OBJECTIVES
The student will demonstrate knowledge of ancient Rome from about 700 B.C.E. to 500 C.E. in terms of its impact on Western civilization by Assessing the impact of
military conquests on the army, economy, and social structure or Rome
Assessing the roles of Julius and Augustus Caesar in the collapse of the Republic and rise of imperial monarchs
Essential Questions: Why did the Roman
Republic fail to survive challenges by Julius Caesar?
How did military conquests alter economic and social life in Rome?
How did an imperial monarchy come to rule Rome?
GROWING INEQUALITY AND UNREST
By 200 B.C. the senate was most powerful ruling body in Rome
Most senators were aristocracy (Patricians) Directed wars of 3rd and 2nd centuries and
took control of foreign affairs (consuls job) Senate really controlled by a small number of
wealthy families.
GROWING INEQUALITY AND UNREST Small farmers were angry at losing land
A large number of landless poor in Rome Brothers Tiberius and Gaius Grachhus tried to
fix the problem They urged the senate to pass a law to give
land back to farmers The brothers were killed by the senators and
the law was never passed
A NEW ROLE FOR THE ARMY
107 B.C. a new general named Marius recruited new soldiers Promised poor land in
return for service Army was know not
under government control
This created a new system that put power in the hands of Generals, not the government
82 B.C. Lucius Cornelius Sulla was given power by
the senate to command the army in Asia Minor. The council of Plebs
wanted Marius to have power.
A civil war broke out
Sulla won control of the Army
Was an example for future leaders of how to take power
REASONS FOR DECLINE OF THE REPUBLIC
Use of slaves in the production of agriculture led to food shortages
Roman currency became devalued resulted in inflation
Small farmers moved to the cities caused
unemployment rates to increase
caused food production to decrease
Civil war initiated by Julius Caesar
COLLAPSE OF THE REPUBLIC For 50 years, Rome
was in civil war
Three men emerged with power: Crassus
richest man in Rome Pompey
powerful and popular general
Julius Caesar military leader
60 B.C.E. the three joined forces to create the first triumvirate. A government with three
people who have equal power
Division of power Crassus ruled Spain (where
he died in battle in 53 B.C) Pompey ruled Syria Julius Caesar ruled Gaul
(where he won several military campaigns)
After Crassus death, Senate voted for only Pompey to rule, Caesar refused. He took his army and
crossed into Italy crossing the Rubicon River.
RISE AND FALL OF JULIUS CAESAR Caesar and Pompey
armies fought a civil war. Caesar was victorious
Caesar returned to Rome and became a dictator in 45 B.C. He reformed the economy
by giving land to the poor Increased the Senate to
900 members, which weakened its power
Planned several building projects
In 44 B.C. he was assassinated by the senators
THE SECOND TRIUMVIRATE After Caesar’s death
three men fought for power. Octavian (Caesar’s
nephew) Marc Antony
(Caesar’s friend) Lepidus (Commander
of Calvary)
Triumvirate never worked well Lepidus died Antony and Octavian
split empire
New Conflict Antony allied with
Cleopatra, the Egyptian Queen
Octavian and Antony fought at the Battle of Actium in 31 B.C. Antony and Cleopatra’s
armies were crushed and both committed suicide
Octavian at age 32 became the only leader of Rome
AGE OF AUGUSTUS The end of the civil war
between Octavian and Antony lead to the end of the Roman Republic.
Octavian renamed himself “Augustus Caesar” 1st true Emperor of
Rome He restored power to
Senate Was very popular and
the Senate gave him the title “Imperator” (commander in chief of army)
AGE OF AUGUSTUS
Maintained a standing army of 150,000 Only Roman citizens
could be legionnaires Set up a praetorian
guard of 9,000 men to guard the emperor
Expanded and unified the empire
Was defeated in Germany Proved that Rome’s
power was limited
EARLY EMPIRE Augustus allowed
future emperors to choose a successor
1st four emperors came from his family Tiberius Caligula Claudius Nero
These emperors took more power from the senate for themselves and became greedy and corrupt
EMPERORS OF THE EARLY EMPIRE Nero
Had people killed if he didn’t like them (mom)
Took more power away from senators
Finally, the Roman legions revolted Nero committed
suicide
Which led to the 5 “good” emperors
EMPERORS OF EARLY EMPIRE “Good” Emperors:
Nerva Trajan Hadrian Antonius Pius Marcus Aurelius
Created a period of peace and prosperity called the “Pax Romana” (Roman Peace)
Lasted for almost 100 years
Emperors were fair, created new programs for the public, peaceful, created public works, but also took more power from senate.
EXTENT OF EMPIRE Rome expanded
during early empire While the empire
expanded into Dacia, Mesopotamia, and the Sinai peninsula the emperors knew it was too large Hadrian withdrew
forces and strengthened defenses
Built a wall across Britain and connected the Rhine and Danube Rivers
EXTENT OF EMPIRE Empire largest
during this time Covered 3 ½ million
miles Population of 50
million Cities spread Roman
culture, law, and the Latin language Roman culture mixed
with existing Greek culture to created “Greco-Roman” civilization
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS Empire was extremely
wealthy from trade Rome participated in
the Silk Road and traded with places as far as China
Still most people were farmers
Large estates called Latifundia controlled farming in south and central Italy Used mainly slave
labor Raised sheep and
cattle
Big gap between rich and poor Small farmers became
dependent on latifundia Thousands of
unemployed poor were starving in Rome
Wealthy lived lives of leisure and luxury
IMPACT OF THE PAX ROMANA
Political Economic Social
Created many government jobs for the unemployed called “civil service jobs”
Uniform system of money helped expand trade
Life more stable
Developed uniform system of law to make justice equal throughout the empire
Safer roads helped improve and increase travel and trade throughout the empire
Increased emphasis on the family
Prosperity and stability increased for most people in the empire
OBJECTIVES
The student will demonstrate knowledge of ancient Rome from about 700 B.C.E. to 500 C.E. in terms of its impact on Western civilization by Assessing the impact of
military conquests on the army, economy, and social structure or Rome
Assessing the roles of Julius and Augustus Caesar in the collapse of the Republic and rise of imperial monarchs
Essential Questions: Why did the Roman
Republic fail to survive challenges by Julius Caesar?
How did military conquests alter economic and social life in Rome?
How did an imperial monarchy come to rule Rome?