The Early Empire

1. The Early Empire Chapter 8 section 4

2. Learning Objectives • Augustus’s military and political reforms brought an era of peace and prosperity. • Rome’s roads, aqueducts, ports, and common currency made the empire strong.

3. The Emperor Augustus • The PaxRomana is the long era of peace that began with Augustus. • Augustus built a permanent, professional army and created a special guard called the Praetorian Guard, who guarded him.

4. The Emperor Augustus (cont.) • Augustus restored Rome’s splendor and fed the hungry poor of Rome with imported grain. • Augustus appointed a proconsul, or governor, for each province, replacing politicians appointed by the Senate. • Augustus reformed the tax system by making tax collectors permanent workers, and he reformed the legal system by creating a set of laws for people who were not citizens.

5. The Emperor Augustus (cont.) • The Julio-Claudian emperors were the rulers who followed Augustus: Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero. Caligula and Nero were cruel leaders, and Tiberius and Claudius were competent rulers.

6. Discussion Question • What lands did Augustus conquer during his reign? • Augustus’s army conquered Spain, Gaul, and lands today known as Austria, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria.

7. Unity and Prosperity • Vespasian restored order to Rome after the chaos following Nero’s death. • The Jewish temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by Vespasian’s armies in the effort to put down a Jewish rebellion. • Mount Vesuvius erupted and destroyed the city of Pompeii in A.D. 79.

8. Unity and Prosperity (cont.) • The rulers known as the good emperors were Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, AntoninusPius, and Marcus Aurelius. The Roman Empire flourished under their rule.

9. Unity and Prosperity (cont.) • Aqueducts are human-made water channels for carrying water long distances. They were created during the prosperous times of the good emperors.

10. Unity and Prosperity (cont.) • The Roman Empire became one of the largest empires in history during the reign of the good emperors. The different people of the Roman Empire were united by Roman law, Roman rule, and their shared identity as Romans.

11. Unity and Prosperity (cont.) • Most people were farmers who grew olives, grapes, and grain. Other people were artisans who traded with others inside and outside the Roman Empire. • Roads and currency- a system of money- were important to the prosperous trade that developed. • A gap existed between rich merchants, shopkeepers, and skilled workers and poor farmers and city dwellers.

12. Discussion Question • Why were aqueducts important? • The aqueducts were the source of water for most people in Rome.

13. Learning Objectives • Augustus’s military and political reforms brought an era of peace and prosperity. • Rome’s roads, aqueducts, ports, and common currency made the empire strong.

14. Did you know? • The first fire brigade, or fire department, was created by Augustus.