JULIUS CAESAR

JULIUS CAESAR

Played a large role in the demise of the Roman

Republic—he was the last dictator—and rise of

Roman Empire

Gallic Wars = unmatched military power

Was assassinated in 44 B.C. (Ides of March) by

conspirators fearing he would become king

JULIUS CAESAR

“I only know that I know nothing.”

- socrates

• classical Greek philosopher

• main founder of Western philosophy

• social and moral critic, was convicted of corrupting the minds of the youth

• sentenced to death in 399 B.C.

socrates

socrates

socratic method i.e. method for debate using a series of questions to force your opponent to think critically and agree with you

mentored Plato, another famous ancient Greek philosopher

{plato

Ancient Greek philosopher and mathematician

{

“Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to

say something.” – Plato

• Profound effect on Western philosophy and science

• Founded the Academy, first institution of higher learning in the Western world

• Mentored Aristotle• Died c. 348-347 B.C.

{Plato

Aristotle

• Ancient Greek philosopher

• Teacher of Alexander the Great

• Master of physics,

government, poetry, music,

biology, and more

• Profound influence on

Christian theology and

Western ideas

• Died in 322 B.C.

Aristotle

Pax Romana

• Period from the beginning of Augustus’ reign until the death of Marcus Aurelius (27 B.C. to A.D. 180)

• “Roman Peace”

Paterfamilias

• absolute rule over his household and children

Rise of the Christianity in the late Roman Empire

• Judea • Based on the teachings of Jesus• Christianity spread to all parts of the

Roman Empire

Collapse of Roman Empire

Greece

• Geographical influence - disadvantageous for Greece

• Minoan culture was an important influence on Greeks

• Mycenaean age - period where Greece was dominated by invaders

•     After reign of kings & tyrants, cities adopted governments or democracies

Greek city-state• Polis – Greek for city-state,

originally meant a fort1. Small size 2. Small population3. Original polis4. Agora (public meeting place)• Different developments through

different governments

Most powerful city states Syracuse, classical polis

Alexander the Great

• conquered entire Persian empire • made the possible development of

Hellenistic culture• his empire was divided into three

kingdoms - Macedonia, Egypt, Syria

Hellenistic Culture

• Based on Greek ideas & features from other cultures of Mediterranean region

• introduced through conquests of Alexander the Great

• contributions to our understanding of various subjects (Mathematics, science, etc) remained influential to the world for more than 1000 years

Rome

• lasted over 1200 years (753BC - AD 476)

• had great power & organization • Romans dominated entire Mediterranean region

• early Rome - republic 

• most important governing bodies [Senate, Assembly of Centuries, & Assembly of Tribes]

• plebeians had many rights after struggle of order, but nobility controlled the republic 

Caesar Augustus

• succeeded Julius Caesar 

• 1st emperor 

• under his reign, Rome became an empire, not a republic

Roman Empire

• continues to influence throughout the world

• roman buildings inspired architects (Michelangelo) 

• Roman law - adopted by many European countries 

• language (Latin) became origin of many languages

Roman Republic

• In the early Roman Republic, voters elected their leaders.• Assembly of Centuries, Assembly of Tribes, and the Senate helped govern

Rome.• Assembly of Centuries: in charge of electing public officials to oversee the

daily affairs of government.• Assembly of Tribes: consisted of citizens who elected 10 officials, called

tribunes. These people vetoed Senate Bills and the actions of public officials if it was opposing to public interest.

• Senate consisted of 300 men, who determined foreign policy and controlled public funds.

• In the case of an emergency, a citizen was voted Dictator. The Dictator had power for six months.

• Patricians: a powerful aristocratic class who gained control of the government.

• Plebeians: regular Citizens.• Plebeians were discriminated in many ways. They were

prevented by laws to hold public offices and marry patricians. • Laws weren’t written down, so many plebeians didn’t know

what they stated. • Things changed when plebeians forced the government to

write the laws down. Since then, Plebeians had power!

The Twelve Tables

The Twelve Tables were the earliest code of Roman civil, criminal, and religious law, publicized in 451-450 bc

LAWS OF THE TWELVE TABLES

1.If you are called to go to court, you must go. If you don’t show up, you can be taken to court by force.

2. If you need a witness to testify and he will not show up, you can go once every three days and shout in front of his house

3.Should a tree on a neighbor's farm be bent crooked by the wind and lean over your farm, you may take legal action for removal of that tree.

4.If it's your tree, it’s your fruit, even if it falls on another man’s land.

5.A person who had been found guilty of giving false witness shall be hurled down from the Tarpeian Rock.

6.No person shall hold meetings by night in the city.

7.A dead man shall not be buried or burned within the city.

8.Marriages should not take place between plebeians and patricians.

Table 4:Paternal Power

• If a child is notably deformed, he shall be killed immediately.

Table 7: Real Property

• Should a tree on a neighbor's farm be bent crooked by the wind and lean over onto your farm, you may take legal action for removal of that tree.

• If it's your tree, it’s your fruit, even if it falls on another man’s land.

THE PUNIC WARS• Wars fought between Rome and Carthage from 264 B.C. to 146 B.C.

• 1st Punic War• Rome didn’t like the fact that Carthage was growing bigger , and to make things

worse, Carthage controlled three islands off the coast of Italy.• Rome decided that Carthage needed to join the Roman Republic, but Carthage

refused. This resulted in a 20 year war. • As a result, Rome got Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica.

2nd PUNIC WAR

• Began in 218 B.C. and ended 201 B.C.• Hannibal attacked the southern Italian countryside for 15 years. • As a result, Rome attacked Carthage (the hometown of Hannibal). • Hannibal tried to defend Carthage, but was defeated and asked for peace. • Carthage had to pay $1,000 in war damages and had to give up their Spanish colonies.

3rd PUNIC WAR

• Began in 149 B.C. and ended 146 B.C.• Rome attacked Carthage and seized it for three years.• This resulted in the city

Sparta

• Dorians conquered the city of Sparta in about 1200 B.C.

• Devoted their culture to a militaristic idea• Social groups: Dorian invader descendants,

“neighbors” and helots• Government: had an Assembly elected by all

citizens, Council of Elders, and two ceremonial kings• Same basic aim: make every adult male citizen part

of an efficient military machine to control helots and extend Spartan power

Athens: Birth of Democracy

• No military class of conquering invaders• Athenians were sea traders• Social groups: citizens, metics, slaves• Early government: aristocratic • Four reformers: Draco, Solon, Pisistratus, and

Cleisthenes

Pericles and Democracy

• Greatest Athenian leader

• Led Athens from 461 B.C. to 429 B.C. (often called Age of Pericles)

• Led Athenian democracy to its height

The Peloponnesian War

• Spartans started the fighting but the Athenians provoked them into action

• Mostly took place in the Peloponneus• Terrible plague broke out among Athenians• Athens surrendered to the Spartans in 404

B.C.