PESCIE – Life in the Roman Empire Chapter 7, lesson 3 Images from google
Political Emperors were selected successors Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero from Augustus’ family Emperors were more powerful and often corrupt Emperors could be made or disposed Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Pius, and Marcus Aurelius good emperors Pax Roman continued Social programs Building programs
Political Empire grows Governors and local leaders Citizenship Hadrian’s wall Difficult to maintain Latin in the West Greek in the East
Economic Farming (latifundia) Trade Silk Road Huge economic gap Grain Luxury goods Silk Road Huge economic gap
Social Family heart of Roman social structure Patrilineal Children raised in the family Education for boys and girls Girls married young Divorce was easy Woman had freedom and independence Slavery was common
Cultural – Religion Polytheistic Tolerant of other religions Festivals Emperors were seen as gods
Intellectual - Roman Arts and Sciences Known as Greco-Roman Civilization Why? Roman sculptures and statues were more realistic than Greek Placed in public buildings and homes
Aqueducts
Aqueducts
Roman Arch
Dome - Pantheon
Colosseum (Coliseum)
Circus Maximus
Forum
Roman roads
Mosaic
Fresco
Bas-relief
Mathematics Alphabet and numbers were borrowed from Etruscans Used letters to represent numbers I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VIII, IX, X Used an abacus
Science Based on Greek ideas Galen (born in Turkey) is considered one of the best Combined Greek knowledge with his own experiments
Learning and Literature Borrowed much from the Greeks Philosophy – Stoicism (founder Zeno) Encouraged virtue, duty, moderation and endurance Literature – followed Greek Models
Literature - Virgil
Literature Cont. Wrote Aeneid Roman Homer Focused on Roman virtues
Literature - Horace Wrote Satires Follies and vices of his age
Literature Cont. Compiled Rome’s history from origins to 9 BCE Historian Livy Compiled Rome’s history from origins to 9 BCE More a mythical history than true history (moral lessons)
Tacitus - Historian Literature Cont. Represented facts accurately Wrote about the good and the bad of the imperial Rome
Roman Legacy - Language Latin – Official language of the Roman Catholic Church Adopted by different groups and developed into Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Romanian Also influences English
Legacy - Law Influenced by Stoic philosophers based on common sense rather than practical ideas All persons have the right to equal treatment under the law innocent until proven guilty Burden of proof rested on the accuser Punished for action not thoughts Unreasonable or grossly unfair laws should be put aside
Environment Rome was the largest city Dangerous and congested Apartments Police force Increased number of poor Large-scale entertainment