Rome

Early history- Rome expands Legendary founding 753 B.C. Controlled all Italy 268 B.C. Roman-Punic Wars with Carthage: , , B.C. Following third Roman-Punic war, annexed Carthaginian territory (N. Africa, Spain) Conquered Greece (2nd Cent. B.C.) Gaul (56-49 B.C.), Egypt (30 B.C.) Britain (43 A.D.) Empire begins 29 B.C.

Rome Expands

Roman Science and Technology Little theoretical science or innovation (Lucretius- atoms) Encyclopedists (Pliny) Architectural virtuosity City planning - water, lead pipes, sewage, fire protection Bridges and aqueducts Law and administration Concrete (if a society can only introduce one invention, it could do no better than this.) Codex form of books Water mills (late in Empire)

Fall of Rome

Summary of Events First invasions, 3rd century A.D. Christianity legal early 4th century, state religion late 4th cent. Empire split 4th century - Eastern half endures as Byzantine Empire to 1453 Last emperor (by then only a puppet) deposed 476 A.D. One late Emperor, Majorian ( ) attempted to reverse trends but failed

Roman Empire Splits, 395 A.D.

Fall of Rome

Possible Hypotheses for the collapse of Rome Lack of innovation. Best indicator, the total lack of interest in geography. Slavery. The attitude that any services could be bought, and therefore Romans need not bother with practical matters. Religious cultism and mysticism Lead poisoning? (not from lead pipe but from lead-based ceramic glazes)

Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, 1782 Edward Gibbon suggested four reasons for fall of Rome: “Immoderate greatness”--growth of bureaucracy and military Wealth and luxury Barbarian invasions (cause or symptom?) Spread of Christianity

Gibbon's errors Too rosy a view of 2nd century A.D. conditions Cultural biases (against Byzantines and monasticism) Pushed notion of "decline" too far Despite his errors, Gibbon's work has endured as few works of history have

An Alternate View of the Fall of Rome Americans often idealize ancient Rome We are impressed by its monuments. It's the first ancient state that looks like a modern nation-state on the scale of the U.S. Latin was used as the intellectual language of Europe until recent times Many "religious" films about the life of Christ are actually films about Rome with a pious veneer.

Reality Check: Rome was a stagnant, corrupt, brutal and petty society Not once did the local populace ever rise up to oppose the barbarian invaders.

Rome and the early U.S: Two Choices

The U.S Governed by a weak federation under the Articles of Confederation Its one great act under this government was the Northwest Ordinance Provided for division of new territories into additional States Admission of new States incorporated into Constitution Hence no distinction whatever between original States and later States.

Rome B.C. Rome acquires Spain from Carthage after the Second Roman-Punic War Same question as faced by the Early U.S.: what to do with the new lands? Rome decides to exploit the new territories as source of revenue and slaves.

Results of Rome’s Choice Non-stop guerrilla war in Spain for over 300 years. Rome abandons its traditional citizen army for a permanent standing army. Conscripted soldiers frequently became dispossessed while serving in Spain Rome's erratic but real progress toward equality reverses. Power and wealth re- concentrate in the hands of the upper class.

For next 170 years, Rome experiences increasing civil unrest, ever-bloodier conflicts and civil wars, a military coup by Julius Caesar, then dictatorship under the Emperors.

Conclusion: Like a baby born with AIDS, the Roman Empire was infected at birth with the disease that eventually killed it.