to the landless
increased the pay of the soldiers
The Death of Caesar
Brutus, Cassius and other Senators stabbed Caesar to death in 44 B.C.E., because he was
becoming too powerful.
Rome’s Greatest Emperor: Augustus Caesar
was Julius Caesar's nephew
ruled for 50 years
set up a civil service system.
revised taxes and the financial system.
built excellent roads throughout the empire.
Pax Romana
Beginning with Augustus, Rome enjoyed peace for 200 years.
“All roads lead to Rome”. Be able to explain this saying.
Virgil the poet
His Aeneid is a Latin epic poem and a national treasure of Italy
his work, like Homer’s, influenced Western literature.
Slaves in Ancient Rome
were usually conquered people
made up one third of the population.
most were treated cruelly.
Millions lost their lives attempting to gain their freedom.
Strong healthy male slaves were forced to become gladiators.
The story of Saul (Paul)
Saul was a zealous (enthusiastic) Jew who arrested Christians
On his way to Damascus in 33 A.D., he is blinded by a burst of light and spoken to by God.
Three days later when visited by a disciple, Saul is healed, and becomes a Christian, and
changes his name to Paul.
Paul’s Missionary Journeys spread Christianity throughout the Roman Empire.
Without Paul, Christianity may not have spread throughout the Roman empire.
The New Testament contains a total of 27 books, and 13 of them may have been written by
the Paul.
Apostle Peter is regarded as the first pope by the Catholic Church.
In 224 A.D. Emperor Constantine proclaimed religious tolerance of Christians throughout the
empire.
To control the masses, the government provided free entertainment at the Coliseum and
Circus Maximus
Rome averaged 3 holidays a week!
The Coliseum
Activities in the Coliseum
Gladiators
Animal Hunts
Executions
Re-enactments of famous battles
Dramas
Mock Sea Battles
Christians against the ….
Circus Maximus
It was 200 yards long and held 200,000 spectators!
Used for chariot races.
Many of the charioteers were celebrities.
Agriculture employed 90% of the population.
50,000 miles of roads were used for the military, trade and general travel.
Some Roman roads still exist today in Europe
In 300, Diocletian divided the Empire
The Eastern Roman Empire became the Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire preserved Greek and Roman culture for more than 1000 years!
The Byzantine capital was Constantinople, now called Istanbul.
Can you find Istanbul?
Why is this a great location?
Why the Western Roman Empire died:
stopped conquering, thus no new resources and slaves
overworked the farmland
some farmland was destroyed from wars
inflation
citizen loyalty declined
The End of the Western Roman Empire
In 476 the Western Roman Empire was conquered by Germanic tribes* from the north.
Europe fel into the Middle Ages.
*The German tribes were just trying to get away from the Huns.
The Greco-Roman Legacy:
art
language
literature
religion
and law.
In 79 A.D. Mt. Vesuvius destroyed Pompeii.
The End