The Romans

Ch 1.2

Etruscans ruled over Rome - monarchy for each city-state

509 B.C. Romans drove out Etruscans and established REPUBLIC or “thing of the people”

The Republic • Senators- life term in office

• Senators elect 2 consuls yearly

• Consuls ran the gov’t, armies

• Consuls had power, but could only serve one term

• In time of war a dictator with total control could hold office for 6 months

Limited terms/responsibility to senate = gov. check

2 Consuls

Senate (300 officials)

Dictator

• Roman law was inscribed on 12 tablets that were displayed in the Forum.

• Over time the common people, or plebeians, were able to gain rights and power – could veto harmful laws.

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Empire Building - West

• 3 Punic Wars with Carthage gave Rome control of North Africa & the West– 2nd war – Hannibal crosses

Alps – destructive trail– 3rd war – Rome destroyed

Carthage• Expands land, trade, taxes

Empire Building - East

• Confronted Hellenistic rulers• Macedonia, Greece, and

parts of Asia Minor surrendered to Rome.

• By 133 BC, Rome had gained control of most of the area around the Mediterranean.

• Empire brings huge amount of wealth to Rome.

• Gradually begins to have economic and social effects

https://groups.diigo.com/group/lizaoque/content/user/lizaoque?page_num=6

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• Gracchus brothers try to bring reforms to the Empire– Land to the poor farmers, public money to buy

food for the needy, etc.

• Senate has them killed and Rome is thrown into a series of civil wars

• By 51 BC Julius Caesar takes control– Pushed through reforms that gave more people

citizenship, public works (employed people), public land to the poor

Attempts at Reform

First Emperors

• Had total control, but kept some ideas of the republic• Augustus created a foundation for stable government which included Senate,

Civil Services, High level jobs based on talent, and allowed provinces to self govern

• His gov’t functioned well and led to a general peace which lasted about 200 years

• This time was know as Pax Romana or “Roman Peace” (peace, order, unity, and prosperity)

• 44 B.C. was murdered by the senate

• Power struggle followed, Caesar’s nephew Octavian Caesar wins the position of ruler over the Roman empire.

• He is known as the first Emperor Augustus or “Exalted One.”

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Fall of Rome• Ambitious generals seize power ending the Pax Romana• 26 “emperors” in 50 years!• High taxes to support a large gov’t and army• Farmers need to move to the city to work• Numerous reforms were attempted.

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Diocletian splits the empire into eastern and western empires.

Fixed prices of good to reduce inflationConstantine

Tolerance towards Christians.Built Constantinople (East)Eastern Roman empire is known as Byzantine Empire

http://www.angelfire.com/hi5/interactive_learning/Barbarian/Map_Barbarian_Migrations.jpgWestern Roman empire falls to invaders.

Roman Law• By using reasoning, the Law of Nations

expanded Roman law to include citizens and foreigners.– Innocent until proven guilty, right to face your accuser,

defend yourself, guilt had to be established beyond a reasonable doubt

• Justinian’s Code – collect, revise, organize all laws of ancient Rome.

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Greco-Roman Civilization

• Greco-Roman civilization is based on the blending of Greek, Hellenistic, and Roman traditions– Much of this civilization was preserved by the Christian church,

Byzantine Empire, and the Muslim scholars.