Ch.5 An Age of Empires: Rome & Han China

1. Ch.5 An Age of Empires: Rome & Han China 753 B.C.E.-600 C.E.

2. Italy

3. Environment • Italy-crossroads of Mediterranean • Rome-crossroads of Italy

4. Rome’s in 753 B.C.E.

5. Origins • The legend: Romulus & Remus-grown by a she-wolf, founded the city • Rome –founded in 753 B.C. on 7 hills

7. Social structure • Basis of society: family, multiple generations + slaves • Paterfamilias: absolute power • Patricians-rich • Plebeians-poor • Fights among them: “Conflict of the Order”

8. On what depended social status, political privileges, fundamental values?

9. Economy • Agricultural society • Basis of wealth: land • Trade • Territory rich in metals (iron): N-W Etruria

10. Political organization • 1) Monarchy 753 -507 B.C.E. ( Romulus-Tarquinius Superbus) • 2) Roman Republic 507 -31 B.C.E. • Rulers: Senate, Council of Elders, several assemblies • All male citizens able to attend

11. Was the Roman Republic a democracy? Who had the real power?

12. Answers • Votes of wealthy counted more than the ones of the poor • Senate

13. Political org. • 450 B.C.E. Conflict of the Order:plebeians refused to work • The laws: on 12 stone tablets • New officials: tribunes ( lower classes)

14. What was the purpose of the 12 stone tablets? Was the new structure efficient?

15. Political org. • Tribunes- power to block any action of the Assembly that was against the interests of the lower classes • Patricians: brought the tribunes into their class. • Patron-client relationship: • Patron-wealthy, offered protection • Clients: poor, political, military support, agric. work

16. Religion • Polytheistic • Small sacrifices: cakes, wine • Jupiter-Zeus, Mars-Ares, Venus-Aphrodita • Numina • Pax Deorum( Peace of the gods)-covenant between the gods & the Roman state • People: sacrifices, gods: protection, success

17. Women • No property • Under male authority the whole life • Less constrained than Greek women • In time they got more rights • influence

18. Expansion • a) in Italy • b) in the Mediterranean

19. Why did the Romans expand so much?

20. 1) aggressiveness • 2) insecurity-buffer states-further expansion • Well organized army; set up camps • A) expanded in Italy: conflicts among pastoral tribes & agric. population • B) 264-202-conquered Phoenicians • expanded in Mediterranean: Sicily, Sardinia, Spain

21. 200-146 wars against Hellenistic kingdoms • 59-51 Caesar conquered Gaul (S France) • New provinces: local administration & tax collection • A senator sent to administer it • Romans accorded citizenship to conquered people

22. Why did the Romans accord citizenship to conquered peoples?

23. The failure of the Republic • Political causes • 1) civil wars( 88-31 B.C.E.) • 2)armies were more loyal to their leader than to the state

24. The failure of the Republic • Economical causes • 1) the appearance of the latifundia (herds , wine instead of grains) • 2) Roman cities became dependent of imported grains • 3)peasants-difficulty in finding a job because of the slaves • 4) poverty • 5) lower no. of eligible soldiers

25. Octavianus Princeps Augustus

26. The Roman Principate (31 B.C.E.-330 C.E.) • Octavian (31 B.C.-14 C.E.) • Maintained the forms of the Republic • Founded the Principate • Military dictator • Expanded the empire: Egypt, parts of Middle East, Central Europe • After him, the empire was ruled by emperors from different families

27. The greatest expansion of the Roman Empire

28. Questions • 1 )Why did he never call himself emperor? • 2) How was the throne transmitted into the Roman Empire?

29. Caesar’s death

30. 3) Why wasn’t the throne transmitted hereditary? • 4) How was the emperor chosen? • 5) Why did a cult of worship of the living emperor develop? • 6) What was the source of law in the Roman Empire?

31. Way of life • 80 % of population lived in villages • 20 % in cities; Rome, Alexandria, Carthage • Rome • Forum, government buildings • Temples, gardens • Public baths, theaters • Rich: town-houses • Poor: slums

32. Roman Forum

33. Way of life • Cities organized based on Rome’s model • led by a town council +2 elected officials • Pax Romana –period of peace, stability & prosperity during the first 2 centuries C.E. guaranteed by the Roman power

34. The Colosseum

35. What was the most enduring consequence of the Roman Empire?

36. Romanization • spread of Latin language and Roman way of life into the conquered territories • Factors of Romanization?

37. Factors of Romanization • Language • Administration • Cities-built on Rome’s model • Veterans • School • Christianity

38. Third-Century Crisis (235-284) • Political causes: • 1) frequent changes of emperors-civil wars-instability • 2)attacks from Germanic tribes

39. Economical causes: • Inflation • Declined of trade • Drained treasury • Demand of higher taxes-barter economy

40. Social causes • Population moved from cities to villages • People find protection in local landowners

41. How was the crisis solved?

42. Diocletian( 284-305) • Reforms • 1) controlled market prices • 2) frozed professional mobility • Stopped only temporary the collapse of the Roman Empire

43. Constantine( 306-337) • 312, battle of Milvian Bridge , victory( cross) • 313, Edict of Milan (freedom of worship to Christians) • Unified the empire under a single religion • Moved the capital from Rome to Constantinople

44. Why did Constantine stop the Christians ’persecution?

45. The decline of the Roman Empire • 392, emperor Theodosius made Christianity the official & unique religion of the Roman Empire • 395 the Roman Empire was divided in 2: • Western part-decline • Eastern part-flourished, the Byzantine Empire • The Western part-attacked by migrating peoples: Germanic tribes( Visigoths, Ostrogoths)

46. The end of the Roman Empire • 476,the Western part collapsed • W-divided into many Germanic kingdoms • The Eastern part will survive for 1,000 more years under the name the Byzantine Empire

47. Technology • Roads • Arches • Concrete • Ballistic weapons • Aqueducts • System of writing: alphabet

48. Roman road (Appian Way)

49. Roman Aqueduct