Romes Transformations

Class Struggle - 500 BCE to 360 BCE

500 BCE

There were two main social classes: the patricians, the rich, and the plebeians, the poor. The patricians consisted of families with deep-rooted connections, occupied governmental positions, and held continuous authority. Conversely, the plebeians, who lacked affiliation with the patricians, constituted the working class. Threatening to leave Rome, which would have detrimental effects on the city's defense and economy, the Senate responded by establishing the Tribunes and a Plebeian Council.

Rome Republic, Empire, then Collapse

Period: 500 BCE to 500

The Celts

450 BCE

The Celts, recognized for their metalworking and agriculturist skills, were a tribe that excelled in trading. Their reputation as a warrior society was well known, and their form of government was centered around violence, with harsh consequences for breaking rules, often resulting in brutality or "man gold". The Celts frequently clashed with Rome, and in 387 BCE, they sacked Rome. Additionally, they often raided other civilizations. Important to note, the Celts were a tribe, not an empire.

Roman Militarism: 500 BCE - 27 BCE

450 BCE

The Romans quickly gained a reputation for being cruel and brutal. They were known for raping, mass murder, population extermination, inhumane cruelty, and enslavement. Utilizing slavery, Rome was able to have more men as slaves took over common jobs such as farming. Wars were common as Rome set out to conquer new territory every year.

Sasanian Persia

220 BCE

Sasanian Persia was a constant threat to Rome. Theywere aggressive, organized, sophisticated, and were prospering while Rome was crumbling. Also, they were major contributors in trade and agriculture. All rulers of Sasanian Persia were from the same bloodline. The rulers and magi (Zoroastrian priesthood) led Persia together and often justified their actions through their religion.

Third Punic War, also called Third Carthaginian War: 149 BC and 146 BC

149 BCE

The Romans, as anticipated, betrayed Carthage and successfully conquered two of their islands, namely Corsica and Sardinia. Subsequently, a Roman general, Scipio, directly attacked Africa, further weakening Carthage. Although a period of peace was installed for some years, hatred and tension grew between the two, and Rome ended up attacking Carthage. The brutality and lack of humanity displayed during the attack resulted in the merciless slaughter or enslavement of thousands of Carthaginians.

Julius Ceaser

49 BCE

Julius Caesar shifted the Roman Republic into an empire.
Caesar craved power, glory, and wealth. He would defeat the Celts and other enemies. After his victories, his power, wealth, and influence only grew, which frightened the Senate. As a result, they utilized Pompey to “settle Caesar down”, and Caesar refused to give up his power and instead marched straight into Rome. After killing Pompey, Caesar returned to Rome and altered the Roman government by making himself dictator.

Mark Antony and Octavian

43 BCE

Both hungry for power, Mark Antony and Octavian divided the control of Rome. Antony took the eastern territories and Egypt, while Octavian received Europe. Both wanted to have it all, which eventually led to the Battle of Actium. At the end, Octavian was victorious. Afterwards, Octavian was named Pharaoh, and Egypt became his. To keep control, he killed Antony's supporters.

Augustus - First Emperor of Roman Empire

27 BCE

Augustus shifted Roman power away from representative democracy to imperial authority. Augustus reorganized the Roman legions in order to establish an army with pay and retirement benefits. Doing so shifted Rome's military completely. No longer did Rome have to rely on volunteer soldiers; they could create a professional army. Augustus' retirement plan granted retired soldiers land and a large bonus. Nearly half of the soldiers died before retirement age.

Spread of Christanity: 60 CE

60

Christianity conflicted with traditional Roman beliefs and practices, which directly impacted the culture and authority of Rome. This meant that more and more Roman citizens began to not partake in festivals, offerings during ceremonies, and other Roman traditions. As a result, the Roman government saw this as a lack of loyalty and a threat to the empire. Those in power even blamed the Great Fire of Rome and various rebellions on Christians, which began a lengthy persecution of Christians.

Roman Empire's Dynasties: 14 CE -180 CE

100

The Imperial Dynasties consisted of: the Julian dynasty (14-16 CE), in which these emperors were somehow related to Caesar; the Flavian dynasty (69-96 CE), in which a father with two sons obtained power after a sudden civil war; and lastly, the “Five Good Emperors” (96-180 CE), in which these emperors decided on their successors instead of giving it to their bloodline: Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Pius, and Aurelius. Around 120 CE, Rome was described to reach its peak under emperor Trajan.

How did Rome go from monarchy, to republic, to empire and then fall?

500

The overthrow of the last king of Rome resulted in two consuls. Throughout the existence of the Roman Republic, numerous conflicts, including multiple civil wars, were instigated by figures like Julius Caesar. Additionally, the presence of class struggle and political corruption played a significant role in the decline of both the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. The division of the empire, coupled with the invasion by Germanic tribes, further contributed to the downfall of the Roman Empire.