Ancient Rome & �The Origin of Christianity

Outcome: A Republic Becomes an Empire

Constructive Response Question

• Compare and contrast the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire using specific examples:
• What contributions did the Romans make to the cultural advancement of the world?

What are we going to learn?

• Decline of the Roman Republics
• Rise of Julius Caesar
• Rome’s best emperors
• Power and accomplishments of the Roman Empire

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A Republic Becomes an Empire

• Setting the Stage
• With the defeat of Carthage in the Punic Wars, Rome was proving to be the biggest and most powerful civilization on the Mediterranean
• The larger Rome’s territory got, the more unstable the republic form of government became

A Republic Becomes an Empire

• The Republic collapses
• Rome’s increasing wealth and expanding territories brought problems
• Discontent among lower classes
• Breakdown in military order

Roman Coins

SPQR

SPQR is from a Latin phrase “Senatus Poulusque Romanus” meaning The Senate and the People of Rome referring to the ancient Roman Republic and used as the emblem of modern day Rome.

A Republic Becomes an Empire

• Economic Turmoil
• Gap between rich and poor widened
• Rich lived on huge estates
• Poor worked on estates (possibly as slaves)
• By 100 B.C. one-third of Rome’s population were enslaved

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A Republic Becomes an Empire

• Military Upheaval
• Generals seized power for themselves
• Recruited by promising land
• Citizens loyal to generals rather than to Rome itself

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A Republic Becomes an Empire

• Julius Caesar
• 60 B.C. joins with Crassus (wealthy Roman) and Pompey (popular general) to create a Triumvirate
• Triumvirate: a group of three rulers
• They rule together for 10 years

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A Republic Becomes an Empire

• Caesar takes power
• Caesar has success in Gaul (France), becomes quite popular
• Political rival Pompey urges the senate to disband Caesar’s legions
• Caesar defies senate, marches into Rome
• Pompey flees
• Caesar defeats Pompey’s troops in Greece, Asia, Spain, and Egypt
• Julius Caesar returns home in 46 B.C.- senate appoints him dictator
• 44 B.C. Caesar is named dictator for life
• Result: Even though Caesar has total control, Rome still embraces some of its republic roots, however it is moving closer to empire

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A Republic Becomes an Empire

• Julius Caesar’s legacy
• Absolute ruler but he also expanded the senate
• Granted citizenship to people in Roman provinces
• Helped poor by creating jobs and building projects
• Increased pay for soldiers

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A Republic Becomes an Empire

• Beware the Ides of March
• Many nobles and senators expressed concern over Caesar’s growing power, success, and popularity; feared losing their influence
• Others considered Caesar a tyrant
• Many felt Rome would suffer due to his ego
• Caesar is stabbed to death in the senate by a gang of senators led by Marcus Brutus and Gaius Cassius on March 15, 44 B.C.

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Death of Caesar

Really?

Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas

Octavian

A Republic Becomes an Empire

• Octavian
• Caesar’s 18 year old nephew and adopted son
• Takes power with Mark Antony and Lepidus = Second Triumvirate
• Octavian forces Lepidus to retire
• Mark Antony falls in love with Queen Cleopatra of Egypt

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Second Triumvirate

A Republic Becomes an Empire

• Octavian
• Octavian accuses Antony of plotting to rule Rome from Egypt and this leads to another civil war
• Octavian defeats Antony & Cleopatra’s forces at naval battle of Actium (31 B.C.)
• Mark Antony and Cleopatra commit suicide; leaving Octavian sole leader
• Octavian takes name Augustus meaning “exalted one” -27 B.C.

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Rome’s Best Emperors

• Octavian Augustus
• First Roman Emperor
• Senate named him Augustus meaning “revered personage” or “exhalted one” in 27 BC
• Rules from 27 BC to 14 AD
• Ended years of civil war
• Was not interested in dictatorial rule; shared power with close advisors
• Successfully discharged soliders reducing army (still kept 28 legions for auxillery strength)
• Died of illness on August 19, 14 AD

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Rome’s Best Emperors

• Vespasian
• Ruled from 69-79 AD
• Worked hard and lived in a stable relationship with a woman he loved (odd for emperors)
• First rate soldier
• Built the Flavian Amphitheater later known as the Colosseum
• Died in 79 AD just before completion of the Colosseum

Rome’s Best Emperors

• Trajan
• Ruled from 98-117 AD
• Public works:
• Built Trajan’s Forum
• Extensive reconstruction of the Circus Maximus, the great arena for chariot races
• Great reputation and very efficient
• Expanded Rome militarily
• Fell ill and died on August 9, 117 AD

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Trajan’s Forum

Trajan’s Forum

Trajan’s Column (Depicting success in Dacia)

Trajan’s Forum Today

Rome’s Best Emperors

• Marcus Aurelius
• Ruled from 161-180 AD
• Gifted general
• Philosopher
• Fell ill and died on March 17, 180 AD
• Empire began to erode under his son Commodus (end of Pax Romana)

Marcus Aurelius in the film Gladiator

A Republic Becomes an Empire

• Result: Rome is officially an empire.

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A Republic Becomes an Empire

• A Vast and Powerful Empire
• Peak of Rome’s power 27 B.C. to 180 A.D.
• Period known as the Pax Romana or “Roman Peace”
• Population of 60-80 million with 1 million in the city of Rome
• Rome held together through efficient means of government started by Augustus however many terrible emperors would gradually weaken the empire over the next 400 years
• Common coinage made trade easier

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More Roman Coins

A Republic Becomes an Empire

• “All roads lead to Rome;” the Romans built about 250,000 miles of roads

Ever heard this phrase…?

Not so much…

A Republic Becomes an Empire

• 90 % of the population were poor and slavery was common
• The Colosseum was used to distract the masses because much of city of Rome was unemployed; gladiatorial battles were popular for entertainment
• Rich continued to live extravagantly

Gladiatorial Battles

The Colosseum at Caesar’s Palace

A Republic Becomes an Empire

• Coming up next: The works of Jesus of Nazareth and Christianity would change the world forever

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Constructive Response Question

• Compare and contrast the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire using specific examples:
• What contributions did the Romans make to the cultural advancement of the world?