1. Rome

2. The Italian Landscape
Geography made Italy easier to unify compared to Greece
Rome is in the center of Italy, which is in the center of the Mediterranean Sea
Fertile plains supported a growing population

3. Roman Beginnings Etruscans were the biggest influence on Roman people
Romans used their alphabet which was acquired from the Greeks
Also used their architectural techniques for building and draining – the arch and drainage systems

4. The Early Republic
509 B.C. – Rome was founded when the Etruscan king was driven out
Romans establish a new type of government – republic – thing of people
Republic – would keep any individual from gaining too much power
They also developed a military to conquer the entire Mediterranean world

5. Romulus and Remus Romulus & Remus were the sons of Mars
They were found by a wolf who them fed them with her milk
The boys grew up to be very strong and clever and they decided to build a town
They had an argument about who should be in charge.
Romulus killed his brother in the fight

6. The Senate Was the most powerful governing body
Patricians – members of the landholding upper class
300 Senators served life sentences and interpreted laws
Also elected two consuls each year

7. Consuls Watched over the government and commanded the military
Consuls served only one term
Consulted with the senate
Limited time in office meant Rome had a system of checks on power
If a war occurred the senate could choose a dictator that had complete control for six months

8. Plebians
Plebeians – working class people that made up the bulk of the population but had little influence
450 B.C. – the laws of Rome were inscribed on 12 tablets and set up in the Forum (marketplace)
Meant that everyone knew the laws and could protest ruling thought to be against them

9. Tribunes
Were elected by plebeians and could veto laws that would hurt plebeians
This all became a basis for the United States Constitution

10. Expansion in Italy
270 B.C. – Romans had conquered the Etruscans and all of Italy
Armies were made of citizen-soldiers who fought without pay and used their own weapons
Made of legions consisting of 5,000 men
They had good skills and valued loyalty and courage
Victory gained gifts and praise
Retreat meant 1 in 10 men would be killed

11. Conquered People
Had to pay taxes, supply soldiers and acknowledge Roman law
Rome let them keep their customs, money and local gov’t.
Some people were allowed to become citizens
Other could be partial citizens who could marry Romans
This all created loyalty to the empire

12. Roman Empire Soldiers were dispersed throughout the empire
All weather roads were built to link distant lands to Rome

13. Punic Wars
From 264 B.C.-146 B.C. Rome fought three wars with Carthage called the Punic Wars
1st Punic War – Rome defeated Carthage and gained Sicily, Corsica and Sardinia

14. Hannibal
2nd Punic War – Hannibal led the Carthaginian army all over Italy winning battle after battle for 15 years
Rome then attacked Carthage to end the war
Carthage lost all its land except Africa and had to pay a huge tribute to Rome
Rome was now the strongest power in the Mediterranean

15. 3rd Punic War
Carthage kept the peace but was attacked by Rome because they were still seen as a threat
Survivors were killed or sold into slavery
Salt was poured over their fields so nothing would grow ever again

16. Ruler of the Mediterranean World
Rome expanded east attacking the successors of Alexander the Great’s empire
Macedonia, Greece and Asia Minor were all conquered
Egypt allied with Rome
Rome now ruled everything from Spain to Egypt

17. Effects of Expansion
Rome conquered many lands and gained control of important trade routes
Some Romans became rich while many people were still poor
Government officials became greedy and corrupt
Reform was implement by two tribunes Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus

18. Tiberius
Asked Rome to give land to the poor

19. Gaius Wanted Rome to buy food to feed the poor
The senate killed them and thousands of their followers leading to 100 years of civil war

20. Caesars Bid for Power
48 B.C. - Julius Caesar became the absolute ruler of Rome and implemented many reforms
Created public works to employ the jobless
Gave public land to the poor
Granted Roman citizenship to more people
Introduced a new calendar, the Julian calendar that is the basis of our calendar today
Became feared because of his power and was killed by senators

21. Augustus
Civil war broke out again and in 31 B.C. his grandnephew Octavian Augustus came to power
Augustus ruled with absolute power causing the end of the 500-year republic and the beginning the age of the Roman empire

22. The Roman Peace
The 200-year period that began with Augustus was called the Pax Romana, or Roman Peace
This was a time of peace, order, unity and prosperity
Legions maintained roads and fleets chased pirates while trade moved freely all the way to China

23. Circuses
Chariot races and gladiator contests were paid for by the emperors in order to entertain them and keep them from becoming restless mobs

24. Bread
Free grain was provided to feed the poor

25. Jews and the Roman Empire
Rome allowed its citizens to worship as they pleased
Some Jewish reformers called for independence
66 A.D. - The Jews revolted but were defeated by the Romans and forced out of their homeland, Palestine

26. The Life of Jesus A new religion emerged with a Jew named Jesus
He claimed that he was savior of the Jewish people

27. Crucifixion
To the Roman authorities Jesus was a revolutionary who might start another Jewish rebellion
He was arrested by the Romans, tried and crucified – a Roman method of execution

28. Spread of Christianity
Rome’s tolerant attitude toward religion did not extend to Christianity
Forced to meet in secret to avoid persecution
Were often accused of engaging in evil practices
The inclusion of Greek philosophy in Christianity attracted educated Romans to the religion
Willingness of Christians to die for their religion impressed and brought even more converts

29. Early Christian Church
313 A.D. - Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan – ending the persecution of Christians
80 years later emperor Theodosius made Christianity the official religion of the Roman empire

30. Empire In Crisis
After the end of Pax Romana political turmoil overtook Rome
Generals seized power, ruled for a few months to a year and were overthrown

31. Efforts at Reform Diocletian divided the empire into two parts
Kept control of the eastern part and appointed a co-emperor for the west

32. Constantine Tolerated Christianity
Built a new Roman capital on the Bosporus called Constantinople, making the eastern empire the center of power

33. End of Greatness Military Causes Political and Economic Causes
Invasion by Germanic tribes
Roman armies lacked discipline in training in the end
Political and Economic Causes
The government became oppressive and authoritarian
The division of the empire weakened it
Heavy taxes and the reliance on slave labor hampered technological advances
The population declined due to war and disease
The eastern Roman empire later became known as the Byzantine empire and lasted for another 1,000 years