The document summarizes key aspects of government and politics in ancient Rome. It describes several important political offices such as tribune, quaestor, aedile, praetor, proconsul, censor, and dictator. It also profiles two influential Roman emperors, Augustus and Marcus Aurelius, noting their contributions to expanding the empire and commitment to philosophy, respectively. Additionally, it provides an overview of major developments in Roman architecture including forums, basilicas, baths, markets, amphitheaters, theaters, arches, villas, temples, roads, forts, towns, and aqueducts. Structures like the Pantheon and Colosseum are highlighted for

1. The Roman Empire
POLITICAL

2. Plebeians- Were the average working class citizens of rome. They were farmers,
bakers, builders, craftsmen who worked hard to support their families and pay their
taxes.
Tribune- were strictly a powerful political office that had the power to help the
people Tribunes of the Plebeians were powerful figures in Rome's republican
government with the right of veto and more.
Quaestor- acted as treasurers of the state, they oversaw public finance and
taxation
Aedile (plebian/curule)- oversaw public works, sponsored the public games, took
care of water/food supply and took care of the temples and other public buildings
Praetor- Acts as judge and can therefore create law by legal precedent,
administration of justice, paid for the Roman Games.
Propraetor- were praetors the previous year that had done such a good job that
their term was extended and they were now governor of one of the Roman
provinces.
Consul- Responsible for maintaining order in the Roman Republic, Equivalent to a
dual presidency, it was a very honorable position, the Consul could propose law,
act as a senior judge, and be an army commander.
Proconsul- Similar to Propraetors, the proconsul had been a consul the previous year
and got their term extended in a senatorial province.
Censor- Took census of the Roman population, found farmers for public land, set up
public projects and ultimately in control of the publics moral.
Dictator- Had absolute power over the entire Republic, combines all magisterial
powers in one person for the duration of a particular crisis.

3. Two Great Emperors
Statue of Augustus,
Prima Porta, Rome.
Museo Chiaramonti, Vatican City
LEFT
Gaius Octavius aka Augustus was Julius Caesats great nephew and was to become
one of Romes greatest emporors. During his reign he expanded the empire, ended a
100 years of civil war, and achieved over 40 years of internal peace and prosperity.
His vision for the future of the Roman Empire expanded trade and travel across
Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East under Romes Protection. He had won over
the senate and founded a dynasty. Augustus was declared a god by the senate after
his death and passed his power onto his stepson, Tiberius.
Statue of Marcus Aurelius
Campidoglio, Rome
Capitoline Museum, Rome
RIGHT ->
Marcus Aurelius is considered the last of the five good emperors of Rome. Marcus
Aurelius was known as a compassionate, ardent and loyal ruler who put his
commitment into the Roman Empire above anything else. His sense of duty and good
will was, presumably, a consequence of his Stoicism. He was an avid student of the
Stoic school of philosophy and was committed to putting his philosophy into practice,
living his life through his understanding and interpretation of Stoicism. The reason for
which Marcus Aurelius is deservedly most remembered emperor is the collection of his
thoughts or reflections, entitled the Meditations setting forth his ideas on stoic
philosophy.

4. Cited Sources
1.
SPARAN, MARIANNE, AND DONIELLE STREULI. "GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE." MRS.
RODRIGUEZ'S PERIOD 8 CLASS /. N.P., N.D. WEB. 02 DEC. 2013.
2.
LENDERING, JONA. "CURSUS HONORUM." CURSUS HONORUM. N.P., N.D. WEB. 02 DEC. 2013.
3.
MCMANUS, BARBARA F. "ROMAN GOVERNMENT." ROMAN GOVERNMENT. N.P., N.D. WEB. 02 DEC. 2013.
4.
"PLEBIANS." PBS. PBS, N.D. WEB. 01 DEC. 2013.
5.
CARVAZZI, FRANCO. "ROMAN OFFICES." ROMAN OFFICES. N.P., N.D. WEB. 02 DEC. 2013.
6.
"MARCUS AURELIUS - BIOGRAPHY." MARCUS AURELIUS. EUROPEAN GRADUATE SCHOOL EGS, N.D. WEB. 02
DEC. 2013.
7.
"HISTORY OF ART: ART OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE." HISTORY OF ART: ART OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. N.P., N.D. WEB.
01 DEC. 2013.
8.
"AUGUSTUS." PBS. DEVILLIER DONEGAN ENTERPRISES, N.D. WEB. 30 NOV. 2013.
9.
CHIN, KAITLIN. " ." [LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE STUDY TOUR WITH PROFESSOR JACK AHERN. DEPARTMENT OF
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AND REGIONAL PLANNING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS, N.D. WEB. 01
DEC. 2013.
10.
INTHASORN, PIYAWUT. "[LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE STUDY TOUR WITH PROFESSOR JACK
AHERN."[LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE STUDY TOUR WITH PROFESSOR JACK AHERN. N.P., N.D. WEB. 03 DEC.
2013.

5. Roman Architecture
THE ANCIENT ROMANS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF
1.
FORUMS - SQUARES WHICH WERE SURROUNDED BY TEMPLES,
SHOPS, AND BASILICAS
2.
BASILICAS - PUBLIC BUILDINGS
3.
BATHS
4.
MARKETS SUCH AS TRAJAN'S MARKET IN ROME - A FIVE STORY
COMPLEX HOUSING SHOPS, BARS AND RESTAURANTS
5.
AMPHITHEATERS SUCH AS THE COLISEUM AND THE CIRCUS
MAXIMUS
6.
THEATRES
7.
TRIUMPHAL ARCHES CELEBRATING THE VICTORIES OF THE ROMANS
8.
VILLAS
9.
TEMPLES
10.
ROADS
11.
FORTS AND STOCKADES
12.
TOWNS
13.
AQUEDUCTS
The Pantheon- Is one of the best preserved Roman temples in Italy. It
is one of the oldest standing structures in Rome today. It is still used as
a Catholic church to hold daily mass and is considered to be one of the
greatest architectural structures from ancient times.

6. The Roman Colosseum
The Colosseum or Roman Coliseum or Flavian Amphitheater, is an
elliptical amphitheater in the center of Rome . The primary function of
an amphitheater was to house spectacles of blood sports--gladiators
combats, hunts of wild animals and naval battles called naumachiae.
Entrance to the games was free and the massive amphitheater had a
capacity estimated at about 50,000 and 80,000 Romans. The
Colosseum was built for several reasons to include staging various forms
of entertainment, to utilize and showcase the latest Roman engineering
techniques and as a gift to Roman Citizen increasing the popularity of
the Flavian dynasty.