Book work
Origins of Rome
vFounded in 753 BCE
vRomulus and Remus, twins from the God Mars and a Latin princess founded Rome (Legend)
vActually, men picked the spot for a city due to the strategic location and soil
Geography
vRome was built on 7 rolling hills at a curve on Tiber River, near the center of the Italian peninsula
vMidway between the Alps and Italy’s southern trip
vNear midpoint of Mediterranean Sea
Historian wrote: “the hills, the river, to bring us produce from the inland regions and seaborne commerce from abroad, the sea itself, near enough for convenience yet not so near as to bring danger from foreign fleets,…all these advantages make it of all places on the world the best for a city destined to grow great.
The First Romans
vEarliest in that land were prehistoric
vFrom 1000 to 500 BCE, 3 groups fought for control: Latins, Greeks, and Etruscans
vLatins built original settlement – a group of wooden huts atop one of the seven hills, Palatine Hill. Considered the “first romans”
vBetween 750 and 600 BCE, Greeks established colonies along southern Italy and Sicily, making them prosperous and commercially active.
vBrought all of Italy (and Rome) closer to Greek civilization
vEtruscans were native to northern Italy – skilled metal workers and engineers
vEtruscans strongly influenced the development of Rome with their writing and architecture
Early Republic
vAround 600 BCE, an Etruscan was named king of Rome
vRome soon grow from a few villages to a city covering over 500 square miles. Kings called for many temples and centers to be built. One of which is known as the Forum – like the agora (aka the heart of political life)
vLast king was Tarquin the proud
POWERPOINT
Who settled Rome??
vEtruscans
o Came from north-central part of peninsula.
o Metalworkers, artists, architects
o foundation myths: Vigils Aeneid (Where Aeneas escapes from Troy), Story of Romulus and Remus.
vGreeks
o They has many colonies around the Meditreranean sea =
o Romans borrowed ideas from them such as:
§ Religious Beliefs
§ Alphabet
§ Much of their art
§ Military techniques and weaponry
vLatins
o Descendants of Indo- Europeans
o Settled on the banks of the Tiber River
o Situated so trading ships- but not war fleets could navigate as far as Rome
o A commercial port, but not susceptible to attack
o Built on 7 hills, especially Palatine
Romulus wanted Palatine, Remus wanted Aventine
They drained a swamp
vMany streams flowed into the Tiber River
vThere was a marshy area called the Forum, between Palatine and Capitoline Hills
vTarquin the Proud’s grandfather built the Cloaca Maxima (largest ancient drain) which channeled water into the Tiber river
vUrban legend says Washington DC was built on a swamp, but only about 2% was actually swamp land. However, Constitution Avenue is located on what used to be called Tiber creek.
Tarquin the Proud
vLucius Tarquinius Superbus
vThe seventh and final king of Rome
vKnown as Tarquin the proud (sometimes referred to as Tarquin the arrogant)
v A true tyrant, in the old and modern sense of the world.
The peoples shock at this horrible family and their terrible behavior made them NEVER want to be subject to the rule of kings ever again – this was an attitude that lasted for centuries
3 GOVERNMENTS > ONE
Rule of kings is replaced by rule of 2 consuls (“got to be better than one”)
vConsuls are elected officials
vTerm of office – one year
vAlways aristocrats (patricians)
vPatricians traced their descent from a famous ancestor or pater (father)
vDuties: dealing justice, making law, commanding the army
vOne consul could veto the other (reducing the power of the individual)
Then, a challenge from the “regular folks”
vFifth century BCE – patrician dominance of the government was challenged by the plebs (“people”)
vPlebs were 98% of the populations
How did the patricians dominate?
vPlebs had to serve in the army, but could not hold office.
vPlebs were threatened with debt slavery
vPlebs had no legal rights
“No legal rights”
vPlebs were victims of discriminatory decision in judicial trials.
vRome had no actual laws, just unwritten customs
vPatricians could interpret these to their own advantage
So, plebs refused to serve in the military until….
vLaws were written out (The Law of the Twelve Tables)
vThese laws (on tablets) were posted in the public in 450 BCE.
vTribunes (tribal leaders) were elected.
