Ch.1 Sec.2 Roman Empire Notes: Part.2
“Do Now”  How did the Roman Republic become an empire?
List key names or ideas from our last class discussion on Rome.
 After the death of Julius Caesar, Octavian Caesar took over as
the leader of Rome. The senate gave Octavian the title of
“Augustus” or exalted one. Under Augustus Caesar’s rule, the
Roman Republic became the Roman Empire.
 The government organized by Augustus lasted for around 200
years and is referred to as the Pax Romana time period,
meaning Roman peace. Rome brought peace, order, unity and
prosperity to the empire.
 Roman law was based on the Laws of the Twelve Tables;
however, under the rule of Justinian from 527 to 565 there was
reform of the Roman law code. These changes were based on
the rulings of Roman judges in earlier court case decisions. Two
systems of laws were needed in Rome for local citizens and
foreigners who had been overtaken through conquest.
 Through war and conquest, Roman generals carried the ideas of
other elements of Roman civilization to distant lands. Yet the
civilization that developed was not simply Roman. It blended
Greek, Hellenistic, and Roman achievements. This is where the
term, Greco-Roman Civilization comes from and means.
 When the western Roman empire collapsed, the Christian
church preserved some of its culture in its teachings.
Questions:
1) Why did the Roman Empire need two systems of law?
2) What cultures contributed to Greco-Roman civilization?
Hwk: Workbook: Pg.9