Building and Destroying Rome in a Day

Patterns of Roman HistoryStart as local monarchy around 800 BCEAristocrats drive out monarchy in 509 BCEAcquire a strong military orientation

Drive out Greeks, take over peninsulaSpread even wider during three Punic Wars

(264-146 BCE)Seize entire Med

Patterns of Roman HistoryGenerals wants even more power

Julius Caesar in 45 BCEAugustus Caesar in 27 BCE forms EmpirePax Romana, from Augustus to Marcus

Aurelius (180 CE)250 year declineOverturned in 476 CE

Roman Political InstitutionsReliance on aristocracyPeriodic assemblies for all citizens

Elected magistratesSenate, mostly aristocratsConsuls share executive powerEmpire as a different political form

Local autonomy in many regions

Roman Political Institutions405 BCE, first written code- Twelve TablesGave non-Romans citizenshipVast public worksStadiums and baths“Bread and circuses”

Chief Political LegaciesLocalism and fervent political interests,

including intense loyalty to the stateDiversity of political institutions with

preference for aristocratic ruleImportance of law and the development of an

unusually elaborate and uniform set of legal principles

Economy and Society in RomeFree farmers own land

Tendency for large landlords to squeeze them out

Decline in part due to too many farmers dependent on large landownersCouldn’t vote

Not ideal for growing grainRise of commercial agricultureMerchants have higher stance in RomeSlavery key ingredient

Decline and Fall in RomeBrutality and arbitrariness of emperorsTax collection declinesDespondency over futility of lifeSeries of weak emperorsPlaguesUpper class seek pleasure, not politics

Decline and Fall in RomeDiocletian (284-305 CE) tightens up

administrationRegulation of economy, tax collectionPersecutes Christians

Constantine (312-337 CE) sets up second capital in eastern halfMakes western half worse