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509 BCE
Rome overthrows Etruscans
Etruscans were N. of Rome and they were more influential early on. Found Rome a village and turned it into a city. They become a republic(like the U.S.). They spend 200 years fighting with enemies. They believed in gravitas, which meant seriousness of responsibility- promises kept, marriage= no divorce= able to pass beliefs down through family. -
264 BCE
Punic Wars
Rome built a huge navy and won by 241 BC. Send Hannibal- greatest general of Carthage; 2nd Punic War begins. Had 46,000 troops, a lot of horses, and 37 battle elephants. Send scorpio to Carthage to force them to recall Hannibal. -
146 BCE
Goes from republic to empire
Small rich ruled and the majority, small farmer was suffering. Small farmers drifted into cities, especially Rome, and became ‘landless poor’. Gracchus brothers- Tiberius and Gaius tried to remedy the social/econ crisis . Both very unpopular w/ Senate (rich aristocracy) and had Tiberius and later Gaius assassinated (133 BC). -
107 BCE
A new role of the army
General Marius started to recruit his army in a new way by promising land. Generals also now had to get into politics to change policies. Sulla was next- given an army to fight in Asia Minor. Council of Plebs tried to give the power to Marius which created a civil war. By 82 BC, Sulla wins and seizes Rome- kills all opposition, restores power to the Senate, and removes power of the Council of Plebs. -
69 BCE
Nero
Nero was adopted by Claudius’ wife and he only cared about the arts. While he was leader he killed lots of people he thought was a threat including his teacher Seneca and own mother. He burned Rome and then kills Peter and Paul but is eventually overthrown by a revolt. But he commits suicide rather than fighting back his last words, “What an artist this world is losing in me.”. -
60 BCE
Triumvirate- Gov't by 3 with equal power
Crassus, Pompey, Julius Caesar were all crazy rich and powerful. 60 BC- 3 joined to form a Triumvirate. Pompey commanded Spain, Crassus commanded Syria and Caesar commanded Spain and Gaul. -
31 BCE
Age of Augustus
Octavian was the only one left from the second triumvirate. So Octavian gives back everything to the Senate to restore the republic. He used this as a way to bolster his popularity. The people then demand he be emperor, and he accepts. Then he is given the title of Augustus(Revered one) by the senate. Controlled 151,000 men in 28 legions- each legion was about 5000 Roman citizens. He had his own personal guard of 9000. -
1 BCE
Empire Expands 200 AD
Trajan expands the empire into Dacia what is now modern day Romania, Mesopotamia, and the Sinai Peninsula. Successors realized it was too large to be easily governed. Hadrian builds fortification along Rhine and Danube Rivers and a 74 mi. wall in N. Britain. By 200 AD, it was difficult to defend the empire moving troops from spot to spot if they were being attacked. At height the Empire was huge 1/2 a million square miles and 50 million people. -
Roman Culture and Society
Very Greek like structures made from a lot of concrete they were very big structures. Used more of the arch, domes, and vaults. Literature- Virgil was the most famous of the Augustan Age. Aeneid is his masterpiece- very similar to the Iliad- follows soldier of the Trojan War. Horace -wrote mostly satires (exaggerated stories to poke fun of social/political life) likes to point out how people complain about their life. Livy -historian who wrote The Early History of Rome in 142 books. -
Slavery and the Slave Revolt
Slavery was very common and farm had only 1 or 2 slaves early on. Greek slaves were in high demand for teaching, music, doctors, artists, shopkeepers. Most slaves just used as laborers in construction of roads, aqueducts, and other structures or household slaves. It was easier to work a slave to death and replace them, than treat them well. The most famous slave revolt was the one in 73 B.C. lead by Spartacus. At one point the army had anywhere from 75,000 - 125,000 slaves, gladiators etc. -
The Development of Christianity 6AD
Believed Rome’s success was due to proper observance of religious rituals= earning the favor of the gods w/ further conquest came more religions. During Hellenistic times, Jewish people were given a lot of independence. By 6 AD, Judea embraced the lands of the old Jewish kingdom of Judah(S. Israel), became a province of the Roman empire. -
Rise of Christianity
A few decades before the revolt a new Jewish prophet named Jesus traveled and preached throughout Judea and Galilee. He voiced ethical teachings of humility, charity, love toward others- all become foundations of Western culture. Eventually stirring up controversy as some believed him to be a revolutionary. Jesus’s opponents turn him over and procurator Pontius Pilate has him crucified. -
Spread of Christianity
Prominent apostles, or leaders, rose up in early XP. Simon Peter was a fisherman who followed Jesus during his lifetime arguably Jesus’ favorite. Paul was a highly educated Jewish, Roman with him being a roman citizen it allowed him to travel around rome and spread XP. Took the religion to gentiles(non-Jews) and Jews alike- along Asia Minor and the Aegean Sea. written in the Gospels- accounts of Jesus’ teachings and life and form the core of the New Testiment- 2nd part of the XP Bible. -
The Decline 180 AD
Marcus Aurelis dies in 180 AD which leads to an age of decline, confusion, and civil wars. They had 22 emperors in 50 years. A plaque came through and that hurt the romans which left a labor shortage for both the military and economy. Reforms by Diocletian and Constantine. Empire changed into the Late Roman Empire. Diocletian split the empire into 2 parts and created a rule of 4 or tetrarchy. Constantine expanded Diocletian's policies. Builds Byzantium and makes it the capital of the east. -
The fall
New Roman Empire under D/C limped along for a century. West began to get pressures from migrating Germanic tribes. Visigoths sacked rome in 410 AD and in 455 the Vandals also sacked rome. By 476, Romulus Augustulus was deposed (removed) by Germanic tribes- last Roman emperor. Lead poisoning through plumbing and cups also contributed and also the plaque Decimated the population. Dependence on slavery hindered growth of technology
