Rome the Empire

1. Rome the Empire

2. How to Create an Empire? • Military advantage – better than others over a period of time. • Sustained economy – trade • Weak neighboring countries • Political chaos • Use of bureaucrats to run the empire • bureaucrat-person who figures out how to run a business or government efficiently • Use of a tribute system

3. Geography • Height, stretched from England to Egypt, Spain to Iraq. • Boarders-physical features: rivers, deserts, etc. • Mixture of different peoples and cultures.

4. Government • Absolute monarchy. • Emperor who reigned for life. • Senators-held important military posts, governed provinces. • Equestrians-held less important posts, under the Senators. • Emperors remained in power as long as had the military backing them.

5. First Emperor Augustus Caesar (27 BCE – 14 ACE) • 27 BCE: Octavian made emperor, awarded name of Augustus Caesar • Built new temples, theaters, roads, aqueducts • Made Rome beautiful • Divided provinces into 2 groups • PaxRomana= Roman Peace

6. First Four Emperors (Julio-Claudian) • Tiberius (14-37 ACE) • Adopted son of Augustus • Cruel leader…not popular • Claudius (41-54 ACE) • Uncle of Caligula • Restored order and peace • Poisoned by 2nd wife • Caligula (37-41 ACE) • Mentally ill • Had soldiers “attack” Neptune • Killed by his own guards • Nero (54-68 ACE) • One of the worst • Played the lyre while Rome burned, blamed Christians • Murdered his mother • Generals rebelled • Killed himself

7. Flavian Emperors • Vespasian (69-79 ACE) • Was a general • Began building the Flavian Amphitheater (coliseum) • Titus (79-81 ACE) • Was a general • Destroyed the Jewish temple in Jerusalem • Domician (81-96 ACE) • Raised taxes • Extended power to other Romans • Was assassinated.

8. “Good emperors” Adopted Emperors • Nerva (96-98) • Built public works (granaries, aqueducts, roads) • Adopted his heir • Trajan (98-117) • First non-Italian emperor • Roman Empire at its largest • Helped the poor • Hadrian (117-138) • Passed laws to protect women, children, and slaves • Built new buildings (Hadrian’s Wall)

9. “Good Emperors” (Con’t) • Antonius Pius (138-161) • Built public works • Was generous • Marcus Aurelius (161-180) • Commanded army directly • Allowed Germanic tribes to settle w/in boarders • Was also a philosopher

10. Soldier Emperors • Septimius Severus (193-211 A.C.E.) • First of the soldier emperors. • After him, had at least 20 emperors until Diocletian. • Being an emperor was dangerous at this time, many were assassinated.

11. Beginning of the End • Diocletian (284-305) • Divided the empire into 2 parts (East/West) • Constantine (306-337) • First Christian emperor • Edict of Milan-made Christianity a legal religion. • Theodosius I (379-395) • Made Christianity the official religion • Last emperor to rule over both Eastern and Western halves. • Romulus Augustus was the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire.

12. Religion and Philosophy • Early official state religion-based on Greek gods and goddesses, given Latin names. • E.g. Zeus (Jupiter), Poseidon (Neptune), Ares (Mars). • Emperors became gods and were to be worshipped, imperial cult. • Followed much of the Eastern cults with promise of a better future life.

13. Religion and Philosophy (Con’t) • Judaism • Abraham is founding father-circa 2000 B.C. • Major religious figures: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, Solomon. • Holy city-Jerusalem

14. Religion and Philosophy (Con’t) • Acknowledge Old Testament of the Bible. • Torah-first 5 books of O.T. most important. • Contains laws i.e. dietary restrictions. • Ten Commandments • Still looking for their Messiah-savior • Don’t accept Jesus Christ as Messiah • Heaven based on deeds • Follow the 10 Commandments as their conduct code.

15. Religion and Philosophy • Christianity • Jesus Christ founder-33 A.D. • Religious text-Bible both O.T. and N.T. • Spread through the work of Apostles and missionaries. • Major Apostle: Paul. • Spread Christianity throughout Eastern Mediterranean.

16. Religion and Philosophy (Con’t) • Jesus Christ is the Messiah. • Salvation is through faith in Jesus. • One God in three parts: • Father, Son, Holy Spirit.

17. Religion and Philosophy • Was seen as a sect of Judaism at first. • Christians were heavily persecuted at first. • Wouldn’t worship other gods, wouldn’t participate in cults. • Were seen as harmful to Rome. • Blamed by Nero for burning Rome, were killed in the arenas. • Eventually, became the official state religion of Rome, then of Europe.

18. Communication • Greek was the language of education and commerce. • Latin was the language of the common people. • Latin eventually became localized, turned into the Romance Languages today. • E.g. Portuguese, Spanish, French, Italian, Romanian, etc.

19. Technology and Innovation • Romans used the innovation of concrete to create their buildings. • Built aqueducts and large buildings using arches. • Rome had 1 million people at its height. • First to build a dome on top of a rectangular structure. • Built thousands of miles of roads. • Some still in use today. • “All roads lead to Rome.”

20. Technology and Innovation (Con’t) • Social innovation: law. • Natural law-laws based on reason. • Justice that applied to all people of the Roman Empire. • Standards of justice: innocent until proven guilty, accused could defend themselves before a judge, judge has to weigh evidence carefully until a decision is made.

21. Trade and Economy • Most trade was done through the empire. • Silk Road-provided bulk of international trade between Rome and China. • Also traded using the towns located on the boarders of the empire.

22. Trade and Economy • People mainly farmed and engaged in trading activities. • Traded grain, gold and silver made items, etc. within the empire. • Traded silk for woolen textiles, glass, and precious stones and spices.

23. Arts and Leisure • Drew inspiration from Greek art, Greek looked at as superior. • Roman portrait sculpture was realistic. • Paintings showed landscapes, portraits, scenes from mythological stories. • Rise of mosaic-colored stones put together to make a picture.

24. Arts and Leisure (Con’t) • Romans participated in public spectacles. • Over 100 days a year for public spectacles. • Used for religious celebration, to keep the people happy “bread and circuses,” keep the people occupied • 3 major types: chariot races, dramatic performances, gladiatorial games.

25. Arts and Leisure (Con’t) • Chariot races-held in the Circus Maximus, chariots raced in a circle. • What’s that like today? • Dramatic performances-held in amphitheaters, were very realistic. • Do we still have these today?

26. Arts and Leisure (Con’t) • Gladiatorial Games • Fought between slaves, some were free men. • Didn’t always fight to the death. • Also, executions were staged, animals fighting other animals. • Had naval battles there as well. • How does this link to today?

27. Conflicts • Roman Empire was weak from corruption and materialism. • Roman Army was mainly foreigners instead of Roman citizens. • Germanic tribes saw the wealth of Rome and wanted it. • Huns and Visigoths invade the empire. • Huns-people from Central Asia, Mongols are descended from them. • Visigoths-Germanic tribe.

28. Conflicts • 375-Huns invaded Europe from Central Asia • Attila the Hun • Forced the Visigoths into the Roman Empire. • 378 AD-Battle of Adrianople • Visigoths v. Romans • Rome lost, now Rome was defenseless against invasion. • Beginning of the end of the Western Roman Empire.

29. Conflicts (Con’t) • 410 ACE-Goths invade and plunder Rome, first time in almost 800 years. • 455 ACE-Vandals invade and plunder Rome. • 476 ACE-Odoacer took control of Rome • Western part collapsed, Eastern part survived as Byzantine Empire. • Western Empire became a Christian (Catholic) Empire • Led to Middle Ages

30. Why did the empire fall? • Government instability • High taxes • Invasions from other tribes