1. AP World History Roman Republic and Empire

2. Presentation Outline Geography of ancient Rome and Italy Origins
Republican Government
Military
Expansion
From Republic to Empire
Geography of the Roman Empire
Decline and collapse of the Roman Empire

3. 1) Geography of the Roman Republic
The Etruscans were the first people to settle in ancient Italy
between 900 and 500 B.C.E
The Romans arrived later to the South of the Etruscans and had originally come from other areas of the Mediterranean

4. The map shows the proximity of Italy to Greece and the Mediterranean world and how the Romans arrived in Italy

5. 2) Origins of the Roman Republic
Romulus and Remus
Latin princess was Vestal virgin
Raped by Mars, bore twin boys
Ordered killed by non-Latin king
Suckled by a wolf
Grew and founded a city (753BCE)
Romulus killed Remus
Historic Evidence
The Etruscans conquered the Romans (non-Latin king)
Romans eventually overthrew Etruscans and established kingdom
Ruins of home of king (Romulus?) date from 8th Century BCE

6. 3) Republican Government
Ruled by a senate and the people
SPQR= Senate and the People of Rome
Senate (patricians) appointed consuls (1 year)
Foreign affairs and the military
Direct access by the people to the consul
People (plebs) organized by tribes and they elected 10 tribunes
Governed local affairs
Had veto power (individually)

7. Constitution (balanced power)
Senate
Never made laws but advice was accepted
Had power to appoint a person to solve a specific problem (He was a "speaker" or "dictator")
Appointed censors (moral guardian/rank judge)
Appointed governors
Concilium plebis
Made all the laws (called plebecites)
Elected magistrates (administrators) and judges
Comitia Curiata/Centuriata – plebs and patricians
Committed the emporium (military power)
All met in the forum (looked over each other)
Pontifex Maximus
Religious leader

8. 4) Military Organization
Centuries — 100 armed men
Headed by Centurian (from the ranks)
Maniples—3 Centuries
Could move quickly through difficult terrain (better than phalanx)
Independent decisions (tribunes)
Legions—groups of Maniples
6000 men
Supported by light cavalry
Discipline
Death for individual insubordination
Decimation for cowardice

9. 5) Roman Expansion Conquest of Italy Took 200 years
Granted full or partial citizenship
Tax and legal benefits
Developed loyalty in conquered Italian areas
Invasion by King Pyrrhus (pyrrhic victory)
Roman colonies
Established in strategic locations
Established by treaty
Troops sent when needed
Customs of the area left intact
Colonies were mostly for trade, with some military purposes

10. Roman Expansion (outside Italy)
Punic Wars
Phoenicians (Poeni)
Sicily
Hannibal attacked Rome
Help of non- Roman Italians(?)

11. Roman Expansion (outside Italy)
Conquest of the East and West
Allies rather than servants or slaves
Toleration
Corruption in the Greek kingdoms
Some states given to the Romans
Fast, direct attacks with strong determination and discipline
Outnumbered in most battles
Victory over Parthia (parthian shot)

12. 6) From Republic to Empire
Traditional Republic Values began to change:
Piety
Discipline
Frugality
Not greedy
Righteous wars
Never quit

13. Building an Empire Status of Women Absence of men at war
Women gained economic power
Ability to divorce and retain property
Morals eventually eroded, in part because home-life eroded

14. Building an Empire Slavery Conquests increased the number of slaves
Constituted 40% of the population
Conditions were poor
Romans feared slave uprising
Slaves took jobs from the plebs so plebs were given food and other benefits

15. Julius Caesar dictator of Rome 100-44 BCE
Early Life
Born to an aristocratic family
Said to have descended from the gods
Military Career
Conquered Gaul (France)
Conquered Egypt
Dictator (One man rule)
Ruled until 44 BCE (murdered by opponents)
Created Julian calendar
Granted citizenship to people in Gaul and Spain

16. 7) Geography of the Roman Empire
The Roman Empire became huge
It covered most of Europe, North Africa, and some of Asia
The Empire reached its height under Emperor Diocletian ( CE)

17. 7) Decline and collapse of the Roman Empire
180 CE Marcus Aurelius died
His son, Commodus, took control of Rome
Commodus was a poor leader, killed by his bodyguard
Time of disarray follows
Commodus from the
movie Gladiator

18. Political Problems Poor leaders weakened the government
Frequent fights for power
Many officials took bribes
Talented people chose not to serve due to dangers of government life

19. Social Problems Taxes were too great, many rich people stopped paying
People stopped attending school
Large number of people enslaved
Plague (disease) spread throughout Rome, killing 1 in 10
Famine: There was not enough food to feed people

20. Economic Problems
Farmers lost land, unable to grow and sell crops, out of work (and famine)
People bought fewer goods, shops closed
Inflation occurred: Rapidly rising prices. Money lost value because fewer taxes paid.
Coins lost value: Less gold put in, people found out (caused inflation)
Bartering grew: sell goods without using money
No taxes, no money

21. Military Problems Military only in it for money (mercenaries)
No money to pay military = weak military
Constant threat of invaders on empire’s borders
Weak military, unable to stop border invasions

22. Diocletian 284 CE, Diocletian became emperor
Tried reforms (political changes)
Set price limits (if a person went beyond limits, put to death) and ordered workers to stay in jobs to death

23. Dividing the Empire
Diocletian felt that the only way to save the empire was to divide it in half
Created two empires: Western and Eastern
Western Empire: Europe/ North Africa and city of Rome
Eastern Empire: Turkey/ Asia and city of Byzantium
Two emperors, emperor in charge of Rome was senior

24. Constantine
Diocletian retired and Constantine took his place as emperor
Constantine (312 CE) united the empire again under one ruler
First Christian emperor
Edict of Milan
Attempted reforms
Main reform: sons had to follow fathers’ trade

25. Constantinople Rome continued to decline
Constantine moved the capital from Rome to city of Byzantium
City name changed to Constantinople (today is Istanbul)

26. Current Day Constantinople (now Istanbul)

27. Theodosius Constantine died in 337 CE, replaced by Theodosius
Theodosius could not rule the empire, divided in two again
Western Roman Empire with capital in Rome
Eastern Rome Empire with capital in Constantinople

28. Rome invaded
Western Empire unable to hold off German tribes on its borders
Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Franks, Vandals, Saxons
German tribes wanted warmer area, Roman riches, and to flee the Huns

29. Vandals
Vandals followed Visigoths and spent 12 days stripping Rome of valuables (vandalism)
Many more German invaders followed
Finally, a German general named Odoacer defeated the western emperor Romulus Augustulus (14 years old, little Augustus)

30. The Fall of Rome Augustulus was defeated in 476 CE
For this reason, this date is given as the fall of the Western Roman Empire
Western Empire was divided into many kingdoms that adopted many of the customs of Rome

31. Eastern Roman Empire
Although the Western Empire fell in 476 CE, the Eastern Roman Empire continued to prosper for 1,000 more years
Became known as the Byzantine Empire