Class 12 February 15, 2016 Rise of the Roman Empire Western Civ 101-03 Class 12 February 15, 2016 Rise of the Roman Empire

Timelines for Rome 753 BC: Legendary brothers Romulus and Remus establish Rome on seven hills 510 BC: Romans rise against the Etruscans and create the Republic of Rome By 500 BC, other Italian peoples are living in city-states In central Italy, the small city of Rome wins its independence from Etruscan domination and becoming one of these new-fangled city-republics. http://www.timemaps.com/history/italy-500bc

Timelines for Rome By the end of the fourth century BC, Romans expanding across central and southern Italy. Long, fierce wars ended in Sabine, Samnite, and Umbrian hill tribes, and Etruscan and Greek city-states, all falling under Roman domination.  Rome did not treat defeated opponents as conquered peoples, but formed them into a confederation of allies under her leadership. A network of roads and colonies underpinned Roman control of the peninsula.

Timelines for Rome Rome’s Italian allies provided troops for the great wars Rome fought with Carthage in the third century (264-241 BC and 218-202 BC)

218 BC: Hannibal crossed the Alps during the Second Punic War: he did NOT defeat Rome Carthage and Rome had fought, repeatedly. Carthage lost the 1st war, and with it Sicily and most of it’s navy. They had previously conquered Spain and had a treaty to the Elbro River with Greece. So Hannibal went there, to “New Carthage” to conquer Greece by land. Over rivers, mountains, the Alps. With some Elephants along….

Timelines for Rome 58-51 BC: Julius Caesar defeats the Gauls and the Britons 47-44 BC: Julius Caesar is named dictator, only to be murdered by senators

Timelines for Rome 27 BC: Octavian becomes Augustus, the first emperor 1 AD: Birth of Christ and common era 79 AD: Vesuvius erupts, destroying Pompeii and Herculaneum 167 AD: Barbarians Invade the Empire’s northern and southern provinces 312 AD: Constantine declares Christianity Rome’s state religion.

The Roman Empire

Introduction to Roman Empire’s Contributions to Western Civilization Retention of Greek High Culture Literature, arts, education, science, philosophy, etc. We get a LOT of what we know about/have from Greece, through Roman conservation. The value of copying And to some degree, adapting There’s a lot of good to be learned by emulating the best forms.

Introduction to Roman Empire’s Contributions to Western Civilization Imperial Empire Egypt, Persian, Greek, Hellenistic as models Refined into an enduring form Imperial administration (the best up until then; then until the British). Don’t kill or enslave those you conquer. Leave order in place, then undermine it. Collect the taxes. Export the goodies home. Give em peace, order, services.

Introduction to Roman Empire’s Contributions to Western Civilization Engineering/architectural infrastructure Roads, aqueducts, urban buildings and monuments of all sorts. Important revisions to military strategy Football Ok . . . Not football exactly . . . But massive spectator sports/spectacles that literally overwhelmed the culture with entertainment lust.

Introduction to Roman Empire’s Contributions to Western Civilization Public school system for education Based on the rhetorical models from Greece Latin as standard FORMAL code (initially, no good; eventually, the gold standard for diplomacy). There were native people who spoke a common form The formal code doesn’t become a vernacular. History (deeply refined the practice of writing them) Plastic art that boarders on the greatest: esp. Sculpture & Mosaics Great Literature Some lasting philosophical perspectives

Introduction to Roman Empire’s Contributions to Western Civilization Politics Briefly representative: Invents the Senate and balance of checks and balances from multiple “houses/levels” Based on stated high ideals After the Republic falls, mostly fake Demonstrates how to build and run an empire Law, especially the notion of “natural law” and the articulation of broad administrative codes that work for masses of people, including imperial conquests. “The Good Man Speaking Well” Wedding the value of broad liberal education with civic duty and articulate and influential communication

Introduction to Roman Empire’s Contributions to Western Civilization Graphic demonstration of how corruption --political, moral, cultural -- can truly destroy an entire civilization, no matter how great. Make way for the Christians. Not to over-simplify, but: The Romans provide the Christians with a common enemy It’s possible to “go forth and teach all nations” when there are good roads and travel to “the provinces” is not extraordinary. Once you get there, the language, money, etc., are shared in common. One passport, one currency, a common “formal” language, joined to everyday Greek. Spreading a common cultural element, like religion, is not out of the question, esp. once it is validated by the State.