Post on 19-May-2015
Rome
The founding of Rome
Legend• In 753 bc twin
brothers founded the city
• Romulus and Remus • Sons of Mars (G-d of
War)• Raised by she-wolf
• Romulus destroys Remus and the city of Rome is born
Far more likely……• Settled between 1000 -
500 bc • Settled by 3 groups
• Etruscans • Natives of Northern Italy• Metal workers
• Latins:• Farmers and nomadic
herders• Became first Romans
• Greeks • Established 50 colonies
along southern coast of Italy
Religion of Rome
Greek Relationship Roman
Zeus supreme Jupitor
Hera Queen of G-ds Juno
Hermes Athletics, poetry
Mercury
Aphrodite love Venus
Ares war Mars
Apollo Medicine, wisdom
Apollo
Artemis hunter Diana
Poseidon Earth & sea Neptune
Dionysus Dance, song, wine
Bacchus
Early Government
• 509 BC• The Republic• Consuls
• Administrators or commanders
• 2 serving 1 year term • Patricians
• Land holding/upper class
• Only people that could serve
• Plebeians • Farmers, traders,
merchants• No real voice in
government
Growth of the Roman Empire
The Punic Wars • First Punic War
• 264-241 BC• Rome takes Sicily
• Second• 218-201 BC• Hannibal crosses Alps with
elephants• Hannibal wins throughout
Italy but never captures Rome
• Scipio invades Carthage forcing Hannibal back
• Third• 149-146 BC• Carthage starts to recovery• Rome views as threat
Unrest in Rome
• Constant warfare • Patricians vs Plebians • Tiberius Gaius Graccus and Marius
• 130-100 BC • Establish reforms • Marius creates paid army
• Sulla• 88 BC• Eliminates plebeians from power/brings back
aristocracy• First Triumvirate
• 70 BC• Caesar, Pompey, Crassus
First Triumvirate
• Crassus• 53 BC killed in Persia
• Caesar • Defeated Gauls (Gallic Wars)
• Pompey• 49 BC with the Senate order Caesar to leave his
army and return to Rome• Feared he had become too powerful • Caesar crosses the Rubicon • Pursues Pompey throughout the empire; catches up
to him in Spain and defeats his army• Caesar is Dictator for Life
Death of Caesar
• Accomplishments• Change tax
structure• Redistribution of
land• Changed the
calendar• Assassination
• 44 BC• Brutus Cassius
and Senate kill Caesar
The Next Triumvirat
• Lepidus, Marc Anthony, Octavian • Lepidus removed from power• Anthony & Octavian battle for power
• 31 BC defeated in final naval battle• Anthony and Cleopatra gone
• Octavian declares himself Imperator Caesar Augustus • Continues Caesar’s reforms • Establishes period of Pax Romana • Christianity comes into being • 27 BC- 14 AD
Line of Augustus
• Tiberius • Galigula • Claudius • Nero • Vespasian *
The Fall of Rome
Military Political Political Social
Visigoths and other Germanic tribes invade the Empire
Heavy taxes necessary to support the government
Many corrupt officials
Population declines because of disease and war
Romans forced to hire foreign soldiers to defend borders
Middle Class disappears
The divided (Eas/West)Empire becomes weakbecomes weak
Fall of Rome (Date Given)
• 476 AD