160-165 The Roman Empire notes

The Republic Collapses

growing discontent among the lower classes of society and a breakdown in military order.
Large gap in lower and upper class w/ wealth- By 100 B.C., enslaved persons formed perhaps one-third of Rome’s population.
Small farmers found it difficult to compete with the large estates run by the labor of enslaved people.- sold farm to upper class - homeless/jobless, migrant laborers, moved to other pt.'s of Rome for work
Two brothers, Tiberius and Gaius (GUY•us) Gracchus (GRAK•us), attempted to help Rome’s poor.

As tribunes, they proposed such reforms as limiting the size of estates and giving land to the poor.
The brothers made enemies of numerous senators, who felt threatened by their ideas.
violent deaths- —Tiberius in 133 B.C. and Gaius in 121 B.C.
A period of civil war, or conflict between groups within the same country, followed their deaths.

generals began seizing greater power for themselves- recruited soldiers from landless poor w/ promising of land- only loyal to them, fought for pay

60 B.C.a military leader, Julius Caesar joined forces with Crassus- wealthy Roman, and Pompey- a popular general.

Caesar was elected consul in 59 B.C. ten years- these men dominated Rome as a triumvirate, a group of three rulers

58–50 B.C. Caesar led his legions in successful campaign to conquer Gaul. Bc. he shared in the hardships of war- won men’s loyalty and devotion.
Pompey become his political rival, feared Caesar’s ambitions. 50 B.C., the senate, at Pompey’s urging, ordered Caesar to disband his legions and return home, but he did not
January 10, 49 B.C., Caesar took his army across the Rubicon River in Italy, the southern limit of the area he commanded towards Rome- Pompey fled. Caesar’s troops defeated his armies in Greece, Asia, Spain, and Egypt. In 46 B.C.,

granted Roman citizenship to people in provinces
He expanded the senate, friends/supporters
creating jobs, especially through the construction of new public buildings- helped poor
started colonies - people w/out land can own property
increased pay for soldiers.

nobles senator- scared - important senators led by Marcus Brutus and Gaius Cassius assassinated him On March 15, 44 B.C. by stabbing in senate chamber.

Caesar’s 18-year-old grandnephew and adopted son Octavian joined with an experienced general named Mark Antony and a powerful politician named Lepidus.

In 43 B.C., they took control of Rome and ruled for ten years as the Second Triumvirate.

Octavian forced Lepidus to retire. He and Mark Antony then became rivals
Octavian accused Antony of plotting to rule Rome from Egypt- civil war
Octavian defeated forces of Antony and Cleopatra at the naval battle of Actium in 31 B.C. - Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide.

Octavian became unchallenged ruler of Rome -accepted the title of Augustus or “exalted one.”

A vast and powerful empire

Rome was at the peak of its power from the beginning of Augustus’s rule in 27 B.C. to A.D. 180.
207 years, peace reigned throughout the empire, except for some fighting with tribes along the borders. This period of peace and prosperity is known as the Pax Romana— “Roman peace.”
A sound gov.

Augustus -Rome’s ablest emperor- stabilized the frontier, glorified Rome w/ public buildings, created a system of government, set up a civil service ( paid workers to manage the affairs of government, such as the grain supply, tax collection, and the postal system)
civil servants - plebeians/even former slaves
Augustus died- gov. lived on - effectiveness of the civil service in carrying out day-to-day operations

Agriculture was the most important industry in the empire
Additional food and luxury items for the rich were obtained through trade
silver coin called a denarius was used throughout empire- common coinage made trade b/t diff pt.'s of empire easy
Ships from the east traveled the Mediterranean protected by the Roman navy
complex network of roads linked the empire to Persia and southern Russia etc.

The Roman World

Rome emphasized the values of discipline, strength, and loyalty - person with these qualities was said to have the important virtue of gravitas.
honored strength more than beauty, power more than grace, and usefulness more than elegance
Slaves and captivity

Romans made more use of slaves than any previous civilization
Most slaves were conquered peoples brought back by Roman armies - men, women, and children (born to slaves- is a slave)
slaves were the property of their owner- could be punished, rewarded, set free, or put to death - master
worked city, farms, gladiators
wealthy homes- treated better, non-wealthy home- treated worse
have rebelled but never succeeded

worshiped powerful spirits or divine forces, called numina- resided in everything around them
related to these spirits were the Lares - the guardian spirits of each family.
government and religion were linked
worship of the emperor also became part of the official religion of Rome

wealth and social status made huge differences in how people lived
most people in Rome barely had the necessities of life
much of the city’s population was unemployed -gov. supported with daily rations
distract and control the masses of Romans- the government provided free games, races, mock battles, and gladiator contests

During this time of Pax Romana, the practice of a new religion known as Christianity emerged

people endured hardships/brutality but it spread thro Rome and became a dominant faith in the world

Human geography