The Roman Empire Brings Change

1. The Roman Empire Brings Change Chapter 6 Section 2

2. Expansion Creates Problems in the Republic The Punic Wars and Rome�s increasing wealth and expanding empire brought many problems. The most serious was the widening gap between rich and poor. Rich landowners lived on huge estates called latifundia. Many of these estates had been created by occupying conquered lands and by taking farms left untended by soldiers serving in the army. Romans had made slaves of thousands of captured people. These slaves were made to work the latifundia and made up about 1/3 of Rome�s population.

3. Expansion Cont�d Small farmers found it difficult to compete with the large estates run by slave labor. Some could not afford to repair the damage caused by Hannibal�s invasion. They sold their lands to wealthy landowners. Many of these farmers became homeless and jobless. Most stayed in the countryside and worked as seasonal migrant laborers. They joined the ranks of the urban poor, a group that totaled about � of Roman Society.

4. The Republic Collapses Two brothers, Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus, attempted to help Rome�s poor. As tribunes, they proposed reforms. The reforms included limiting the size of estates and giving land to the poor. The brothers were strongly opposed by senators who felt threatened by their ideas. Both met violent deaths. A period of civil war followed their deaths.

5. Republic Collapses Cont�d Changes in the army had led to the rise of politically powerful military leaders. Generals began recruiting soldiers from the landless poor by promising them land. These soldiers fought for pay and owed allegiance only to their commander. They replaced citizen soldiers whose loyalty had been to the republic. During 88-82 B.C., two generals Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelius Sulla and their supporters fought a bloody civil war. Rivalries between generals continued to threaten the republic. Eventually an ambitious leader, Julius Caesar emerged to bring order to Rome.

6. Julius Caesar Julius Caesar joined forces with Crassus, a wealthy Roman and Pompey, a popular general. With their help, Caesar was elected consul of Rome in 59 B.C. These men dominated Rome as a triumvirate- a group of three rulers, for 10 years.

7. Julius Caesar Cont�d Caesar served one year as consul. He then appointed himself governor of Gaul (m.d. France). During 58-50 B.C., Caesar led his legions in a successful campaign to conquer all of Gaul. Here he won his men�s loyalty and devotion. Caesar�s success made him popular in Rome. Pompey, now his political rival, feared Caesar�s ambitions. He urged the senate to order Caesar to disband his legions and return home. The senate agreed, but Caesar defied the senate�s orders. On January 10, 49 B.C. he took his army across the Rubicon River in Italy. He marched his army toward Rome and Pompey fled. Caesar defeated Pompey�s armies in Greece, Asia, Spain, and Egypt. That same year, the senate appointed him dictator.

8. Reforms Under Caesar Caesar governed as an absolute ruler � one who has total power. He granted Roman citizenship to many people in the provinces. He expanded the senate, adding friends and supporters from Italy and the provinces. He helped the poor by creating jobs through the construction of public buildings. He started colonies where the landless could own land and increased pay for soldiers. Many nobles and senators feared Caesar�s growing power. A number of senators, led by Marcus Brutus and Gaius Cassius plotted his assassination. On March 15, 44 B.C. they stabbed him to death in the senate chamber.

9. Beginning of the Empire After Caesar�s death, civil war broke out again and destroyed what was left of the republic. Caesar�s 18-year-old grand nephew and adopted son Octavian joined with General Mark Antony and a powerful politician named Lepidus. In 43 B.C., they took control of Rome and ruled for 10 years as the Second Triumvirate. The Second Triumvirate ended in jealousy and violence. Octavian forced Lepidus to retire. He and Mark Antony then became rivals. While leading troops against Rome�s enemies Mark Antony met Queen Cleopatra of Egypt. He fell in love and followed her to Egypt. Octavian accused Antony of plotting to rule Rome from Egypt, and another civil war began. Octavian defeated Antony and Cleopatra�s combined forces in 31 B.C. Later, Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide

10. Cleopatra and Mark Antony

11. Octavian becomes Augustus Octavian claimed he would restore the republic after his victory over Mark Antony. He did retain some of its forms and traditions, like the senate, which would meet on important matters. However, Octavian became the unchallenged ruler of Rome. Eventually he accepted the title of Augustus meaning �exalted one�. He also kept the title imperator, or �supreme military commander.� Rome was now an empire ruled by one man.

