The Beginnings of Ancient Rome About 750 B.C., the villages joined together to form a city called Rome. It was ruled by kings for more than 200 years. Eventually, Rome became a republic, and the people elected representatives. These representatives formed the Senate, Rome's most powerful body of government

1. © 2006 Jessica Deacon
Boutkhil Guemide
University Mohammed Boudiaf, M’sila
Algeria

2. INTRODUCTION
• From its founding in 625 BC to its fall in
AD 476, the Roman Empire conquered
and integrated dozens of cultures.
• The history of the Roman Empire can be
divided into three distinct periods:
• The Period of Kings (625-510 BC),
• Republican Rome (510-31 BC),
• Imperial Rome (31 BC – AD 476).
• Eastern Roman Empire (405 AD– 1453
AD)
• Western Roman Empire (405 AD– 480

3. • The first settlers of Rome were the
Latins. They chose this spot because
of the mild climate, good farmland,
and strategic location.
• The settlers farmed in the fertile
plain at the base of the hills and built
their homes on the hilltops. They
built atop the hills so they would be
able to defend themselves against an
enemy attack.
• Around 600 B.C., the Etruscans
invaded the Latins’ little town of Rome
and took over.
• The Etruscans drained the marshes
near Rome to give them more land on
which to build, thus under Etruscan
rule, Rome grew into a city.

4.  The Latins knew the mild climate and good farmland would be
imperative for growing their crops.
 The strategic location was also very important to maintain their
civilization.

5. Advantages of Rome’s Geography
Close to Mediterranean Sea on several ancient trade
routes
Located next to the Tiber River
Contained large plains making it easy to farm
Location in the Italian Peninsula made it easy for Roman
ships to reach other lands around the sea.
This position made it easier for Rome to conquer other
lands and gain new territory.
The Alps and the Apennines Mountain Ranges helped to
protect Rome.

6. • The Founding of Rome: (c625 BC):
• The legends differ in citing the history of founding Rome
(c625 BC),
• The Illiad: A Myth written by Virgil,
• Romulus and Remus
• During Romulus’ rule, Rome was founded on seven hills:
Platinum, Capitol, Olefins, Kakline, Acetylcholine, Freminal,
Corinal
• Platinum: The original settlement on which Rome was
founded, and; thus, Roman kingdom began by Romulus in
625 BC
• Rome was founded around 625 BC in the areas of ancient
Italy known as Etruria and Latium.
• The city- state of Rome was initially formed by Latium
villagers joining together with settlers from the surrounding
hills in response to an Etruscan invasion.
• It is unclear whether they came together in defense or as a
result of being brought under Etruscan rule.

7. Republican Rome (510-31 BC)
• Rome entered its Republican Period in 510 BC.
• The Romans established a new form of government whereby the upper classes
ruled, namely the senators and the equestrians, or knights.
• 451 BC: The Romans established the “Twelve Tables,” a standardized code of laws
meant for public, private, and political matters.
• Rome continued to expand through the Republican Period and gained control over
the entire Italian peninsula by 338 BC.
• The Punic Wars (264-146 BC): Along with some conflicts with Greece, these wars
allowed Rome to take control of Carthage and Corinth and; thus, become the
dominant maritime power in the Mediterranean.
• Rome’s political atmosphere pushed the Republic into a period of chaos and civil
war.
• Cornelius Sulla, a dictator who served from 82- 80 BC.
• 79 BC: The Republic returned to a state of unrest.
• 60 BC: Julius Caesar rose to power: The shift to Imperialism.
• 51 BC: Julius Caesar had conquered Celtic Gaul and, for the first time, Rome’s
borders had spread beyond the Mediterranean region.
• Although the Senate was still Rome’s governing body, its power was weakening.
• 44 BC: Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC and replaced by his heir, Gaius
Julius Caesar Octavianus (Octavian) who ruled alongside Mark Antony.
• 31 BC: Rome overtook Egypt which resulted in the death of Mark Antony.
• Octavian assumed the title of Augustus and thus became the first emperor of Rome.

