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HIS 105 Chapter 5. Republican and Imperial Rome. Rome. One of the most successful empires in the world Began as a small city in central Italy Captured land surrounding the Mediterranean and N.W. Europe Had unified government, peace, and prosperity. Owed much to its: Location
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HIS 105Chapter 5 Republican and Imperial Rome
Rome • One of the most successful empires in the world • Began as a small city in central Italy • Captured land surrounding the Mediterranean and N.W. Europe • Had unified government, peace, and prosperity
Owed much to its: • Location • Productive farmland • Mineral deposits • Good timber • Mild climate
Early History • Around 2000 B.C.E. Indo-Europeans invaded Italy • They brought with them: • Technical skills • An effective military • Political skills • A language that was the basis for Latin
Another influence was Greek culture that spread from southern Italy and Sicily northward • A third influence were the Etruscans in northern Italy whose culture dominated the area • Economic trade practices • Political techniques • Religious ideas • Alphabet
Architecture • Sculpture • Language A group of villages near the mouth of the Tiber River were to become Rome This area, including the villages around the 7 Palatine Hills were called Latium
After 600 B.C.E., these villages were made into one city-state and ruled by Etruscans • The government was comprised of a King and his advisors, the Senate and Freemen • There were 2 classes: Patricians ( the wealthy) and Plebeians (also called clients)
500 B.C.E. – Romans overthrew Etruscan king, Tarquinius, the Proud • In his place were 2 patrician consuls who were elected annually The year 500 B.C.E. marked the beginning of the Roman Republic
The Early Republic, 509 – 265 B.C.E. • In order to survive, Rome asked the other cities of Latium for cooperation and formed the Latin League • The League fought battles against the Etruscans ,the Samnites, the Gauls, and the Greeks • The League was victorious and Rome took full control
Rome became a world power because of: • its military organization • its enlightened treatment of those conquered • its ability to establish and deepen the loyalty of its citizens
Military • Known as the Roman Legion • Citizen army • Showed flexibility and independence when necessary
Treatment of those conquered • Gave outright citizenship to many, especially in Latium • Others in organized city-states got partial citizenship that gave them the right to trade and to marry Roman citizen • Could not participate in politics • Had to pay taxes • Had military obligation • Could govern themselves in most matters
Allies • People in conquered areas away from Rome • Had local independence • Had no control in foreign affairs • Had financial and military obligations • Thought they would eventually become full Roman citizens This treatment promoted allegiance and loyalty
For first 200 years of the republic the patricians and the plebeians could not agree on how much say plebeians would have in the government • Eventually the plebeians won the right to elect tribunes who had veto power over actions of the patricians • Plebeians also established their own assembly – The Assembly of Tribes
450 B.C.E.- Twelve Tables were passed that codified Roman law • 367 B.C.E. – Plebeians were allowed to become Consuls • 265 B.C.E. – Rome was theoretically governed by the decisions of a total citizen body acting through assemblies; however, still dominated by wealthy
Punic Wars • The opponent : Carthage, a thriving commercial empire in North Africa • Rome was drawn into war over Sicily • Carthage tried to defend the Greek city-state Messina from another Greek city-state, Syracuse • Rome intervened to keep Carthage from getting too close to their republic • The result was the First Punic War
First Punic War (264-241 B.C.E.) • Struggle for Sicily • 241 B.C.E., Rome was victorious and gained Sicily • Rome got a large monetary payment for war expenses from Carthage After First Punic War, Carthage tried to reassert itself by conquering Spain which led to Second Punic War
Second Punic War (218-201 B.C.E.) • Romans faced Hannibal who brought his troops into Italy by going through the Alps • Romans did not expect this • Romans fought against Hannibal for 15 years • When Hannibal called back to Carthage, Rome won
Treaty ending the Second Punic War • Spain went to Rome • Carthaginian navy was destroyed • Carthage paid a stiff fine over the next 50 years • Carthage had to agree to never wage war outside of Africa unless Rome gave its permission
Third Punic War (146 B.C.E.) • Rome vs. Carthage • Rome won • To avoid another confrontation: • Rome enslaved or killed every inhabitant of Carthage • Rome destroyed the city • Rome threw salt on the ground so that the city would never rise again
Meanwhile… • 200 B.C.E., Ptolemy’s Egypt was weakening, and Philip V of Macedon and Antiochus III of the Selucid Empire tried to seize the territory • Egypt asked Rome for help and got it • Rome defeated Philip V in 200 B.C.E. and Antiochus III in 189 B.C.E. • Rome left these 2 areas with their freedom until fighting broke out again • Then Rome took control
As Rome’s territory increased, so did its power • The farther away from Italy Rome got, the more brutal its treatment of conquered people became • Other problems: • Big gaps between rich and poor • Farmers and others were in great debt
Aristocrats began buying up more and more farmland • Class conflicts increased • Former independent farmers had to work as tenants on someone else’s farm or move to the city for work • Cities became overcrowded and lacked jobs for all • Slaves took jobs away from citizens
More Problems • Economic problems led to civil and political unrest • Aristocrats were no longer helping lower classes • Crisis • Two brothers tried to change the situation for the better
Tiberius Gracchus • 133 B.C.E. – Tribune for plebeians • Wanted to limit size of aristocratic estates and re-distribute land to the poor • Not well-received by aristocrats • When put before the tribal assembly, it was vetoed by another tribune • He presented it again, and it was vetoed again
And again • Tiberius, with support of the people, had the “vetoing” tribune removed from office, violating the constitution • Tiberius tried to get his ideas accepted again • The Senate opposed him and had him assassinated
Gaius Gracchus • Proposed establishing new colonies for the poor, landless veterans • He had support of people and other tribunes • He also wished to give Roman citizenship to more Italian people • This one lost him the support of the people • The Senate had him put to death
Gaius Marius • 107 B.C.E. rose to help the people • Successful army general • Became Consul several times • Used paid volunteers fro lower classes for his army • Gave them supplies and a career • In return, they were loyal to him • Promised soldiers land when they left army
Sulla, another general, opposed the plan of Marius • With help of Senate, Sulla drove Marius out Fighting continued in Rome from without and from within
77 B.C.E. Pompey, another general, became prominent • Conquered territory for Rome, so Senate gave him special powers • Pompey joined with Julius Caesar to form a new government with power above the Senate • Caesar followed his own plan
Caesar • Continued to take territory then brought troops to Rome and took over government for himself • Civil war followed bringing an end to the Republic • Caesar’s government • Had a Senate full of his supporters • Brought in people from the provinces to take part in politics • Declared himself Dictator for 10 years and then for life
Instituted reforms – example: he created a new calendar Conservative members of Senate feared he would be a monarch, so had him killed in 44 B.C.E. His death was followed by 13 years of civil war His nephew, Octavian, defended Caesar
Octavian took the name of Caesar and defeated his opponents • His victories made him the absolute ruler of Rome and its Empire • He created an empire and was its first emperor – Augustus Caesar
Basic Roman Outlook • Shaped by 4 things: • Family life • Agriculture • Warfare • Religion Made Romans sensible, unemotional, hardworking, disciplined, and practical people
Octavian / Augustus Caesar • Contributed a new system of governing • Octavian manipulated his rise to power • Knew Roman problems could be solved if power was in the hands of one man – his