2. Italian Peninsula
Greeks first came to Italy in 900
BC
Greeks liked Italy’s central location
and rich, Mediterranean farmland
Italy is separated from Europe by
the Alps in the North
3. Etruscans
Etruscans dominated the Italian
Peninsula from 900-500 BC
Influenced by the Greeks; used
their alphabet
Gained control of Rome in 625 BC
and taught the Romans their
culture and technology
4. Early Rome
Rome was founded by Romulus in
753, after he killed his brother
Remus, according to legend
Consisted of 7 hills on the Latium
plain
The Etruscans drained the
marshes & built roads & the Forum
5. The Republic
Society consisted of patricians and
plebians
Patricians set up a gov’t with
executive and legislative branches
Executive- 2 consuls w/ veto power
Legislative-Senate w/ 300 patricians
6. Plebeians Gain Power
Demanded representation in gov’t
Tribunes gained veto power,
Assembly of Tribes gained law
making power
Improved social standing
Previously unwritten laws were
codified on the 12 Tables
7. Roman Religion
Romans worshipped gods
borrowed from the Greeks but
given Roman names
They also kept some of the nature
spirits they worshipped during
Etruscan rule
8. Roman Legions
The Republic faced many attacks
from neighbors
All Roman men were required to
join army
Divided soldiers into smaller
“legions” to make them more mobile
Very disciplined and well-trained
9. Roman Legions
As army conquered foes, they had
to pledge allegiance to Rome
Permanent settlements were
developed and connected by
roads
10. Carthage
Carthaginians in N. Africa were
also expanding
Conflict arose over the Sicily
1st
Punic war lasted from 264-241
with the Romans winning and
forcing the Carthaginians to pay a
large indemnity
11. 2nd
Punic War
20 years later, Hannibal led
40,000 troops through Gaul and
over the Alps (½ are killed)
Hannibal terrorized Romans,
nearly destroying army at Cannae
Scipio attacked Carthage, forcing
Hannibal to return and surrender
12. Problems in the Republic
As Rome expanded, conflict arose
from provinces paying tribute
Romans seized land and created
latifundia, plantations
Roman legions were stationed
throughout empire to quell revolts
13. Feuds
Many nobles used the large
population of unemployed to form
their own militaries
These armies provided many
nobles with a lot of power
14. Julius Caesar
In 60 BC Caesar became consul
with the help of Pompey and
Crassus-Triumvirate
Used military accomplishments in
Gaul and Germanic lands to
increase his popularity
15. Julius Caesar
Pompey ordered Caesar to give
up his army
Instead, Caesar marched into
Rome and seized power
In 45 BC, Caesar declared himself
dictator for life
16. Caesar in Power
Expanded representation in the
Senate
Provided land for landless poor
Developed the modern calendar
Julius Caesar was killed on March
15, 44 BC by Senators who
believed he had grown too strong
17. End of the Republic
With Caesar’s death, Octavian and
Antony formed a new triumvirate
Divided the Republic up among
themselves
Octavian defeated Antony in 31 BC
at Actium becoming the undisputed
ruler of Rome
19. Augustus- “A city of brick
to one of marble.”
Changed name from Octavian
Rebuilt Rome
Reformed tax system and
eliminated corruption
Built new roads and public buildings
Pax Romana for 200 years
20. Julio-Claudian Emperors
The 4 successors to Augustus
Tiberius was constantly paranoid
Caligula was a sociopath and was
killed by Praetorian Guard
Claudius followed but was killed by his
wife
Nero was insane and nearly destroyed
Rome with his vanity and indulgence
21. The Good Emperors
Under Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, and
Marcus Aurelius Rome reached its
peak
Trajan stretched Rome to its largest
size
Hadrian built a wall in Britain
22. Roman Rule
Made gov’t more efficient; chose
qualified leaders for provinces
Developed ideas such as “innocent
until guilty” which have formed the
basis for western & Christian law
Downsized the army too much,
making it vulnerable to attack
23. Pax Romana
Goods from all over the world
poured into Rome
Family became less important and
divorces more common
Middle class grew larger
Society became less stable
24. Engineering and
Entertainment
Roads and aqueducts were the life-
blood of Rome
Circus Maximus, Colosseum, &
public baths kept the people happy
Innovations like concrete and the
arch helped create structures like
the Pantheon
25. Education, Science, &
Literature
Borrowed much from other cultures
Most boys were educated, the
wealthy at academies
Latin was the common language
and forms the basis for today’s
Romance languages
27. Judaism in the Empire
As Rome secured Judea under
Augustus, many Jews believed a
messiah would arrive to save them
Jews revolted in 66 AD but were
defeated in 70 AD and their temple
was destroyed
Revolted again in 132 AD
Judaism in the Empire
As Rome secured Judea under
Augustus, many Jews believed a
messiah would arrive to save them
Jews revolted in 66 AD but were
defeated in 70 AD and their temple
was destroyed
Revolted again in 132 AD
28. Jesus of Nazareth
A Jew who proclaimed that God’s
rule was close at hand preached
acts of kindness
Disciples believed he was messiah
Controversy in the Jewish
community concerned Romans so
they crucified Jesus
29. Spread and Persecution
of Christianity
Disciples claimed Jesus had risen
from the dead and was the messiah
Converts like Paul spread religion
throughout Mediterranean
Peter brought Christianity to Rome
Many believers were martyred by
the Romans
30. The Early Church
According to legend, Constantine
accepted Christianity in 312 after a
battle
Said Romans could worship how
they pleased
Theodosius made Christianity
Rome’s official religion in 392
31. The Early Church
Church was set up in a hierarchy by
the 400’s and the bishop of Rome
had taken a leadership role as the
pope
Latin churches became the Roman
Catholic while Greek-influenced
churches became Eastern Orthodox
33. Empire’s Problem
After Marcus Aurelius, there were
28 emperors in 90 years
Instability opened Rome up to
attacks from “Barbarians”
Warfare led to poor crops, inflation,
and extreme financial hardship for
the empire
34. An Empire Divided
The west part of the Roman Empire
was being constantly attacked
Diocletian and Constantine tried to
implement reforms to slow
economic decline unsuccessfully
Theodosius decreed that the
empire should be split in 395
35. Reasons Barbarians
Attacked
Sought warmer, southern climate
Wanted Rome’s wealth
Inability of military to contain
Visigoths led to further uprisings
from Franks, Vandals, Goths,
Huns and others
36. Fall of Western Empire
Vandals destroyed Rome in 455
Franks and Goths divided Gaul
In 476, Odoacer defeated the last
Roman Emperor
This German general accepted
Latin culture and Christianity