SPQR – Senatus Populusque Romanum
vDesignates any decree or decision made by “the Roman Senate and people).
Res publica – the peoples affairs
vBrand new republic ready to run
vDemocracy (the people’s assembly and the tribunes)
vAristocracy (the Senate – approx. 300 members)
vPlus monarchy (the consuls)
vNot a tyranny (eww..too scary..a mistake the Romans did not care to repeat)
GOVT: ancient Roman/USA
vOriginally the US modeled their new government on the model used by the ancient Romans
vNot exactly the same
vBoth have 3 branches of government
o Executive
o Legislative
o Judicial
vBoth have a legal code
3 Branches (1) – Rome/ USA
SPQR
vExecutive
o 2 consuls
o One year terms
o Each has veto power
o Controls military
o Could appoint a dictator in a crisis for 6 months at a time
USA
vExecutive
o President (plus VP)
o 4 year terms
o Can veto proposed laws
o Commander in chief of the military
3 Branches (2) – Rome/ US
SPQR
vLegislative
o Senate – 300 people – aristocrats – members for life
o Assemblies (either Centuriate or Tribal)
o 193 members (later 373) – members for life
USA
vLegislative
o Senate – 100 Senators (2 from each state) – six year terms
o House of Representatives – 432 members (55 from Cali; MD has 8; AK, DE, MT, ND, SD, VT, WY, have 1
o 2 year terms
3 Branches (3) – Rome/US
SPQR
vJudicial
o Praetors
o Chosen by the Centuriate Assembly
o One-year terms
USA
vJudicial
o Supreme court
o 9 members
o Lifetime terms
o Appointment by President, confirmed by Senate
Legal Code – Rome/US
SPQR
vTwelve Tables
vPublically displayed
vGave rights to plebians, not aristocrats
vOnly protected free-born male citizens
USA
vFirst 10 amendments to the Constitution
1. Free speech/religion/press
2. Bear arms
3. No quartering
4. No search and seizure
5. No self-incrimination
6. Right to fair trial
7. Jury Trials
8. No cruel punishment
9. Right to privacy
10. States have power when fed doesn’t
That’s a Roman Legion
v5000 soldiers, not in it for pay (not yet)
vThe Roman army’s elite army infantry
vRecruited exclusively from Roman citizens
vGroup of eighty’s a century
vOn horseback is the cavalry
vShield, sword, dagger, armor, and a tunic
Punic Wars
v264-146 BCE
vRome vs. Carthage
v 3 wars
2 fighting empires
v264-241 BCE
vNaval battles for control of the strategically located island of Sicily.
vRome wins
Second Punic War (218-201 BCE)
v29 year old Carthaginian general Hannibal almost does the impossible: taking Rome
vAttacks Rome from the NORTH after crossing Liberia (Spain) and the Alps
vLays siege too much of the peninsula for 15 years, but he never makes it to Rome
Third (and final) Punic War (146-146 BCE)
vRome wanted to end Carthage
vScipio, Tiberius, Gracchus, and others attacked the city
vCarthage was burned for 17 days
The poor plebs
vHow do you keep the plebs happy? (or at least keep them from revolting?)