12. Pax Romana Rome was at the peak of its power from the beginning of Augustus� rule in 27 B.C. to A.D. 180. This period of 207 years of peace and prosperity has come to be known as Pax Romana. Economy was based on agriculture- about 90% of the people were farmers. Additional food and luxury items were obtained through trade. Rome had a vast trading network that was protected by the Roman navy. Rome traded with Corinth in Greece, Ephesus in Anatolia, and Antioch on the eastern coasts of the Mediterranean. They also traded with China and India. A complex network of roads linked the Empire to places as Persia and Southern Russia. The most important were the Silk Roads, named for the overland routes on which silk from China came across Asia to Rome. The Romans used a silver coin called a denarius.

13. Roman Empire during Pax Romana

14. Managing the Empire The borders of the Roman Empire measured about 10,000 miles. By the second century, the empire reached from Spain to Mesopotamia, from North Africa to Britain. The Roman Army used men from the provinces as support, but they were not citizens of Rome. Augustus was Rome�s best emperor. He stabilized the provinces and created new public buildings and created a system of government that survived for centuries. He set up a civil service. He paid workers to manage the affairs of government. The senate still functioned, but civil servants actually administered the Empire. After Augustus died in A.D. 14, the senate chose his adopted son Tiberius as his successor. During Pax Romana, some of Rome�s Emperors were intelligent and able, others were cruel.

15. Emperors and Succession Rome�s peace and prosperity depended upon the orderly transfer of power. Rome had no written law for selecting a new emperor. Civil war was always a possibility when an emperor died. The succession problem was temporarily solved by the leaders known as the Five Good Emperors. Beginning with Nerva in A.D. 96, each emperor adopted as his heir a respected leader who had the support of both the army and the people, who would be the next emperor. Marcus Aurelius was the last of the five. His death marked the beginning of the Empire�s decline and the end of Pax Romana.

16. Emperors and Succession Nerva began the custom of adopting an heir to take over as Emperor

17. Emperors of Rome BAD EMPERORS Caligula 37-41 A.D. Assassinated after short reign Nero 54-68 A.D. Murdered many; persecuted Christians Committed suicide Domitian 81-96 A.D. Ruled dictatorially Feared treason everywhere and executed many Assassinated GOOD EMPEREORS Nerva 96-98 A.D. Trajan 98-111 A.D. Empire reached its greatest extent Vast building program Hadrian 117-138 A.D. Antoninus Pius 138-161 Period of peace and prosperity Marcus Aurelius 161-180 Height of economic prosperity

18. Society Rome emphasized the values of discipline, strength, and loyalty. A person with these qualities was said to have the important virtue of gravitas. Strength over beauty Power over grade Usefulness over elegance Family was the heart of Roman society. By law and custom the eldest man was known as the paterfamilias (�father of the family�) ruled the household. He controlled property and had authority over family members. Paterfamilias could disown newborns, banish family members or sell them into slavery.

19. Women�s Role By the time of the Empire, Roman women had become nearly equal to men. Upper class women ran the household and were given authority and respect. They had more personal freedom that the women of Greece. Could own property Could testify in court Could work- spinners, weavers, shopkeepers, etc.

20. Children and Education Romans favored boys over girls. Boys would become citizens with the right to vote and carry on family traditions. Girls were not even given their own names! Daughters received the feminine form of the father�s name. For example, Octavius might have a daughter named Octavia II. Few children went to school. Those who did were usually boys from wealthy families. Their schooling continued until 16. Girls were taught at home and prepared for life as a wife and mother. Girls usually married between 12-15 to much older men.

21. Slavery Slavery was a significant part of Roman life. Romans made use of slaves more than any pervious civilization. Most slaves were conquered people. Children born into slavery became slaves. Slaves could be punished, rewarded, sold, set free, or put to death as their master saw fit. Many slaves were treated cruelly. Some were forced to become gladiators, or professional fighters. Gladiators fought to the death in public contests. Other slaves, (usually those who worked in households) were treated better. Occasionally slaves rebelled, but no revolts succeeded.

22. Gladiators

23. Religion The earliest Romans worshipped powerful spirits, called numina, who resided in everything around them. Lares were the guardian spirits of each family. After the Romans came into contact with Etruscans and Greeks, they began to think of these powerful spirits as having humanlike forms and personalities. They were given Roman names. In Rome government and religion were linked. The deities were symbols of the state. Romans were expected to honor them in private and in public worship ceremonies. By A.D. 100, many Romans had become interested in the religions of Asia.

24. Entertainment By the time of the Empire, social classes were widely divided. The rich lived extravagantly. They spent large sums of money on homes, gardens, slaves, and luxuries. They gave large banquets that lasted for many hours. Most people in Rome, however, barely had the necessities of life. During the time of the empire, much of the population was unemployed. To distract and control the masses, the government provided free games, races, and gladiator contests. These events would take place in the Colosseum, which could hold 50,000 people.

25. Colosseum