UNIT 5. ANCIENT ROME

THE ORIGINS OF ROMEThe origin of Roman civilisation is in the city of Rome.

It was founded in the eighth century BC on the banks of the River Tiber, in the Italian Peninsula, in an area of easy protection, as it was surrounded by seven hills.

The territory in which it settled was called Latium, which was inhabited by the Latins.

Before its foundation, the Italian Peninsula was populated by Latins (in the centre), the Greeks (in the south) and the Etruscans (in the north).

The Etruscans, in the 6th century BC, conquered and gained control of Latium.

THE ORIGINS OF ROME

THE LEGEND OF ROMULUS AND REMUS

According to legend, Rome was founded in Palatine Hill by Romulus in 753 BC.The twins Romulus and Remus were put in a basket in the River Tiber. A she-wolf found the babies and fed them her milk. Later, a shepherd adopted the boys.When the boys grew up, they decided to build a city by the River Tiber. One day, they argued and Romulus killed Remus.

Romulus became de first King!

You have the video available at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Pp83xYOttc

SYSTEMS OF GOVERNMENT

Roman history is divided into three periods:

THE MONARCHY (753 - 509 BC)

Romulus was de first King of Rome. Later, the city was occupied by the Etruscans.

From its foundation until the year 509 BC, Rome was ruled by seven Kings. The first four were Latins and the final three were Etruscans. The last Etruscan king, Tarquin the Proud, was deposed because he was a tyrant.

The King ruled with the help of the Senate (made up of patricians), an advisory assembly with no decision-making powers. Therefore, the King had all the power to make any decision.

The citizens elected the government (a kind of democracy).

Power was shared between Comitias, Magistrates and the Senate.

THE SENATE

The senate was a council of citizens

from the most important families :

PATRICIANS.

It was responsible for deciding

foreign policy and upholding decisions

made by the Comitians.

COMITIAS

These were assemblies, formed by

citizens , in which

magistrates were chosen,

laws were passed and decisions

about going to war were taken.

MAGISTRATES

These were annually

elected by the comitias.

The most important magistrates were:

Consuls, Tribunes of the plebeians and

dictator.

 THE ROMAN REPUBLIC (509 – 27 BC)

In The Republic…

Initially, the patricians still held all the power. Only they could be part of the Senate, and only they could hold public office. The patricians in the Senate made laws, patricians and consuls executing them, and patricians were also the judges who punished the lawbreakers.

Because of this, the plebeians began to fight for their rights, which were established in the Law of the Twelve Tables (451-450 BC).

During this time, took place the Three Punic wars that faced Romans and Carthaginians. The Romans emerged victorious in all the battles and, consequently, Rome had control of the Mediterranean Sea (Mare Nostrum) and other places, such as the Iberian Peninsula.

The Republic ended when some magistrates and generals (with so much power), including Julius Caesar (and also Pompey and Crassus), took control of the government of Rome. In 48 BC, Caesar was proclaimed perpetual dictator, with all the power.

JULIUS CAESAR

In 100 BC, Julius Caesar was born in Rome. He was from an important family, so in 61 BC he became governor of Spain.

Next Caesar went to fight the Gauls in France. He was a brilliant general, and he conquered all of France.

Caesar’s soldiers loved him, but the Senator Pompey thought he was too powerful, so he ordered him to return to Rome. Caesar went to Rome, but he brought his army with him, and started a civil war with Pompey. Caesar won, and Pompey was killed.

Caesar made himself consul and dictator for life. The senators were afraid that Caesar wanted to be king, so they murdered him in 44 BC.

THE ROMAN EMPIRE (27 BC – 476 AD)

It began in 27 BC, when the Senate gave political and religious power to Augustus (Octavian). Augustus held all power and the political institutions lost their importance.

The titles of Augustus: Imperator (leader of the military), Princeps (first citizen of the Senate), Augustus (put him on the same level of the gods), Pontifex Maximus (highest religious authority in the Empire).

Some of the most important episodes were:

Pax romana. A long period of peace in Rome. This period lasted two centuries: the 1st and 2nd centuries AD.

Territorial conquest. The Empire reached its maximum size. Emperor Caracalla granted citizenship to all free men in the Roman

Empire (year 212). Edict of Milan (year 313): Emperor Constantine allowed freedom of

worship. Edict of Thessalonica (year 380): Emperor Theodosius proclaimed

Christianity official religion. Crisis of the third century. The empire went into decline.

CONQUEST OF THE MEDITERRANEAN

CRISIS AND FALL OF THE EMPIREStarting in the 3rd century AD. WHY?

- Political instability: increased military power, attack of the barbarians, political corruption…

- Economic instability: shortage of slaves, drop in production, trade weakened…

- Social instability: social unrest… - Division of the Empire by Theodosius (395 BC). Emperor

Theodosius divided the Empire into two parts: 1. The Western Roman

Empire, with Rome as capital.

2. The Eastern Roman Empire, with its capital in Constantinople (continued to exist another thousand years).

In 476 AD , the Germanic people deposed the last Emperor (Romulus Augustus) of the Western Roman Empire.

It was the end of the Roman Empire.

AND ALSO THE END OF ANCIENT HISTORY!!!!!! AND THE START OF THE MIDDLE AGES!!!!

FALL OF THE EMPIRE

You have the video available at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_7f-k9sq7U

THE END

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