8. Imperial Rome (31 BC – AD 476)
• Rome’s Imperial Period was beginning with the rise of Rome’s
first emperor in 31 BC and lasting until the fall of Rome in AD
476.
• Rome saw several decades of peace, prosperity, and expansion.
• 117 AD: The Roman Empire had reached its maximum extant,
spanning three continents including Asia Minor, northern Africa,
and most of Europe.
• 286 AD: The Roman Empire was split into eastern and western
empires, each ruled by its own emperor.
• The western empire suffered several Gothic invasions and, in AD
455, was sacked by Vandals.
• Rome continued to decline after that until AD 476 when the
western Roman Empire came to an end.
• The eastern Roman Empire, more commonly known as the
Byzantine Empire, survived until the 15th century AD.
• It fell when Turks took control of its capital city, Constantinople
(modern day Istanbul in Turkey) in AD 1453.

10. • Most early Romans worked small plots of land growing
wheat, barley, fruits, beans, and vegetables.
• They also raised livestock; such as pigs, sheep, goats, and
chickens. They used oxen to pull their carts.
• Members of a Roman farm family worked very hard, as they
only had simple tools available and usually had to travel to
get water.
• For a while, only landowners were able to join the army.
This was because it was thought that they would fight harder
to defend their land and the city.

11. Family and Society
• Roman women were expected to run the household and
take care of the children.
• Women were able to inherit property and run the family
business when their husbands were away.
• Roman women had little power outside the home and
could not vote.
• The head of the Roman family was the father. Although his
power was limited by public opinion, he had control over
other members of the family and owned all the property.

12. Enjoying Life in Ancient Rome
There was always something to do in this exciting city. One of the most
popular events was to attend a horse race at a place called Circus
Maximus.
At night, theaters in Rome offered plays and music. The Romans were
very social and loved to be entertained.

13. Rome had more than 100 public baths. The baths were open to the rich
and poor. People could also exercise, relax, eat, read, or walk through
gardens at the baths.
At the forum in Rome, people would talk, hear the latest news, shop, and
eat.
There were entertainers who would sing, dance, and even charm snakes
in the Forum.

14. • Rome had a strong economy. This is partly due to
their agriculture and trade.
• Farming was always an important aspect in the
Roman economy. Industry also grew in Rome.
• Romans manufactured goods such as pottery,
metal goods, glass, wine, olive oil, and other food
products.

15. Agriculture
Meat Fruits
Vegetables Other
Fish Sheep
Wool
Meat
Figs Apples Pears Grapes
Cucumbers Beans Cabbage Honey Olives
Goats
Milk
Cheese
Meat
Wine
Lettuce Olive Oil

16. • The Roman empire fostered economic
growth through the use of trade routes.
• Rome traded with many areas of the
world including: Spain, Africa, western
Asia, Gaul, and other parts of Europe.
• By trading, Rome received valuable
goods that were not available to them at
home including: grain, ivory, silk, spices,
gold, silver, and even wild animals.
• Successful trading relied on a few things:
the quality of the Roman roads, the access
to the sea, and the security provided by the
Roman military.

17. Currency
• During the reign of Augustus, a common coin called a
denarius was used throughout the empire.
• Having a common form of money made trade between
different parts of the empire much easier. This way, traders
did not have to change their money into another currency
when they bought and sold goods.
• As the economy expanded, so did the gap between the two
social groups in Rome, the Patricians and Plebeians.
• The upper-class Patricians were wealthy landowners who
held all the highest positions in government. The plebeians
were mostly common farmers. The male plebeians could
vote, but they could not hold important government
positions.

19. The Nile River Valley in Ancient Egypt was a great place for
growing crops because of the fertile soil.
Egypt was full of natural resources such as copper, iron,
gold, and bronze.
The Romans were able to barter a lot of textiles from Egypt.

20. • The citizens of Rome
were expected to fight
to defend the republic.
• They were part-time
soldiers. After fulfilling
their duty, the men
went back to their
farms.
• The early Romans
fought other groups in
Italy.
• Often times their
enemies had better
weapons, so the
Romans copied the
best weapons and
tactics, and learned
from their defeats.
Much of what we know
about Roman armor
and weapons comes
from pictures and
carvings in Rome.
Most Romans fought
on foot and went into
battle wearing little
armor.
To protect the head,
the soldiers wore a
metal helmet with a
neck guard and cheek
plates.
They wore chest and
shoulder armor, and
used a shield and
sword.

