Lectures 9 & 10
September 28 and 30, 2009
The Roman Republic
and Early Empire
ca. 753 BC to 180 AD
HIST 101 History of World Civilizations to 1550
University of Montevallo, Fall 2009
Adjunct Instructor Jill Cooley
Lectures 9 & 10: Outline
• Early Rome
– Etruscan Kings
– Roman Republic
– Struggle of the Orders
• Roman Conquest &
Expansion
– Punic Wars
– Effects of Conquest
• Late Roman Republic
– The Gracchi
– The First Triumvirate &
Julius Caesar
– The Second
Triumvirate & Octavian
• Early Empire
– Augustus
– Julio-Claudian
Dynasty
– Five Good Emperors
Lecture 9: Key Terms
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Etruscan kings
Republic
Patricians
Plebeians
Senate
Consuls
Assembly
Struggle of the Orders
Tribunes
Twelve Tables
Virtue
Cincinattus
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Punic Wars
Carthage
Hannibal
Scipio
Tiberius Gracchus
Gaius Gracchus
Julius Caesar
Octavian or Augustus
Meritocracy
Pax Romana
Marcus Aurelius
The Roman World
Etruscans
• 753 BC- southern part dominated by Greeks
• City of Rome ruled Etruscans-monarchy 753BC-509BC,
the king had most of the power & served for life, stayed
within family usually however more of a senate ruling for
kings at this time. Senate consisted of the most
important people (picked the king and advised him)
• Assembly in Rome- had little power, basically ratified the
decision made by the senate
• Under the Etruscans- 2 different social classes (elite
class-patricians (could not marry outside their class))
(lower class-plebeians (small farmers, laborers) )
The Etruscans
The Roman Republic
• S.P.Q.R.—Senatus
Populusque Romanus
• Rome Expands…
(Wanted Sicily)
Plebeians Gain Power
• Tribunes- power to veto decisions, own elected officials,
eventually had legislative influence
• Assembly itself gained more power: pass legislation thus
govern the plebeian class, behalf of all Romans
• Insisted Roman Law be written down: Twelve Tables
(prior to this time Roman law was orally passed down,
law became whatever the judges/patrician class said it
was,
Republican Values
• Virtue
• The Roman
Ideal—
Cincinnatuslegendary, called to public
service when Rome was
under attack by foreign
invaders, called to be
dictator. When the period
was over he asked to go
back to his farm and give
up his rule. Ideal of virtue.
The Punic Wars
Punic Wars
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- When Rome tried to take over Sicily, they ended up in war with Carthage
“Punic Wars” 264BC-241BC Rome defeats Carthage and takes over Sicily.
First Punic War ends in 241BC.
-However Rome continues to aggravate Carthage and by 218BC Carthage
declares war on Rome and takes the war to Rome (2nd Punic War) Hannibal
of Carthage takes over a good portion of the Italian peninsula. Then the
Roman general Scipio takes the war to Carthage in 202BC & Rome prevails
and defeats Hannibal. A truths strips Carthage of its empire.
-148-146BC (third Punic war) Good and bad, Greek/Roman influence
spreads however government cannot handle control over such a large land
area and the Roman Ideal fades away (especially farming sector) and
eventually would collapse
133BC Tiberius Gracchus elected and promotes the Ideal, take excess
wealth and give it to the wealthy landowners and give land back to those
who lost it in war, however the Senate does not support this
Augustus,
31 BC - 14 AD
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Wanted to maintain
power to prevent
civil war
Didn’t want to
make the same
mistakes of Julius
Augustan
Settlement:
maintained powers
of the government
however he
maintained the
republic structure
Roman Empire
Augustus
• Pax Romana- peace for Rome
• Meritocracy- jobs based on abilities not birth, Augustus selected his
advisors…
- Wanted the best people to hold positions
- Wanted to prevent conspiracy against him
Morality Legislation- wants to rebuild & restore Roman Fiber
Built temples, criminalized adultery, encourage families (tax on single
men)
When he died, he left it to Tiberius then it changed periodically
throughout the family
Roman Empire, 31 BC to 14 AD
Five Good Emperors
Hadrian’s Wall
Source: Myhistorylab.com
Roman Empire, 14-180 AD
Lectures 9 & 10: Timeline
Time Period
Historical Event
Important Points
ca. 753 BC
Rome founded
Etruscan kings
ca. 509-31 BC
Roman Republic
Governed by two consuls
and a Senate
ca. 494-287 BC
Struggle of the Orders
Patricians vs. plebeians
264-146 BC
Punic Wars
Rome vs. Carthage
133-121 BC
Gracchi Crisis
Land Reform
ca. 60 BC
First Triumvirate
Caesar, Pompey, Crassus
45-44 BC
Julius Caesar
Roman Dictator
43 BC
Second Triumvirate
Octavian, Antony, Lepidus
31 BC-14 AD
Augustus ruled
Roman Empire
14-68 AD
Julio-Claudian Dynasty
Augustus’s Successors
96-180 AD
Five Good Emperors
Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian,
Antoninus Pius, Marcus
Aurelius