Rome
Founding 1500BC-Latins crossed Alps Founded Rome on 7 hills by Tiber River Agricultural 750BC-Conquered by Etruscans Latins (Romans) learned to: Build roads, walls, & buildings Make metal weapons
Republic 5th-3rd centuries BC Social aristocracy Patricians Consuls Senate Plebeians largely excluded from government Plebeians eventually gained right to vote and hold office
Fasces
Chicago City Hall Pittsburg Federal Bldg. Spain Birmingham, AL Nebraska Supreme Court, Lincoln
Buffalo, NY, City Council Chamber
Fasces
Conquered Mediterranean World Italian Peninsula BC Well-trained citizen-soldiers Wise treatment of conquered peoples Carthage— BC—Punic Wars Rome destroyed and took Carthage Eastern Mediterranean by 1st century BC
Effect of Conquests Spread Greek culture Officials/Nobles gained large fortunes Roman virtues disappeared Ruined small farmers & workers Farmers migrated to cities Politicians offered free programs Citizen-soldiers replaced by professional soldiers
Republic to Dictatorship By 2nd century BC, Roman generals battled for control Civil War: Caesar vs. Pompey 60 BC--First Triumvirate Julius Caesar, Pompey, Crassus Caesar had his army’s loyalty Senate told him to disband army He invaded Rome Became dictator Assassinated in 44 BC
Caesar’s Roman Republic
Republic to Dictatorship Civil War: Octavian vs. Antony Mark Antony and Octavian defeated Brutus and Cassius, the chief conspirators in Julius Caesar’s death Octavian defeated Antony Became absolute ruler of Rome
Roman Empire 27 BC--476 AD Octavian Senate gave him the title of Augustus Began Pax Romana Developed trade/industry/science/arts Trajan Empire at its greatest Hadrian Built defensive walls in Britain
Roman Empire Marcus Aurelius Philosopher/ruler/soldier His death ended Pax Romana Diocletian Divided Empire Constantine Reunited empire Moved capital to Byzantium Converted to Christianity
Germanic Invasion Germans allowed to settle Huns pushed more Germans in Visigoths in Spain Ostrogoths in Italy Vandals in North Africa Franks in Gaul Angles & Saxons in Britain 476AD-last Roman emperor
Why West Fell-Political Corrupt dictatorial government Did not have people’s loyalty Empire could not be governed efficiently from one central city Primitive transportation Poor communication Rivalry over succession led to civil wars
Why West Fell-Economic Small farmers abandoned land Became workers on large estates Lost desire to increase production Heavy, unjust taxation Burdened people Destroyed ambition to work and progress Widespread use of slaves
Why West Fell-Social People only interested in luxury & survival Ideals had almost vanished Sharp class distinctions Cities declined Previous centers of culture and industry People fled to rural regions
Why West Fell-Military Roman armies included German mercenaries Armies considered themselves masters of the state, not its servants
Roman Contributions Pax Romana—27 BC-180 AD Greco-Roman (classical) civilization spread throughout Empire Roman Law Influenced legal systems in Byzantine Empire, Western Europe and US Architecture Effectively used concrete, arch and dome
Pantheon
Roman Contributions Language Romance languages Literature Cicero—Father of Latin prose Vergil—Wrote the Aeneid Historical Writing Livy—Wrote history of Rome Plutarch—Wrote Parallel Lives
Roman Contributions Science Practical scientists in: Sanitation Public health Research scientists generally non-Roman Ptolemy (Greek) Sun revolves around earth