Transcript Ancient Rome - Saugerties Central Schools

Ancient Rome
Mrs. Bernier and Mrs. Hart
Geography of Italy
Present-day Italy is a
peninsula, often called
a “boot” because of
its shape, that juts out
into the
Mediterranean Sea.
The city of Rome is
located on the west
coast of Italy in the
middle of the country.
Geography of Italy
The geography of Italy made
it much easier to unify than
Greece. The Apennine
Mountains, which run down
the length of the peninsula,
are not rugged, and easy to
pass through. Italy also has
broad fertile plains good for
farming, which enabled the
population of the early
empire to grow.
Origins of Rome
Rome was founded in the 8th Century B.C. and was
originally a small city-state ruled by a single king.
Late in the 6th Century B.C., the city’s aristocrats
got rid of the king, ended the monarchy, and
started a new government. Over the next ten
centuries, the government of Rome would evolve,
changing from one form to another.
Forms of Government in RomeMonarchy
Monarchy – a form of government in which
power is in the hands of a king or queen.
Characteristics of a monarchy include:
a. Rule is by one person.
b. Once in power, a person stays in power for
life.
c. Power is passed onto children or another
family member.
d. Complete control over people in a
country.
e. Belief in divine right – right to rule comes
from God.
Forms of Government in Rome:
Oligarchy/Aristocracy
Oligarchy – a form of government in which most of the power to
rule is in the hands of a few people who are usually wealthy and
privileged. Characteristics of an oligarchy include:
a. The interests of the small ruling group are considered the
most important.
b. Children of the powerful ruling families are raised
and mentored to one day inherit the power from their
families.
c. The needs, rights, and interests of the general population of
people are less important.
Forms of Government in Rome:
Oligarchy
d. Laws are made by the small ruling group,
and if a crime is committed, they may
appoint a judge (usually a noble).
e. The general population of people have few
opportunities for advancement or change.
Forms of Government in Rome:
Republic/Democracy
Republic – a form of government in which power
to rule comes from the people. Characteristics of a
republic include:
a. The head of the government is not a
monarch and is elected by the people.
b. The head of the government may share power
with at least one other branch, such as a senate.
c. Meetings are held to openly discuss issues that
are of importance to the government and the
people, and then voted on.
Forms of Government in Rome:
Republic/Democracy
d. When a crime is
committed, a
hearing is held in
front of a jury of
one’s peers.
e. Members of the
republic have
certain natural
rights.
Forms of Government in Rome:
Dictatorship
Dictatorship – a form of
government in which one person
has complete control over the
government. Characteristics of a
dictatorship include:
a. One party rule – no competition
from other political parties is
allowed.
b. Use of military to enforce the
wishes of the ruler in power.
Forms of Government in Rome:
Dictatorship
c. Arrest and punishment of
individuals, without a trial
or with a mock trial, for
political offenses.
d. Censorship of the press
(media).
e. Use of extreme nationalism
to make people believe
what the ruler says to be
true.
The Roman
Republic
• As a republic, the most powerful ruling group was the
Senate, which was made up of 300 patricians,
members of the landowning upper class.
• The Senate elected two consuls to supervise the
government and lead the armies. Consuls served one
term so they could not become too powerful.
• In the event of war, the Senate chose a dictator who
ruled for six months.
The Roman Republic
• The lower class of Roman society, the plebeians, had
little say in government and they gained more power
in 450 B.C. with creation of the Laws of the Twelve
Tables.
• The plebeians gained the right to elect their own
officials called tribunes. They could block laws they
felt were unfair to the plebeians.
Roman Expansion
The Romans expanded their
control across the Italian
peninsula. They were able to do
this because of their strong
armies. Their legions were well
trained to be loyal, courageous,
and respectful. Soldiers were
rewarded when appropriate,
and punished harshly at other
times. One form of
punishment was decimation;
one out of every ten men from a
disgraced legion was put to
Roman Imperialism
As the Romans expanded,
they followed a policy of
imperialism, or
establishing control over
foreign land and people.
They fought against
Carthage in the West,
took over Macedonia,
Greece, and Asia Minor in
the East, Egypt to the
South, and much of
Europe to the North.
The Roman Empire
By 133 B.C., Rome’s empire was huge. Their
conquests gave them control of busy trade routes,
which brought them great riches. They also gained
great fortunes from loot and taxes.
Slave Labor
As they conquered more and more areas, the
Romans enslaved people captured in war. They
forced the slaved to work on their plantations.
Slave labor hurt the small farmers who couldn’t
grow and sell food as cheaply as larger farms.
Peasant Riots
As small farmers fell into debt, they were forced to sell
their land and move to the cities to find work. In the
cities they joined groups of other unemployed people.
Hungry and tired, they started riots. Unable to solve
their problems, Rome became involved in civil war.
The Senate wanted to rule as it always had, but others
wanted to reform the government. In addition, Roman
legions became professional armies, loyal only to their
commanders.
Julius Caesar’s Rule
Julius Caesar came to power in 48 B.C. after defeating
Pompey, another ambitious Roman general. He
forced the Senate to make him dictator, and he
became the absolute ruler of Rome. He was later
assassinated by his enemies as he arrived in the
Senate, in 44 B.C.
Caesar’s Reforms
• Public works program to
employ the jobless.
• Poor people were given
land.
• Reorganization of the
government.
• Roman citizenship was
granted to more people.
• Introduced a new calendar
based on Egypt’s.
The End of the Roman Republic
After Caesar was killed,
Rome was plunged once
more into a series of civil
wars. In 31 B.C., a new ruler
came to power in Rome and
was given the title of
Augustus by the Senate. He
ruled for 17 years, and the
republic came to an end. In
its place emerged the Roman
Empire, and a series of
political and economic
reforms were made.
The Pax Romana
The two hundred year period
that started with Augustus
and ended with Marcus
Aurelius is known as the Pax
Romana. It was a golden
age for the Roman Empire.
Peace, order, stability, and
prosperity developed
throughout the empire.
Trade prospered and new
goods flowed into Rome
from different parts of its
empire. As a result of
cultural diffusion, new ideas
and technology also spread.
Difficulties for the Empire
After the Pax Romana, on the surface everything
appeared to be going great for the Romans.
However, beneath the surface problems began to
develop. Taxes were high, many people didn’t
have jobs, power struggles developed in
government, and the military became less
effective.
Bread and Circuses
To keep the mobs of
restless people in the
cities happy, the emperor
offered gladiator games
and chariot races to
entertain them. He also
fed them. This became
known as “bread and
circuses.” They covered
up the political, social,
and economic problems
that were brewing
throughout the empire.