Chapter 9 Ancient Rome

Lesson 1- Geography of Ancient Rome Where did Ancient Rome develop? On the Italian Peninsula It is shaped like a boot On land with mountains The Alps and the Apennine Mountains run through it

Lesson 1- Geography of Ancient Rome How did Ancient Rome develop? The civilization developed in the fertile plain surrounding the Tiber River The first group of people to settle in this area were called the Etruscans Some people believe it developed according to the legend of Romulus and Remus

Lesson 1- Geography of Ancient Rome What was farming like in Ancient Rome? As a result of volcanoes, the plain around the Tiber River was very fertile Farmers were able to produce large surpluses They grew wheat, beans, cabbage, lettuce, olives, figs, and other fruits Grapes were their most important crop

Lesson 2- The Rise of the Roman Republic What were the people of Rome like? There were two main groups of people in Roman society Plebeians Was the largest group Made up of men who were farmers, traders, or craftworkers Patricians Were members of Rome’s noble families They owned farms and had plebeians work for them

Lesson 2- The Rise of the Roman Republic How did the Roman Republic begin? Because the plebeians weren’t allowed to become government leaders, they began to protest Patricians and plebeians worked together to create a new government called a republic

Lesson 2- The Rise of the Roman Republic What was the Roman Republic like? They had elected representatives They had three different branches of government Senate (300) Was the oldest and most powerful Was controlled by the patricians Tribunes (10) Were elected by the plebeians Ruled over the large citizens assembly Consuls (2) Elected by the citizens assembly These two men were army commanders and powerful judges

Lesson 2- The Rise of the Roman Republic What was the Roman Republic like? Over time, people realized there was a need to have laws written down This led to the development of the Twelve Tables These laws governed everything from marriage to slavery These laws were posted in the Forum Was similar to an agora in Ancient Greece

Lesson 2- The Rise of the Roman Republic What happened during the Punic Wars? There were three separate wars that spanned 118 years They started when the Roman Republic tried to take over the island of Sicily The wars were fought against the northern African empire of Carthage Rome ended up winning all three wars and became the most powerful nation in the Mediterranean

Lesson 3- The Roman Empire Who was Julius Caesar? After the Punic Wars, Rome was left in turmoil Julius Caesar, a patrician, was elected consul and a military leader He led a rebel army into Italy and declared war on Rome He defeated Rome with the help of Cleopatra He declared himself dictator of Rome He made big changes to Rome He was killed by the senators for making these changes

Lesson 3- The Roman Empire Who was Emperor Augsutus? He won control of Rome after Caesar’s death He was Caesar’s adopted son (Octavian) His rule began the Pax Romana It was a time of “Roman Peace” During this time Rome started many building projects Aquaducts - Roads Colosseum - Pantheon Rome enforced laws, collected taxes, and took a census every 5 years to keep the empire running

Lesson 4-Beginnings of Christianity What was Christianity? A religion that started during the Roman Empire Was based on the teachings of Jesus Who was Jesus? He was considered to be the Messiah (savior) His closest followers were called apostles or disciples The story of his life, and his teachings, can be found in the New Testament of the Bible Because the Romans were threatened by his popularity, they sentenced him to death on the cross

Lesson 5- The Decline of the Roman Empire What brought the Roman Empire to an end? Diocletian, an emperor, divided the empire into two parts (Eastern and Western) Power shifted away from Rome Who was Constantine? The emperor who moved the capital to Constantinople The emperor who became a supporter of Christianity The Roman Empire ended when invaders from the north took over Rome The eastern part of the civilization continued on for 1000 more years as the Byzantine Empire