21. Military Tactics
• Roman soldiers advanced in a
turtle shape.
• Their shields acted as a shell,
protecting them from attack.
• Rome’s army consisted of about
300,000 soldiers, split into legions
of 5,000 soldiers.
• The legions were posted all over
the empire to capture new lands,
guard them, and to control local
rebels.

22. All Roads Lead to Rome
• The Roman army built roads that
linked all the parts of the empire.
• The Romans laid more than 50,000
miles of roads to tie together their
empire.
• Many of the roads can still be seen
today.
• Roads were built from
layers of sand, stone, gravel,
and paving slabs. They
curved, so any rain drained
away.
• The Romans tried to build
the roads as straight as
possible so that the army
could take the shortest route.Modern day road
Ancient Roman Road

23. The Colosseum
• The Romans’ favorite entertainment
was a trip to watch the gladiators.
• In Rome, the best fights took place in
a 50,000-seat amphitheater called the
Colosseum.
• The floor of the arena was covered in
sand to soak up all the blood.

24. Gladiators
• Gladiators were prisoners or slaves who
were trained to fight, and they would fight
to the death.
• Gladiators would fight each other, and
also against fierce wild beasts such as
lions, tigers, or bears!
• Some gladiators were equipped with only
a fishing net and a long fork called a
trident. Others wore armor and carried
swords or daggers.
A gladiator who survived several fights
might be given his freedom.

25. • The Colosseum was 160 ft. tall and
had four stories of windows, columns,
and arches.
• The arena could be flooded so there
could be battles between real boats.
• Spectators sat according to social
class in the arena.
• Women and the poor sat on the top
tier.
• The emperor sat in a
special box just above the
stage where he controlled
the entertainment.
• He declared whether a
gladiator would live or die
with a thumbs-up or a
thumbs-down gesture.

26. • The Romans built bridges
called aqueducts to carry
drinking water into their cities.
• To take the weight of all the
water flowing along them,
aqueducts were supported on
rows of strong arches.
• The Romans also used
the aqueducts to get fresh
water for their baths.
• Many aqueducts still
exist today, even though
they are 2,000 years old.

27. Important Roman Landmarks
The arena where gladiators fought,
providing Roman citizens with
hours of entertainment.
Colosseum
Scrolls were found in this building,
helping us to learn about Ancient
Rome.
Libraries
The court of law in RomeBasilica of
Constantine
Built as a temple for the godsPantheon
Five stories of shops for people to
buy and sell goods
Trajan’s
Markets

28. The Fall of the Roman Empire
1. Invasions by Barbarian tribes:
 300s “barbarian” groups like the Goths had encroached beyond the Empire’s
borders.
 The Romans weathered a Germanic uprising in the late fourth century,
 410: The Visigoth King Alaric successfully sacked the city of Rome.
 The Empire spent the next several decades under constant threat
 455: The Vandals.
 476: The Germanic leader Odoacer staged a revolt and deposed the
Emperor Romulus Augustulus. From then on, no Roman emperor would
ever again rule from a post in Italy
2. Economic troubles and overreliance on slave labor
 Rome was crumbling from within thanks to a severe financial crisis.
 Constant wars and overspending had significantly lightened imperial coffers,
 Oppressive taxation and inflation had widened the gap between rich and
poor.
 Rome’s economy depended on slaves to till its fields and work as craftsmen.
 When expansion ground to a halt in the second century, Rome’s supply of
slaves and other war treasures began to dry up.
 With its economy faltering and its commercial and agricultural production in
decline, the Empire began to lose its grip on Europe.

29. 3. The rise of the Eastern Empire
 The division made the empire more easily governable in the short term, but
over time the two halves drifted apart.
 East and West failed to adequately work together to combat outside threats,
and the two often squabbled over resources and military aid.
4. Overexpansion and military overspending
 At its height, the Roman Empire stretched from the Atlantic Ocean all the
way to the Euphrates River in the Middle East, but its grandeur may have
also been its downfall.
 With such a vast territory to govern, the empire faced an administrative and
logistical nightmare.
5. Government corruption and political instability
 If Rome’s sheer size made it difficult to govern, ineffective and inconsistent
leadership only served to magnify the problem.
 Being the Roman emperor had always been a particularly dangerous job,
but during the tumultuous second and third centuries it nearly became a
death sentence.
 Civil war thrust the empire into chaos, and more than 20 men took the throne
in the span of only 75 years, usually after the murder of their predecessor.