The Roman Empire Chapter 12

Enduring Understanding Standard 6-2: The student will demonstrate an understanding of life in ancient civilizations and their contributions to the modern world. Enduring Understanding The foundations of government, science, technology, and the arts are legacies of ancient civilizations. To understand that the contributions of these ancient civilizations have endured and are evident in our society today, the students will… 6-2.5 Explain the decline and collapse of the Roman Empire and the impact of the Byzantine Empire, including the Justinian Code and the preservation of ancient Greek and Roman learning, architecture, and government.  

Life in ancient Rome Roman Art & Architecture Admired Greek Art & Architecture Greek statues = perfection, Roman statues = reality Used Greek style columns called colonades Added arches & domes Arches built against one another to form vault Invented concrete – helped to build Colosseum & Pantheon Roman Literature Admired Greek Lit. too Virgil wrote epic poem Aeneid, similar to Greek writer Homer’s Odyssey Horace - satires that poked fun at human weakness & odes that expressed emotion Livy wrote History of Rome Latin became Europe’s language for trade, government, and learning until 1500 A.D.

Life in Ancient Rome 2 Science & Engineering Galen = doctor that emphasized study of anatomy (body’s structure) Ptolemy – from Alexandria, Egypt. Mapped stars and developed geocentric theory (earth centered) Developed aqueducts. 11 aqueducts fed Rome’s bathhouses, fountains, etc. Daily Life Cities Forum – city center with roads crossing at right angles (town square) Wealthy lived in large houses w/central atrium Rome was crowded, noisy, and dirty (1,000,000 people) Poor lived in apartments of stone/wood Bread and circuses = gladiators Family Life Paterfamilias = father of the family, head of house (arranged marriages, punished children) Large families Wealthy went to school (reading, writing, math, and rhetoric – public speaking)

Life in Ancient Rome 3 1. burn toys as offering to household gods D. boys became men b/n 14-16 yrs. Of age 1. burn toys as offering to household gods 2. work in family business, govt., or army E. Women weren’t adults until they married 1. freedom depended on wealth/position of husband 2. could go to amphitheatre but sat away from men 3. Wealthy women had time so study art & fashion 4. Poor women spent time running household & helping run family business F. Roman Slaves 1. 100 B. C. - 40% of people in Italy are slaves 2. Most captured in wars 3. Spartacus led slave revolt of 70,000 – crushed after two year and crucified G. Roman Religion 1. polytheistic 2. each house had an altar 3. other religions tolerated as long as not a threat to govt.

Decline of Rome I. Causes of Decline A. Weak Government 1. dishonest officials – bribery – talented people don’t want to serve in govt. 2. poor leadership B. Famine & disease 1. Roman soldiers & invaders seized crops and destroyed fields 2. Plague killed 1/10 of people in empire C. Declining economy 1. People stop paying their taxes 2. businesses close, income and wages fall 3. Rome puts less gold into their coins and inflation takes place. a. Began to barter II. Emperor Diocletian attempts to save empire through reforms A. divides empire into 4 parts B. set prices of goods and wages control inflation and loss of income C. people ignore reforms and Diocletian not powerful enough to enforce them

Decline of Rome Continued… III. Emperor Constantine A. Tries reforms 1. sons had to follow their fathers in their job (farmers, soldiers) 2. Constantine’s reforms fail too B. Moves capital from Rome in the west to Byzantium in the east where the empire was in better shape. 1. Changes Byzantium’s name to Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) 2. Built an amphitheatre called the Hippodrome IV. Theodosius A. became emperor after Constantine B. leaves order after his death to divide Roman Empire into two sections. 1. Western empire – capital: Rome 2. Eastern empire – capital - Constantinople

Decline of rome Continued (3) V. Rome is invaded A. Germanic tribes to the north of the Rhine and Danube – Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Franks, Vandals, Angles, and Saxons. 1. looking for warmer climate and better grazing land 2. being pushed out of their territories by the Mongols (Huns). a. Visigoths seek protection by Rome from the Huns b. Visigoths rebel against treatment by Romans. c. Visigoths win battle of Adrianople 378 A.D. d. Visigoth leader Alaric captures city of Rome itself 410 A.D. 3. Vandals take over Spain & northern Africa a. entered Rome in 455 A.D. b. stole and burned buildings “vandalism”

the Byzantine Empire Eastern empire grows rich while West falls A. Balkan peninsula, Asia Minor, North Africa (Egypt) B. Greeks make up largest group C. Constantinople is capital of Byzantine Empire 1. b/n Aegean and Black seas 2. on trade route b/n Europe & Asia D. On waterway b/n Black and Aegean Sea. 1. shelter for trading and warships 2. easily defended E. As time passes, Byzantine Empire becomes less Roman and more Greek 1. most Byzantines spoke Greek including emperors and officials 2. most Byzantines were farmers, laborers, artisans, herders II. Emperor Justinian A. Emperor from 527 A.D. – 565 A.D. B. Strong leader – orders could not be questioned C. Wife Theodora affected his decisions 1. convinced Justinian to give women more rights (to own land) a. women could be regents – filled in for leaders who were too young or too sick 2. Convinced Justinian to put down rebellion instead of fleeing Constantinople

Byzantine Empire Continued D. Justinian’s conquests 1. wanted to reunite the empire 2. hired a general named Belisarius to strengthen Byzantine army a. army went from foot soldiers to cavalry 3. Conquered too much too fast (Italy & N. Africa) 4. Couldn’t control it all, lost conquered territory after Justinian’s death. E. Hired a group of legal scholars - “Tribonian” - to reform law code – too complicated 1. “Justinian Code” – easier to understand, influence laws of all of Europe over the centuries. F. Justinian built Christian church called Hagia Sophia “ Holy wisdom” III. Empire Accomplishments & Legacy A. Center of trade b/n Europe and Asia – especially wealthy from silk B. Byzantines passed on Greek/Roman culture and laws. C. Also spread Christianity. A. Churches contained paintings called mosaics which depicted the lives of saints (holy people on Christianity)