Rome

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Main Idea / Reading Focus
Problems in the Late Republic
Rome Becomes an Empire
Map: The Roman Empire
The Pax Romana
From Republic to Empire

Reading Focus
What problems did leaders face in the late Roman Republic?
How did Rome become an empire?
What helped tie the Roman empire together during the Pax Romana?
Main Idea Governmental and social problems led to the end of the Roman Republic and the creation of a new form of government. From Republic to Empire

By the mid-100s BC, Rome had no rival anywhere in the Mediterranean world. However, the responsibilities of running their vast holdings stretched the Roman political system to its limits. Problems in the Late Republic
Revolution began in political, social institutions
Tensions grew between classes of Roman society
Gracchi brothers tried to resolve tension
Social Unrest
Tribune Tiberius Gracchus noted mistreatment of soldier-farmers
Many reduced to poverty
Tiberius, brother Gaius tried to help soldiers
Soldier-Farmers
Gracchi tried to redistribute public land to farmers
Had public support, but Senate feared Gracchi trying to reduce its power
Senate urged mobs to kill brothers
Public Land

107 BC, social unrest reached new level
General Gaius Marius elected consul
Eliminated property restrictions
Accepted anyone who wanted to join army
Armies, private forces devoted to general
Poor hoped to share plunder at end of war
Ruthless generals realized loyalty of troops could be used as political tool
The Military in Politics

Social and Civil Wars
Social War revealed talent of General Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Sulla became consul, 88 BC; after consulship ended, Marius tried to prevent Sulla from taking military command
Sulla marched on Rome, won civil war, became dictator
Carried out program of reforms to protect power of Senate
Civil War
Rome’s Italian allies had been trying to obtain Roman citizenship
Senate wanted to maintain monopoly on power, refused
90 BC, Social War broke out
Italian rebels were defeated, but Senate agreed to give them citizenship
The Social War

Summarize What challenges faced Rome in the late Republic? Answer(s): slave revolts, social unrest, the Social War, and a civil war in which Sulla became dictator

Sulla paved the way for major changes in Rome’s government. The end of the Republic resulted from the ambitions of a few individuals. Rome Becomes an Empire
Julius Caesar , Gnaeus Pompey, Licinius Crassus helped bring end to Republic
Caesar, Pompey successful military commanders
Crassus one of wealthiest people in Rome
60 BC, the three took over Roman state, ruled as First Triumvirate
The First Triumvirate
Crassus died; Pompey, Caesar fought civil war
Caesar defeated Pompey, took full control of Rome, became dictator for life, 44 BC
Caesar brought many changes to Rome, popular reforms
Senate feared he would destroy Roman Republic, murdered him, Ides of March
End of Triumvirate

Civil War
Civil war between Octavian, Antony broke out
Octavian defeated Antony and his ally, Egypt’s Queen Cleopatra
Cleopatra, Antony committed suicide; Octavian alone controlled Rome
Republic effectively dead; new period in Roman history beginning
The Second Triumvirate
Caesar’s murder did not save the Republic
43 BC, Second Triumvirate took power—Caesar’s adopted son, Octavian; loyal officer Marc Antony; high priest Lepidus
Lepidus pushed aside; Antony, Octavian agreed to govern half the empire each, Octavian in west, Antony in East

Octavian Takes Power
Octavian faced task of restoring order in empire
Had no intention of establishing dictatorship when he took power
Principate
Octavian careful to avoid title of king or emperor
Called himself princeps , “first citizen”
Government called Principate
New Political Order
Octavian decided it impossible to return Rome to republican form of government
Created new political order, known today as the empire
New Title
27 BC, Senate gave Octavian title Augustus , “the revered one”
Title a religious honor; able to wear laurel and oak leaf crown
From Octavian to Augustus

New Imperial Government
Augustus head of state more than 40 years, made smooth transition to new imperial government with power divided between him and Senate
Most financial, administrative matters under Augustus’s control
Legacy
Created police force, fire brigades; stockpiled food, water
Began building program; presided over moral, religious reforms
Great period of cultural creativity; great writers like Horace, Ovid, Virgil
Foreign Affairs
Started program to bring peace to west, particularly to Gaul, Spain
Began series of conquests that pushed border eastward to Danube River
Also took special care of Rome itself
The Augustan Age

Augustus died AD 14, empire ruled by Caesar’s relatives for 54 years
Julio-Claudian Emperors’ abilities varied widely
Tiberius a good soldier, competent administrator
Caligula, brutal, mentally unstable; appointed favorite horse as consul
AD 68, last of Julio-Claudians, Nero committed suicide
Julio-Claudians and Flavians
Following Nero’s death, civil wars raged in Rome
Four military leaders claimed throne in turn
Last, Vespasian reestablished order, as did reigns of two sons
Stability returned under Flavians
Flavians
AD 96, new line of emperors established — Good Emperors
Five rulers governed Rome for almost a century
From provinces different than Rome, continued opening Roman imperial society
The Good Emperors

Empire grew tremendously under Good Emperors
Reached limits of expansion under Trajan
Added what are now Romania, Armenia, Mesopotamia, and the Sinai Peninsula
Successor Hadrian thought empire too large
Withdrew from almost all eastern additions
Built defensive fortifications to guard against invasions
Built wall 73 miles long in northern Britain
The Good Emperors

Explain How did Rome grow and change after it became an empire? Answer(s): The Roman Empire reached the limits of its territorial expansion and made developments in building, government, and culture.

Empire brought uniformity to the cities of the Mediterranean world, which were governed in imitation of Rome. The period from the beginning of August’s reign in 27 BC until the death of the last of the Good Emperors in AD 180 is often called the Pax Romana—the Roman Peace. This era was characterized by stable government, a strong legal system, widespread trade, and peace. The Pax Romana
Roman government strongest unifying force in empire
Maintained order, enforced laws, defended frontiers
Aristocracy participated, but emperors made all important decisions
Government
Empire divided into provinces ruled by governors appointed from Rome
Provincial government fair, efficient
Government in Rome kept close check on governors
Any citizen could appeal unfair treatment directly to emperor
Provinces

Laws
Roman law unified the empire
Laws specified what could, could not be done; penalties for breaking law
Same laws applied to everyone in empire, wherever they lived
Manufacturing
Manufacturing increased throughout empire
Italy, Gaul, Spain—artisans made cheap pottery, textiles
Fine glassware made in eastern cities like Alexandria
Agriculture
Agriculture remained primary occupation throughout Pax Romana
Most farms, independent with little, no surplus to sell
Tenant farmers began to replace slaves on large farms
Legal System

Trade
Italy imported grain, meat, raw materials from provinces
Merchants brought silks, linens, glassware, jewelry, furniture from Asia
Rome, Alexandria became commercial centers
Military and Merchant Routes
Most roads built, maintained for military purposes
Cheaper to transport grain by ship from one end of Mediterranean to other than to send it overland; most goods went by sea
Transportation
Commercial activity possible because of empire’s location around Mediterranean and extensive road network
Ultimately about 50,000 miles of roads bound empire together
Opportunities for Trade

Analyze How did government, law, and trade tie the Roman people together? Answer(s): The Roman government was the strongest unifying force, maintaining order, enforcing the laws, and defending the frontiers. Roman law provided stability and, with few exceptions, the same laws applied to everyone in the empire. Trade provided opportunities for commerce between people in different parts of the empire.

Rome

by Carme Barril on Jul 15, 2011

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