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THE WORLD’S HISTORY

Fourth Edition

Chapter

Rome and the Barbarians The Rise and Dismemberment of Empire 750 b.c.e – 500 b.c.e.

The World’s History

, Fourth Edition Howard Spodek

Rome and the Barbarians

• • At height, 2nd century C.E., Roman Empire contained 70-100 million people in an empire reaching 2,700 miles east to west and 2,500 miles north to south • Rome enforced Pax Romana across empire Contemporaries praised it for promoting peace and prosperity while critics claimed Pax Romana was brute military conquest

The World’s History

From Hill Town to Republic

• The Founding of the Roman Republic – Founded in 753 B.C.E. [in legend] – Ruled for 250 years by Etrurians [Etruscans] – Republic created in 509 B.C.E. when upper-class Romans drove Etruscans out of city – New republican government had two consuls and a Senate using a system of

The World’s History

From Hill Town to Republic

• Conquest of Italy 396 –264 B.C.E.

– Punic Wars  Rivalry of Carthage  First Punic War 264 –241 B.C.E.; Roman conquest of Sicily  Second Punic War 219 –202 B.C.E.

• The threat of Hannibal (247 –183 B.C.E.)  Third Punic War 149 –146 B.C.E.; destruction of Carthage – Conquests in Europe and Near East

The World’s History

Social World of the Late Republic

• • • Social War and extension of Roman citizenship to Italians Patron/client relationship – Protection/dependence as social glue Family – Power of paterfamilias – Position of women in Roman society

The World’s History

Social World of the Late Republic

• Struggle of the Orders 494 –440 B.C.E.

– Patrician v. plebeian – Limitations on absolute power of the rich

The World’s History

Social World of the Late Republic

• The late Republican struggle between nobles and the poor (cont.) – Extremes of wealth and poverty in Rome – Great reform effort: the Gracchi (130s and 120s B.C.E.)  New violence of Roman politics  Support of poor as political strategy  Noble/poor conflict paved way for end of Republic

The World’s History

Social World of the Late Republic

• “Bread and circuses” • Slaves – Very widespread slavery – Three great slave revolts

The World’s History

Military Might

• A. Militarism = central to Roman ideology • Generals as politicians – Marian reform of army: recruitment of propertyless soldiers – New dependence of soldiers on their generals

The World’s History

Military Might

• First Triumvirate – Rise of G. Julius Caesar – Conquest of Gaul – Caesar as dictator • Octavian - Antony civil war for sole control of Roman state

The World’s History

From Republic to Empire

• Establishment of the principate – Octavian (Augustus Caesar) as sole ruler 30 B.C.E.

–14 C.E.

 Rule of Augustus as “golden age” – Augustus as imperator – Further conquests

The World’s History

From Republic to Empire

• Economic life in the Empire – Exploitation of subject peoples – The problem of decadence – Flourishing of trade and administrative cities – Luxury trade and its profits

The World’s History

Roman Culture

• The deep influence of Greece • Virgil and the rhetoric of greatness • Stoicism

The World’s History

Roman Culture

• Roman religion – Greco-Roman polytheism – Addition of a cult of deified emperors  Addition of mystery religions  Mithraism  Cybele, Isis – Tolerance of all religions that weren’t harmful to the state

The World’s History

Roman Culture

• Roman religion (cont.) –Triumph of Christianity  Persecution  Constantine and the Peace of the Church  Outlawing of polytheism 394 C.E.

The World’s History

Transformation of the Roman Empire

• The problem of “barbarians” – Celts  Arrival in Europe c. 2000 B.C.E.

 Expansion/threat to Mediterranean c. 400 B.C.E. on  Defeats by Romans – Germans  Many conflicts along long frontier  Gradual settlement of Germanic tribes within western Empire

The World’s History

Transformation of the Roman Empire

• The problem of “barbarians” – Steppe peoples, especially Huns  Huns upset balance of borders c. 370 C.E.

 Move of Goths into imperial territory to escape Huns

The World’s History

Transformation of the Roman Empire

• Dismemberment of Empire – Plague – Third-century crisis: series of invasions – Division into eastern and western empires – Settlement of Germans within Empire as “federates” – 410 sack of Rome – 476 abdication of last western emperor

The World’s History

Transformation of the Roman Empire

• Causes for the “fall” – Military = too expensive for its economic base – No fixed system of imperial succession – Germans

The World’s History

Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire)

• Survival of eastern empire • Resurgence under Justinian I (r. 527 –565 C.E.) – Justinian Code – Reconquest of much of the West

The World’s History

Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire)

• Religious Disputes – Monophysites – Iconoclasm • Build-up of strong Byzantine bureaucracy

The World’s History

Legacy of the Roman Empire

• Linguistic • Legal • Urban • Transformation of Roman administration by Christian church

The World’s History

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THE WORLD’S HISTORY

Rome and the Barbarians

From Hill Town to Republic

From Hill Town to Republic

Social World of the Late Republic

Social World of the Late Republic

Social World of the Late Republic

Social World of the Late Republic

Military Might

Military Might

From Republic to Empire

From Republic to Empire

Roman Culture

Roman Culture

Roman Culture

Transformation of the Roman Empire

Transformation of the Roman Empire

Transformation of the Roman Empire

Transformation of the Roman Empire

Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire)

Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire)

Legacy of the Roman Empire

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