Ch.5 An Age of Empires: Rome & Han China 753 B.C.E.-600 C.E.
Italy
Environment Italy-crossroads of Mediterranean Rome-crossroads of Italy
Rome’s in 753 B.C.E.
Origins The legend: Romulus & Remus-grown by a she-wolf, founded the city Rome –founded in 753 B.C. on 7 hills
Social structure Basis of society: family, multiple generations + slaves Paterfamilias: absolute power Patricians-rich Plebeians-poor Fights among them: “Conflict of the Order”
On what depended social status, political privileges, fundamental values?
Economy Agricultural society Basis of wealth: land Trade Territory rich in metals (iron): N-W Etruria
Political organization 1) Monarchy B.C.E. ( Romulus- Tarquinius Superbus) 2) Roman Republic B.C.E. Rulers: Senate, Council of Elders, several assemblies All male citizens able to attend
Was the Roman Republic a democracy? Who had the real power?
Answers Votes of wealthy counted more than the ones of the poor Senate
Political org. 450 B.C.E. Conflict of the Order:plebeians refused to work The laws: on 12 stone tablets New officials: tribunes ( lower classes)
What was the purpose of the 12 stone tablets? Was the new structure efficient?
Political org. Tribunes- power to block any action of the Assembly that was against the interests of the lower classes Patricians: brought the tribunes into their class. Patron-client relationship: Patron-wealthy, offered protection Clients: poor, political, military support, agric. work
Religion Polytheistic Small sacrifices: cakes, wine Jupiter-Zeus, Mars-Ares, Venus-Aphrodita Numina Pax Deorum( Peace of the gods)-covenant between the gods & the Roman state People: sacrifices, gods: protection, success
Women No property Under male authority the whole life Less constrained than Greek women In time they got more rights influence
Expansion a) in Italy b) in the Mediterranean
Why did the Romans expand so much?
1) aggressiveness 2) insecurity-buffer states-further expansion Well organized army; set up camps A) expanded in Italy: conflicts among pastoral tribes & agric. population B) conquered Phoenicians expanded in Mediterranean: Sicily, Sardinia, Spain
wars against Hellenistic kingdoms Caesar conquered Gaul (S France) New provinces: local administration & tax collection A senator sent to administer it Romans accorded citizenship to conquered people
Why did the Romans accord citizenship to conquered peoples?
The failure of the Republic Political causes 1) civil wars( B.C.E.) 2)armies were more loyal to their leader than to the state
The failure of the Republic Economical causes 1) the appearance of the latifundia (herds, wine instead of grains) 2) Roman cities became dependent of imported grains 3)peasants-difficulty in finding a job because of the slaves 4) poverty 5) lower no. of eligible soldiers
Octavianus Princeps Augustus
The Roman Principate (31 B.C.E.-330 C.E.) Octavian (31 B.C.-14 C.E.) Maintained the forms of the Republic Founded the Principate Military dictator Expanded the empire: Egypt, parts of Middle East, Central Europe After him, the empire was ruled by emperors from different families
The greatest expansion of the Roman Empire
Questions 1 )Why did he never call himself emperor? 2) How was the throne transmitted into the Roman Empire?
Caesar’s death
3) Why wasn’t the throne transmitted hereditary? 4) How was the emperor chosen? 5) Why did a cult of worship of the living emperor develop? 6) What was the source of law in the Roman Empire?
Way of life 80 % of population lived in villages 20 % in cities; Rome, Alexandria, Carthage Rome Forum, government buildings Temples, gardens Public baths, theaters Rich: town-houses Poor: slums
Roman Forum
Way of life Cities organized based on Rome’s model led by a town council +2 elected officials Pax Romana –period of peace, stability & prosperity during the first 2 centuries C.E. guaranteed by the Roman power
The Colosseum
What was the most enduring consequence of the Roman Empire?
Romanization spread of Latin language and Roman way of life into the conquered territories Factors of Romanization?
Factors of Romanization Language Administration Cities-built on Rome’s model Veterans School Christianity
Third-Century Crisis ( ) Political causes: 1) frequent changes of emperors-civil wars- instability 2)attacks from Germanic tribes
Economical causes: Inflation Declined of trade Drained treasury Demand of higher taxes-barter economy
Social causes Population moved from cities to villages People find protection in local landowners
How was the crisis solved?
Diocletian( ) Reforms 1) controlled market prices 2) frozed professional mobility Stopped only temporary the collapse of the Roman Empire
Constantine( ) 312, battle of Milvian Bridge, victory( cross) 313, Edict of Milan (freedom of worship to Christians) Unified the empire under a single religion Moved the capital from Rome to Constantinople
Why did Constantine stop the Christians ’persecution?
The decline of the Roman Empire 392, emperor Theodosius made Christianity the official & unique religion of the Roman Empire 395 the Roman Empire was divided in 2: Western part-decline Eastern part-flourished, the Byzantine Empire The Western part-attacked by migrating peoples: Germanic tribes( Visigoths, Ostrogoths)
The end of the Roman Empire 476,the Western part collapsed W-divided into many Germanic kingdoms The Eastern part will survive for 1,000 more years under the name the Byzantine Empire
Technology Roads Arches Concrete Ballistic weapons Aqueducts System of writing: alphabet
Roman road (Appian Way)
Roman Aqueduct