Roman Empire
Decline of the Roman Republic
• Main causes
for the
decline of
the republic
• Spread of slavery in agriculture
• Migration and unemployment of
small farmers
• Inflation
• Civil war over power of Julius
Caesar
Civil war
• First
triumvirate
takes power
(60 BCE)
• Fall of
triumvirate
• Julius Caesar
• Crassus
• Pompey
• Crassus dies
• Pompey becomes consul
Civil war
• Caesar marches on Rome, starting civil
war
• Pompey is killed in Egypt
• Caesar gains complete control of Rome
• Julius Caesar passes popular reforms
• Senators later assassinate Julius Caesar
Second triumvirate
• Officially in
power (43-33
BCE)
• Octavian (Augustus Caesar)
• Lepidus
• Marc Antony
• War between
Octavian and
Antony
• Octavian wins
• Becomes first emperor of Rome –
Augustus Caesar
Roman Empire
• Augustus unifies and
enlarges empire
• Using imperial authority
• Military
• Issues of emperor
• No peaceful transition
process
Expansion of Roman Empire
• Rome expands to:
• Secures expansion of
Republic
• Asia Minor
• British Isles
Expansion of Roman Empire
Pax Romana
• What was
the Pax
Romana?
• Begins under Augustus Caesar
• Two centuries of peace and
prosperity
• Expansion and solidification of
Roman Empire
Pax Romana
• Economic
impact of
Pax
Romana
•
•
•
•
•
Uniform money system
Expanded trade
Very good roads
Safe travel
Prosperity and stability
Pax Romana
• Social
• Returned stability to social
impact of
classes
Pax Romana
• Increased focus on family
• Created civil service
• Political
impact of
• Uniform rule of law
Pax Romana
Cultural Contributions - Pantheon
Temple in Rome honoring all the Roman gods and goddesses.
Today it is a church.
Cultural Contributions – Colosseum
Home of popular spectacle, such as gladiator battles.
Cultural Contributions - Forum
Center of trade and government in Rome.
Cultural contributions – Aqueducts
Aqueducts were bridges used to transport water. They
supplied water for drinking and baths.
Cultural Contributions - Roads
Cultural Contributions - Arches
Support in buildings and monuments.
Cultural Contributions
• Science
• Ptolemy
– Astronomy
– Geography
• Public Health
• Public baths
• Public water systems
• Medicals schools
Cultural Contributions
• Language
• Literature
• Latin
• Romance languages
• Virgil’s Aeneid
Cultural Contributions
• Law
• Twelve Tables – Innocent until proven
guilty
Christianity
• Founder
• Jesus of Nazareth (Jesus Christ)
• Roots in
Judaism
• Monotheistic religion
• First followers were Jewish
• Holy Book
• The Bible
• New Testament – accounts of Jesus’
life and teachings of early Christians
Christianity
• Foundational
Beliefs
• Jesus was son and incarnation
of God
• Life after death exists
• Peace, love, and justice
• God loves the poor and lowly
Christianity
• Spread of
Christianity
• Message very popular with the poor
• Apostles spread word though Roman
Empire
• Paul of Tarsus main preacher
Christianity
• Persecution of • Conflicted with polytheism of
Christians
Roman Empire
• Martyrs inspired others
Christianity
• Christianity
becomes
legal in 313
• Emperor Constantine converts
• Later becomes official state religion
Christianity
• Christianity
as an
important
moral force
• Church councils establish doctrine
• Church (Pope) becomes more
important than Emperor
• Unifying force in Western Europe
Fall of Rome
• Large size
• Hard to defend and control large area
• Economy
• Falling value of Roman money
• Expensive to defend
• High unemployment
• Military
• Non-Romans in Army were not loyal
to Rome
Fall of Rome
• Moral
decay
• Loss of faith in Rome by people
• Political
issues
• Conflicts in government
• Weak rulers
• Invasion
• Attacks on borders
• Eventual attack on Rome itself
Fall of Rome
• Rome is • Emperor Constantine moves capital to
divided in
Byzantium, renames it Constantinople
two
• Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine
Empire)
• Fall of
Western
Roman
Empire
• Last Roman Emperor in Rome in 476 CE