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Rome. 509 BCE King is deposed & aristocratic Republic begins. The Republic will survive for 500 years & become the dominant power in the Mediterranean Basin. Coliseum Entrance.
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Rome 509 BCE King is deposed & aristocratic Republic begins
The Republic will survive for 500 years & become the dominant power in the Mediterranean Basin
Forum built a the heart of the city will become political & civic center where leading citizens tend to government business
Republican constitution • 2 counsels elected by aristocrats (patricians) serve for 1 year • Senate advises consuls & ratifies decisions • Both counsels & Senators represent the wealthy
Constant class tension is the result • Common people (plebeians) eventually can elect officials (tribunes) who can influence policy. • Although wealthy dominate, by 3rd century BCE as in 5th century Greece, the base of political participation broadens. Class conflict is blunted not ended.
Expansion • By 400 BCE Romans control peninsula. • This is partly due to establishing military colonies and partly due to treatment of conquered people who can usually govern own internal affairs, take Roman spouses, sometimes become tax exempt and sometimes even become citizens.
Rome v Carthage • Carthage was main city state in N. Africa (after Egypt) & also controlled S. Iberia & grain rich Sicily • E. Mediterranean dominated by 3 Hellenistic empires
Rome wins and takes 50,000 slaves. Access to grain, oil, wine, gold & silver will finance war v E. Mediterranean foes • Tiepolo’s sack of Carthage • See next slide
Weakened Hellenistic Empires • Like Lebanon today their governments could not control “pirates” • Rome felt this “threatened regional stability” and sent troops to “protect Roman citizens.” • This brings Rome into conflict w Hellenistic Empires.
Rome fights 5 wars • In Anatolia (now Turkey) and Macedon. • Rome rules indirectly through allies • Rome now seat of great wealth and power - however there are problems
Empire brings problems • Uneven distribution of wealth at home causes class conflict as does • How to administer conquered lands (think Iraq).
As in Classical China and Greece uneven land distribution causes tensions • Wealthy elites organize huge plantations called latifundia • Due to economy of scale & use of slave labor undersell small farmers who often have to sell land to the wealthy
Attempt at reform • Gracchi Brothers want to limit amount of conquered land a person can own (similar to reform attempt of Wang Mang in Han Dynasty). • Eventually both brothers were assassinated by the elite who felt they were dangerous radicals
Civil War follows83 BCE Sulla triumphs • 5 year reign of terror • Hurts lower class (pro patrician)
Latifundia continue to pressure small farmers • Small farmers forced to sell then they swell ranks of urban poor • General Julius Caesar starts process that will end republic
Caesar for reform • Spends huge amount of $ sponsoring public spectacles (gladiators) • 60 BCE conquers Gaul adds to popularity • Conservatives try at fail to remove him • Names himself emperor for life • Controls military and political life
Caesar • Confiscates property from Conservatives and gives it to veterans • Large scale pubic works projects give work to countless poor • Conservatives eventually have him killed • Sets off new civil war
Power goes to Octavian • 31 BCE Defeats Mark Anthony in naval battle • Joins forces with Cleopatra the last Ptolemaic ruler of Egypt. • 27 BCE now called Augustus rules for 45 years and fashions an imperial government. • It’s a monarchy disguised as a Republic • Creates standing army loyal to him alone
Expansion dramatic effect on Europe • Egypt, Mesopotamia, Syria long history of city based states • Gaul, Germany, Britain, Spain sparsely populated agriculturists w small villages. Now Roman soldiers, diplomats, merchants stimulate their economies cities grow - tempo of European society quickens
Pax Romana • In Rome 250 year peace facilitates trade & communication from Mesopotamia to the Atlantic. • Like Persia, China & India, the Romans integrate their empire by building great roads. Rome excelled at engineering. Also had postal system and elaborate system of law. All to integrate empire
System of law for all under Roman rule • Innocent until proven guilty
Economy & Society • Cities benefit most • Like most people of classical times Rome is patriarchal & uses slave labor
Changes in Agriculture • Instead of crops for local use now for export. • Grain from latifundia in N, Africa, Sicily & Egypt ends up in large cities of Empire. • Allows economic specialization • Boat Paul takes to Rome carries tons of wheat
Economic Specialization & Integration of Empire • Because grain can be cheaply imported allow other regions to produce what they do best. Gaul - copper, Spain - olive oil, Syria & Palestine - fruits, nuts, wool, Italy - pottery, glass & bronze
Specialized production = vigorous trade • No pirates - Mediterranean is a “Roman lake” much as the Caribbean is now an, “American Lake.” • Huge amount of wealth to Rome build temples, aqueducts, fountains, arches. • Buildings benefit from Roman invention - concrete. • Also have plumbing, sewage
Construction Employs Masses • Hundreds of thousands find work as population surges from countryside • New class of shopkeepers, artisans, merchants, bankers proliferate • Many workers are poor some find opportunity. All the masses get “bread and circuses to mollify them. • Circus Maximus seats 250,000 watch gladiators
Family & society • Roman law gives oldest male is hh power as pater familias. Slaves, servants & family in hh. Father can arrange marriage. Women can’t inherit property or buy land • Worse on paper than in reality where women often had some power
Increasing Wealth in Rome • New classes of merchants, bankers & the like rival old aristocracy. • Masses subsist on little but bread & circuses (subsidized grains and entertainment)
Slavery • By 2nd century CE 1/3 population are slaves. • Rural slaves on latifundia or in mines had it bad. Cities less so. Urban slaves could hope for manumission at age 30. • Most famous slave revolt Spartacus escaped slave leads army of 70,000. Defeated by 40,000 Roman soldiers 73 BCE.
Cosmopolitan Mediterranean • Integration of Mediterranean Basin trade, economy and cultural and religious life. Roads & communications networks allows for spread of new popular small Jewish sect - Christianity
Greek Philosophy & Religions of salvation • As Greeks, Romans had many gods (Jupiter, Saturn, Janus) & often adopted other peoples’ gods. • Also inspired by Greek tradition of rational thought.
When Greeks conquered E. Mediterranean - Hellenistic Empires • Come into contact with Stoicism (look for universal moral standards) • This applies to intellectuals like Cicero 106 - 43 BCE who live in accord w nature and feel justice is highest public duty and wealth for wealth’s sake is to be scorned. • Fine for intellectuals BUT
Masses want religions of salvation • Mitraic cult - militaristic & no women
Jews after collapse of Israel maintain faith in several empires • Monotheistic Jews would not admit emperor’s divinity • Massive rebellions 3 BCE to 1st century CE • Some fight others found new sects where they look for salvation. • Jesus led one such sect
Christ’s Teachings alarm Romans • Message that, “kingdom of God is at hand” and large crowds that follow him lead to his execution. • Followers write accounts of his life & teachings - the New Testament • 1st century CE some Christians seek non Jewish converts led by Paul of Tarsus, an Anatolian Jew who traveled widely.
No central Christian Church for 200 years • Individual communities select own bishops • Many different Christianities re: role of women, nature of Christ, nature of the wine and the wafer etc. • Like Jews, refuse to acknowledge Roman empire - repressed • Still religion grows appeals spread across empire esp. among urban population, lower classes & women
Attraction of Christianity • Promises dignity to the high and the low • Spiritual equality of the sexes • Becomes most dynamic faith in Mediterranean region.
