1. Overview of the Roman Empire

2. Parallel Events (Greece vs. Rome)
Ancient Greek Events
BCE: Persian Wars
460 BCE: Age of Pericles in Athens
431 BCE: Peloponnesian Wars
331 BCE: Alexander the Great conquers Persian Empire: Hellenistic Age
133 BCE: end of Greek dominance in Med. world
Ancient Rome Events
509 BCE: Rome sets up a Republic
450 BCE: 12 Tables of Law
270 BCE: Rome controls most of Italian peninsula
BCE: Punic Wars vs. Carthage
133 BCE: Roman power extends from Spain to Egypt

3. The Geography of Rome

4. Italy in 750 BCE

5. The Origins of Rome Rome’s Geography
1. Site of Rome was chosen for its fertile soil and strategic location – (close to Mediterranean Sea)
2. Located on Italian peninsula – surrounded by water on three sides… where else are there peninsulas?
3. Built on seven hills on the Tiber River

6. Early Roman Peoples Latins: ancestors of the Romans
Herders and farmers: settled along the
Tiber River along the 7 hills
Etruscans: ruled central and northern
Italy Came from Asia Minor(Eastern
Mediterranean) Called themselves
Tyrrhenians in honor of their king.
Romans borrowed Etruscan alphabet,
arch and worshipped similar gods and
goddesses
Greeks: settled in southern Italy/Sicily

7. Influence of the Etruscans
Writing
Religion
The Arch

8. The Mythical Founding of Rome: Romulus & Remus – twins, sons of Mars (god of war), raised by she-wolf, Romulus eventually killed Remus to be king!

9. The Roman
Republic:
509 BCE - 27 BCE

10. Republican Government
**Republic – government in which people vote for their leaders
2 Consuls
(Rulers of Rome) –1 year term, one to lead army and one to direct government
Senate
(Representative body for patricians- wealthy aristocrats, landowners), make foreign and domestic policy
Tribal Assembly
(Representative body for plebeians – lower class Romans – artisans, merchants, and farmers), make laws

11. The Twelve Tables, 450 BCE
Providing political and social rights for the plebeians.
Basis of later Roman law
Hung in the Forum
Law is one of the most important Roman contributions

12. The Roman Forum

13. Roman Roads: The Appian Way – first major roadway

14. Rome’s Early Road System

15. Roman Aqueducts – idea borrowed from the Greeks, brought water to the cities

16. The Roman Colosseum – major spectacles occurred here, including gladiator fights!

17. The Colosseum Interior

18. Circus Maximus – like a racetrack of today, chariot races took place here!

19. The Legacy of Rome Republic Government Roman Law Latin Language
Roman Catholic Church
City Planning
Romanesque Architectural Style
Roman Engineering
Aqueducts
Sewage systems
Dams
Cement
Arch