Greece vs. Rome
Which was a better civilization?
Which made greater contributions
to Modern Society?
Greece
Mycenaean Civilization Develops
Origins
• Mycenaeans—Indo-Europans who settled
on Greek mainland in 2000 B.C.
• Took their name from their leading city,
Mycenae
• Mycenaean warrior-kings dominate Greece
from 1600–1100 B.C.
Contact with Minoans
• After 1500 B.C., Mycenaeans adopt Minoan
sea trade and culture
The Trojan War
• Trojan War—fought by Mycenaeans
against city of Troy in 1200s B.C.
• Once thought to be fictional, archaeological
evidence has been found
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Minotaur Video

http://www.history.com/topics/ancientgreece/videos#origins-of-the-minotaur
Rule and Order in Greek City-States
The City-State
• By 750 B.C. the Greek city-state, or polis, is the
formal government
• A polis is a city and its surrounding villages;
50 to 500 square miles
• Population of a city-state is often less than
10,000
• Citizens gather in the marketplace (Agora) and
acropolis—a fortified hilltop
Continued . . .
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The Persian Wars
Consequences of the Persian Wars
• New self-confidence in Greece due to victory
• Athens emerges as leader of Delian League
• Athens controls the league by using force against
opponents
• League members essentially become provinces of
Athenian empire
• Stage is set for a dazzling burst of creativity in
Athens
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Sparta Builds a Military State
A Unique City-State
• Sparta, isolated from much of Greece, builds
military state
Sparta Dominates Messenians
• Around 725 B.C., Sparta conquers Messenia
• Messenians become helots—peasants forced to
farm the land
• Harsh rule leads to Messenian revolt; Spartans
build stronger state
Sparta’s Government and Society
• Sparta government has four branches; citizens
elect officials
• Three social classes: citizens, free noncitizens,
helots—slaves
Continued . . .
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Sparta Builds a Military State
Spartan Daily Life
• Spartan values: duty, strength, individuality,
discipline over freedom
• Sparta has the most powerful army in
Greece
• Males move into barracks at age 7, train until
30, serve until 60
• Girls receive some military training and live
hardy lives
• Girls also taught to value service to Sparta
above all else
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http://www.history.com/topics/ancientgreece/videos#the-peloponnesian-war
Democracy and Greece’s
Golden Age
Pericles’ Plan for Athens
Pericles as Leader
• Skillful politician, inspiring speaker, respected
general
• Dominates life in Athens from 461 to 429 B.C.
Stronger Democracy
• Pericles hires more public officials; creates
direct democracy
• Direct democracy —citizens rule directly, not
through representatives
Continued . . .
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Philosophers Search for Truth
Rise of Great Philosophers
• After the war, rise of philosophers—thinkers,
"lovers of wisdom"
• Believe universe is subject to absolute and
unchanging laws
• People could understand these laws through logic,
reason
• Sophist philosopher Protagoras questions the
existence of Greek gods
Socrates
• Socrates—believes in questioning, selfexamination of values, actions
• Convicted of corrupting young people;
sentenced to death in 399 B.C.
Continued . . .
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Philosophers Search for Truth
Plato
• Plato—student of Socrates; writes The
Republic—an ideal society
• In 387 B.C., establishes Athens school, the
Academy; lasts 900 years
• His writings dominate European philosophy for
1,500 years
Aristotle
• Aristotle—student of Plato; uses rules of logic
for argument
• His work provides the basis for scientific
method, still used today
• Tutors 13-year-old prince who becomes
Alexander the Great
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The Spread of Hellenistic Culture
Hellenistic Culture in Alexandria
• Result of Alexander’s policies—a new vibrant
culture
• Hellenistic culture—Greek blended with
Egyptian, Persian, Indian
Trade and Cultural Diversity
• Alexandria—Egyptian city becomes center of
Hellenistic civilization
Alexandria’s Attractions
• Lighthouse, called the Pharos, stands over 350
feet tall
• Museum contains art galleries, a zoo, botanical
gardens, dining hall
• Library holds masterpieces of ancient literature;
supports scholars
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Science and Technology
Alexandria’s Scholars
• Scholars preserve Greek and Egyptian learning in the
sciences
Astronomy
• Astronomer Aristarchus proves sun is larger than Earth
• Proposes planets revolve around sun; not accepted for
14 centuries
• Eratosthenes uses geometry to calculate Earth’s
circumference
Mathematics and Physics
• Euclid—mathematician; Elements the basis for
courses in geometry
• Archimedes—scientist; ideas help build force
pump and steam engine
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Rome
The Early Republic
Early Rulers
• Around 600 B.C., Etruscan kings begin to rule
Rome
• Kings build Rome’s first temples and public centers
• Romans overthrow cruel Etruscan king in 509 B.C.
