Ancient Rome and the Rise of Christianity
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Roman Republic (509 BC-31 BC)
Representative Gov’t
2 Patrician Consuls- annually elected -equal power -power to veto
In times of war- 1 dictator given control- 6 mo. Term
Senate- lawmaking body-300 Patricians- held enormous power
Tribunes- represented and protected plebian interests- veto laws
harmful to plebeians- eventually served in senate and consuls
509 BC
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218 BC
Hannibal invades
Italy
48 BC
Caesar becomes
dictator
27 BC
Octavian
becomes
Augustus
Important Events, Facts, Details
Laws of the 12 Tables made plebeian appeals of patrician judgments
possible
Lasting legacy of Republic- U.S adopts Roman Republic ideals such as
senate, veto, and checks on political power
Romans adopt Greek religion
Rome defeats Carthage in 3 Punic Wars- Cato “Carthage must be
destroyed”
Roman Republic Declines due to corruption, widening gap between rich
and poor, civil wars, power struggles among Roman leaders
o Latifundia
o Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus- Failed attempts at reform
o Senate and popular leaders struggle for power
o Julius Caesar becomes dictator- makes reforms- assassinated
o Octavian and Mark Antony struggle for power
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Roman Empire (27 BC-AD 476)
Emperor- inherited power- served for life- could be worshipped as god
after death
Senate- issued binding decrees, acted as high court- elected magistrates600 members -held little power compared to emperor
AD 284
Diocletian
divides Roman
empire into 2
parts
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AD 312
AD 392
AD 476
Capital of Roman
Christianity Odoacer unseats
empire moves
becomes official
last Roman
east to
Roman religion
emperor
Constantinople
Important Events, Facts, Details
Pax Romana- “Roman Peace” peace, unity, prosperity- 200 years
beginning w/ Augustus and ending with Marcus Aurelius
o Underlying economic problems- “bread and circuses”- free
entertainment and grain to feed poor
Augustus builds a stable government
o Created efficient, well-trained civil service to enforce laws
o High-level jobs open to all men of talent
o Census- tax system more fair
o Postal service and issued new coins to make trade easier
o Put jobless to work building roads and temples and farming
Bad Emperors- Caligula and Nero
Good Emperorso Hadrian- codified Roman law; built wall across Britain to hold
back attackers from north
o Marcus Aurelius- read philosophy while leading wars;
committed to duty;