vThe poet Juvenal said Rome “anxiously hopes for 2 things: bread and circuses”
vBread (free grain from the state) and entertainment (circus Maximus, Colosseum), partly to keep them alive, and partly to keep them quiet, distracted, and docile
A change in rule
vTiberius Gracchus recognized the advantages of courting plebians (even though he was ultimately unsuccessful)
vMilitary generals worked that angle – lead an army that conquers a land, then give them a share in the spoils
vSoldiers loyalty was to their military leader not necessarily to Rome or the republic
Julius Caesar (100-44 BCE)
vHighly successful general
vConquered the huge territory of Gaul
He could play the game of politics
vMade the common folks happy
vMade friends in high places
o Pompey (a general who conquered Syria and Palestine)
o Crassus (richest man in Rome, one of the richest men in all of history)
vThese 3 men formed the first Triumvirate (rule of 3 men)
v“Crossing the Rubicon” = Crossing the point of no return
Caesar seizing power
vServes as consul (1 year)
vAppoints himself governor of Gaul
vPompey is jealous, becomes his rival
o Caesars armies clash with Pompey’s in Greece, Asia, Spain, and Egypt (Caesar – winning)
o In 44 BCE, he is named dictator – first for 6 months, then for life
Caesars reforms
vGranted citizenship to provinces
vExpanded the Senate, adding his friends
vCreated jobs for the poor, especially through public work projects
vIncreased pay for soldiers
vStarted colonies where those without land could own property
“Sic semper tyrannis” – “Thus always to tyrants”
Assassination
vWhy? Senators saw Caesars rise in power as a huge threat to their political viability
vHow? They lured him into the Senate, stabbing him 23 times, making sure all were involved
vWho? Even Brutus, Caesars ally (“et tu, Brute?”)
vSenators were not punished
vOctavian was named Julius Caesars sole heir
vBasically the end of the Republic
Aftermath
vJulius Caesars grandnephew – and adopted son – Octavian takes over at the age of 18! With his own triumvirate
vMark Antony is an experienced general
vLepidus is a powerful politician
v2NDTRIUMVIRATE
A doomed alliance
vOctavian forces the weak Lepidus to retire
vHe and Mark Antony become rivals
vMark Antony partners up with Cleopatra of Egypt
o Military
o Personally
o Economically
o Politically
vOctavian defeats them at the Battle of Actim
Octavian on his own
vHe is now the unchallenged ruler of Rome
vHe was given the honorific “Augustus” = Exalted one
vHe was also given the title “imperator” = supreme military commander
vWhere emperor comes from
vRome is now empire not republic
Octavian aint no Tarquin
v40 yers ruling as emporer (27 BC- AD 14)
vHe began stable era of Peace and prosperity known as Pax Romana
vPax Romana was 207 years long (27 BC to AD 180)
Accomplishments
v Expanded the Roman Empire further into Africa
v He set up civil service to run the government/empire
v Building a network of roads
v Collecting taxes
v Establishing a postal service
v Administering the grain supply
v Building awesome public facilities
v Buildings, aqueducts
v Setting up a police department
v Running a fire-fighting organization
v Finally died of natural causes
v After Octavian’s death, power was passed down to emperors
Some were good, some were horrible, some appeared to be completely insane
Let’s review some of the emperors…
Tiberius
v Ruled from AD 14 to AD 37
v an excellent general, but a reluctant emperor
v after the death of his son, he exiled himself from Rome and left his prefects in charge
v died at age 77
Caligula
vRuled from AD 37 to AD 41 (only 4 years!)
vwon a power struggle after Tiberius' death
vknown for his cruelty, extravagance, and perversity - an insane tyrant
vassassinated by a group of praetorian guards, Senators, and the imperial court, trying to re-establish the Republic
vbut it didn't work…
Claudius
v Ruled from AD 41 to AD 54
v suffered from many infirmities: a limp, stammering, shaking, slobbering... possibly because of cerebral palsy
v took over because he was the last adult male in the family
v
v
v ruled well - built roads, aqueducts, canals, and started the conquest of Britain
v
v
v died by poisoning - it was his last wife's plan (she wanted her son Nero to rise to power)
·
Nero
v
v
v ruled from 54 to 68
v
v
v emphasized the arts
v
v
v huge fire in 64 (although he DIDN'T fiddle)
v
v
v he wanted to rebuild Rome to be more majestic
v
v
v he hugely overspent, and even raided the temples for money
v
v
v historians do not look kindly on him