• Romans found a republic—government in which
citizens elect leaders
Continued . . .
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Rome Spreads Its Power
War with Carthage
• Rome and Carthage begin Punic Wars—three
wars between 264–146 B.C.
• Rome defeats Carthage, wins Sicily, in first
23-year war
• Hannibal—Carthaginian general—avenges
defeat in Second Punic War
• Attacks Italy through Spain and France, doesn’t
take Rome
Rome Triumphs
• Roman general Scipio defeats Hannibal in 202 B.C.
• Rome destroys Carthage, enslaves people in last
war (149–146 B.C.)
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The Roman Empire
The Republic Collapses
Economic Turmoil
• Gap between rich and poor widens as Roman
Republic grows
• Farmers, former soldiers, lose to large estates;
become homeless
• Two tribunes, Tiberius and Gaius, try to help poor,
are murdered
• Civil war—conflict between groups within same
country begins
Military Upheaval
• Military becomes less disciplined and disloyal
• Soldiers recruited from poor; show loyalty only to
their generals
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The Republic Collapses
Julius Caesar Takes Control
• Military leader elected consul in
59 B.C.
• Caesar, Crassus, Pompey form a triumvirate—a
group of three rulers
• Military victories give Caesar increasing popularity
and power
• Pompey fears Caesar’s growing power and
challenges him
• Caesar defeats Pompey’s armies in Greece, Asia,
Spain, Egypt
• Caesar is named dictator for life in 44 B.C.
Continued . . .
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The Republic Collapses
Caesar’s Reforms
• Caesar makes reforms: grants wider citizenship,
creates jobs for poor
• Group of senators opposes Caesar; kills him on
March 15, 44 B.C. http://www.history.com/topics/ancientrome/videos#julius-caesar
Beginning of the Empire
• 43 B.C., Caesar’s supporters take control; become
Second Triumvirate
• Octavian, Mark Antony, Lepidus alliance ends in
jealousy, violence
• In 31 B.C., Mark Antony and Cleopatra’s forces are
defeated at Actium
• Octavian accepts title of Augustus, “exalted one,”
and rules Rome
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A Vast and Powerful Empire
Pax Romana
• Under Augustus, Rome moves from a republic to
an empire
• Power no longer resides with citizens, but a
single ruler
• Rome enjoys 200 years of peace and prosperity
known as Pax Romana
A Sound Government
• Augustus, Rome’s ablest ruler, creates lasting
system of government
- glorifies Rome with beautiful public buildings
- sets up a civil service to administer the empire
Continued . . .
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Christianity Spreads Through the Empire
Jewish Rebellion
• Jews rebel against Rome; Romans storm
Jerusalem, destroy Temple
• Rebellions in A.D. 66, 70, 132 fail; Jews driven
from homeland
• Diaspora—centuries of Jewish exile (from Greek
word for “dispersal”)
Persecution of the Christians
• Christians won’t worship Roman gods; become
enemies of Roman rule
• Roman rulers use Christians as scapegoats for
hard times
• As Pax Romana crumbles, Christians crucified,
burned, killed in arena
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A World Religion
Christianity’s Expansion
• Christianity becomes powerful force; reasons
for widespread appeal:
• embraces all people
• gives hope to the powerless
• appeals to those repelled by extravagance of
Roman life
• offers personal relationship with a loving God
• promises eternal life after death
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A World Religion
Constantine Accepts Christianity
• Roman emperor battles for control of Rome
in A.D. 312
• Has vision of cross, Christian symbol; places
on soldiers’ shields
• Believes Christian God helped him win;
legalizes Christianity
• In A.D. 380 Emperor Theodosius makes
Christianity religion of empire
Continued . . .
