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Roman Empire. Mr. Stikes. End of the Republic. Remember, Julius Caesar enacted a series of reforms that increased the power of the lower classes In response, he was killed by a group of Senators on the Ides (15 th ) of March, 44 B.C. “Death of Caesar” by Vincenzo Camuccini.
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Roman Empire Mr. Stikes
End of the Republic • Remember, Julius Caesar enacted a series of reforms that increased the power of the lower classes • In response, he was killed by a group of Senators on the Ides (15th) of March, 44 B.C.
Civil War • After Julius Caesar’s death, a Second Triumvirate was formed to punish the assassins • Members: • Octavian (Julius Caesar’s nephew) • Marc Antony • Marcus Lepidus
Second Triumvirate • Defeats those who killed Caesar in 42 B.C. • Divided land amongst themselves – each ruled a portion as a dictator • Octavian – From Italy westward • Marc Antony – From Greece eastward • Marcus Lepidus – North Africa
Second Triumvirate Nominally independent, under control of Cleopatra (Cleopatra VII)
Consolidation of Power • Octavian forced Lepidus to retire • Marc Antony marries Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt • Octavian convinces the Romans that Antony wants to rule Rome as king • 31 B.C. – naval battle at Actium – Octavian defeats Antony & Cleopatra • Cleopatra and Antony commit suicide 1 year later DID YOU KNOW: Antony was married to Octavian’s sister Octavia before he married Cleopatra
Result: Octavian is sole ruler of Rome
Augustus Caesar • Octavian is appointed as consul, tribune and commander in chief for life in 27 B.C. • He gives himself the title Augustus, meaning “the majestic one” • From now on, he is known as Augustus Caesar
Augustus Caesar • Ruled 40 years • Accomplishments: • “found Rome a city of brick and left it a city of marble” • Great builder • Reduced corruption • Conducted a census to determine taxes • Began Pax Romana (“Roman Peace”) • 200 year period • Began in 31 B.C. • Relatively peaceful time
Julio-Claudian Emperors • Augustus dies in A.D. 14 • Successors: • Tiberius (A.D. 14-37) • Accused many of treason • Caligula (A.D. 37-41) • Mentally ill, killed by palace guard • Claudius (A.D. 41-54) • Great scholar, invaded England • Nero (A.D. 54-68) • Cruel, perhaps insane, sentenced to death by Senate
Roman Emperors after Nero • For 28 years after Nero’s death, Rome was governed by emperors placed on the throne by the army. • They were: • Galba (A.D. 68) • Otho (A.D. 69) • Vitellius (A.D. 69) • Vespasian (A.D. 69-79) • Titus (A.D. 79-81) • Domitian (A.D. 81-96) Flavians
The Good Emperors • After the assassination of Domitian, the Senate elected Nerva as emperor • The next five emperors are known as the “Good Emperors” because of their administrative effectiveness and large building projects DID YOU KNOW: The term “Five Good Emperors” is taken from Edward Gibbon’s Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
The Good Emperors • Nerva (A.D. 96-98) • Provided stability after rule of Domitian • Trajan (A.D. 98-117) • Increased Empire to greatest size • Hadrian (A.D. 117-138) • Strengthened frontiers, built Hadrian’s Wall, traveled extensively • Antoninius Pius (A.D. 138-161) • Stable ruler, restored position of Rome • Marcus Aurelius (A.D. 161-180) • Philosopher-king, Stoic, writer of “Meditations” Trajan’s Column in Rome
The Five Good Emperors • Some scholars claim that the major strength of the Five Good Emperors was that they adopted their successors, instead of relying on blood relatives. WRITING ASSIGNMENT: • Why would this be an advantage? • How is this similar or different to the way in which we choose our rulers in the United States?
Imperial Rome • Roman citizenship was gradually extended throughout the provinces • Roman law stressed the authority of the state over the individual • Army: professional, supplemented by provincial auxiliaries
Imperial Rome • Economy: • Mainly agrarian, with some trade (land & sea) • Major crops: • Grain • Olives • Grapes • Major products: • Olive oil • Wine • Major imports: • Silk from China • Cotton & spices from India • Ivory and wild animals from Africa • Metals from Spain and Britain • Fossilized amber gems from Germany • Slaves from throughout the world
Imperial Rome • Farmers often paid taxes in grain • This allowed the government to distribute free grain to the populace • This discouraged farmers from increasing output
Imperial Rome – Road System • Perhaps Rome’s greatest legacy was her road system, which linked various parts of the empire to Rome
Imperial Rome – Road System • 250,000 miles long, including 50,000 paved miles • Called “via” • Most famous: Via Appia, or Appian Way
Roman Roads Top: Flat rocks at least 6 in. deep, placed into moist concrete Concrete with gravel or sand and lime, poured in layers, curved to allow for draining Concrete with pottery pieces Stones (4-5 in. in dia.) cemented together with mortar or clay Sand or lime mortar Bottom: packed earth Depth: 6-9 feet Width: 9-12 feet
Imperial Rome - Aqueducts • Purpose: carry fresh water from its source into cities DID YOU KNOW: The city of Rome was served by around 300 miles of aqueducts, of which only around 10% were above ground.
Important Roman Advancements in the Imperial Age • Galen – discoveries in medicine • Ptolemy – astronomy • Ovid – poet, • Metamorphoses • Horace – poet, • Odes • Virgil – epic poet, • Aeneid • Livy – Historian • Ab Urbe Condita (From the Founding of the City) • Tacitus – Historian • Historiae, Annales (Histories, Annals)
Rome after the Good Emperors • From A.D. 192 – 284, there were 28 emperors, most of whom met a violent death • This period begins after the death of Commodus in 192 • Many of these were declared emperor by the army • This period is marked by invasion from outside of the empire and civil war within the empire
Rome after the Good Emperors • Economic Decline: • Political instability led to economic decline • War: • Disrupted trade, reducing profits and increasing prices • Destroyed farmland, causing food shortages and raising prices
Rome after the Good Emperors • To combat this, the Imperial government minted more coins, causing inflation • Inflation: continual rising level of prices • Taxes increased, due to increased costs of legions • This made farming less profitable
Attempts at Reform • Diocletian: (r. 284-305) • General, came to power by killing previous emperor • Divided empire into two parts, each ruled by a coemperor (“Augustus”) and an assistant coemperor (“Caesar”) • Note: There was a senior Augustus who was ultimately in charge of the Empire • Issued Edict of Prices – froze wages, set maximum prices for goods • Penalty for breaking price rules = death • Effect: Emergence of black market, workers tied to jobs by law
Diocletian’s Division • This division was meant to provide stability to the empire • The empire was still whole, but ruled by 4 people DID YOU KNOW: Each Augustus and Caesar had his own capital and territory.
Attempts at Reform • Constantine (r. 306-337) • Supporter of Christianity • A.D. 312 – Battle of the Milvian Bridge • Made jobs hereditary • A.D. 330 – moved capital of empire to Byzantium, renaming it Constantinople (today we call it Istanbul) CONSTANTINOPLE ROME
Attempts at Reform • Theodosius I (r. 379-395) • Completely separates Western Roman Empire from Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) at his death
Invasions • Began in late 300’s • Mainly Germanic peoples • Reasons: • Searching for better grazing land • Share of Roman wealth • Nomadic • Ostrogoths • Visigoths • Vandals • Franks • Angles • Saxons • Huns • Avars
Results & Fall of Western Roman Empire • Vandals raid and sack Rome in A.D. 455 • Odoacer leads troops that sack Rome in A.D. 476 • Removes last Western Roman Emperor, Romulus Augustulus “FALL OF ROME”?