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Emperors Attempt Reform
Diocletian Reforms the Empire
• In A.D. 284 Emperor Diocletian restores order,
divides empire in two
• Two emperors in Greek-speaking East, Latinspeaking West
• In A.D. 305 Diocletian retires, rivals compete for
power
Constantine Moves the Capital
• Constantine becomes emperor of Western
Empire in A.D. 312
• Seizes Eastern Empire in A.D. 324; moves
Roman capital to Byzantium
• Byzantium eventually renamed
Constantinople—city of Constantine
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The Western Empire Crumbles
Germanic Invasions
• Mongol nomads from Asia, the Huns, invade
northern borders of empire
• Germanic tribes flee Huns, enter Roman lands,
sack Rome A.D. 410
Attila the Hun
• Attila—unites the Huns in A.D. 444; plunders 70
cities in East
• Attacks Rome in 452; famine and disease
prevents victory
An Empire No More
• Last Roman emperor falls to Germans in 476;
end of Western Empire
• East thrives for another thousand years
(Byzantine Empire)
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http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-rome/videos#the-fall-of-rome
The Legacy of Greco-Roman Civilization
A New Culture Emerges
• Romans adopt aspects of Greek and Hellenistic
culture
• Results in Greco-Roman culture, or classical
civilization
Roman Fine Arts
• Romans develop bas-relief sculptures to tell stories
• Artists skilled in creating mosaics, painting frescoes
• Pompeii—Roman town; ash from volcano eruption
A.D. 79 preserves art
Continued . . .
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The Legacy of Rome
The Latin Language
• Latin was official language of Roman Catholic
Church until 1900s
• Develops into French, Spanish, Portuguese,
Italian, Romanian
• More than half the words in English stem from
Latin
Master Builders
• Romans pioneer use of arch; also used domes
and concrete
• Create aqueducts—structures to bring water
into cities, towns
Continued . . .
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The Legacy of Rome
Roman System of Law
• Principles of Roman law form basis of modern
legal systems -Called the 12 Tables
Rome’s Enduring Influence
• By preserving and adding to Greek civilization,
Rome strengthened the Western cultural tradition
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The Byzantine Empire
A New Rome in a New Setting
The Eastern Roman Empire
• Roman Empire officially divides into East and West in 395
• Eastern Empire flourishes; becomes known as
Byzantium
• Justinian becomes emperor of Byzantium in 527
• His armies reconquer much of former Roman territory
• Byzantine emperors head state and church; use
brutal politics
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Book I, Of Persons
VIII. Slaves
1. Slaves are in the power of masters, a power derived from the law of nations: for
among all nations it may be remarked that masters have the power of life and death
over their slaves, and that everything acquired by the slave is acquired for the master.
Book II, Of Things
I. Division of Things
28. If the wheat of Titius is mixed with yours, when this takes place by mutual consent,
the mixed heap belongs to you in common because each body, that is, each grain,
which before was the property of one or other of you, has by your mutual consent been
made your common property; but, if the intermixture were accidental, or made by Titius
without your consent, the mixed wheat does not then belong to you both in common;
because the grains still remain distinct, and retain their proper substance. ...if either of
you keep the whole quantity of mixed wheat, the other has a real actio [claim or suit]
for the amount of wheat belonging to him, but it is in the province of the judge to
estimate the quality of the wheat belonging to each.
Life in the New Rome
New Laws for the Empire
• Justinian seeks to revise and update laws for
governing the empire
• Justinian Code—new set of laws consisting of
four main parts
• Code regulates much of Byzantine life; lasts for
900 years
Creating the Imperial Capital
• Justinian launches program to beautify capital,
Constantinople
• Constructs new buildings; builds magnificent
church, Hagia Sophia
• Byzantines preserve Greco-Roman culture and
learning
Continued . . .
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The Empire Falls
Years of Turmoil
• Justinian dies in 565; empire faces
many crises after his death
The Plague of Justinian
• Bubonic plague repeatedly sweeps
empire; kills many residents
Attacks from East and West
• Byzantium faces attacks from many different groups
• Empire survives through bribery, diplomacy, and
military power
• Constantinople falls in 1453; brings an end to
Byzantine Empire
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The Church Divides
A Religious Split
• Christianity develops differently in Eastern and
Western Roman Empires
• Two churches disagree over many issues,
including use of icons
• Icons are religious images used to aid in prayer
• Leading bishop of Eastern Christianity known as
patriarch
• In the West, pope excommunicated emperor—
banished him from the Church
Continued . . .
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The Church Divides
A Religious Split
• Pope and patriarch excommunicate each other
religious doctrines
• Eastern and Western churches officially split in
• West—Roman Catholic Church; East—Orthodox
Church
over
1054
Byzantine Missionaries Convert the Slavs
• Eastern Orthodox missionaries seek to convert
northern peoples, Slavs
• Missionaries create Cyrillic alphabet—basis of
many Slavic languages
• Alphabet enables many groups to read the Bible
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