Chapter 5- Republican and Imperial Rome:
(1). Discuss Rome's geography and early
history, and the Etruscan's role and influence.
(2). Outline how Rome's constitution
emerged, and describe its structure.
(3). Describe the struggle of the orders
and the impact of the 12 Tables.
(4). Examine Rome’s domestic and overseas
expansion, and the resulting course of its wars.
(5). Discuss Greek influence on Rome's
social, religious, and educational
institutions.
(6). Discuss impact of Roman Imperialism,
and explain the significance of rise of Rome's "new man."
(7). Analyze the Republic's decline, and
the reasons for its collapse.
(8). Discuss Caesar’s role during the
latter stages of the Republic.
(9). Outline Octavian's role in
establishing the Empire's foundations.
(10). Examine Roman culture’s “high point”
during the late Republic and reign of Augustus.
(11). Discuss Roman Empire’s
administration, society, culture, and art & Literature during Pax Romana.
(12). Describe the rise of Christianity,
and the role of Jesus of Nazareth, Paul of tarsus, and martyrdom.
(13). Examine the political, military,
economic, and social origins of the Empire's Third Century Crisis.
(14). Analyze Diocletian's &
Constantine's response to empire's crisis.
(15). Describe and explain the factors
that contributed to Christianity's triumph during the late Empire.
(16). Examine Augustine's writings and
discuss their influence on early Christian doctrine.
(17). Analyze the problem for determining
the causes of the western Empire's decline.
(18). Examine Rome’s achievements and shortcomings as assessed in world
perspective.
v
Chapter 5 Overview:
Ø
Rome’s great achievement
=> world state
§
Political & legal universalism
§
In contrast to Greek
limitations of city-state mentality
§
Citizenship
throughout Empire
§
Empire wide system of law & citizenship
v
Prehistoric
Italy & Ancient Rome’s Geography (Map):
Ø
Tiber River
Ø
Adjoining more advanced
civilization
§
To South?
To North?
v
The
Etruscans: 7th & 6th
century expansion south:
Ø
Contributions to Roman
culture?
§
Religion, trade,
engineer skills, Greek alphabet,
§
Client-Patron, Military formations, Monarchial rule
Ø
Last of Etruscan Kings in Rome
§
Rome ejects Etruscans late 6th century BC
v
Royal Rome:
Ø
Government
§
Roman kings & imperium
§
Role of Senate
– true authority & power in practice
§
Role of curiate
assembly – Group voting
Ø
Family & Father’s
role & power
§
Theory vs. reality
Ø
Clientage
§
Patron’s role & responsibilities?
§
Client’s role & responsibilities?
Ø
Patricians vs. Plebeians
§
Political & $$$
power & influence
·
Closed caste of wealth, power, & privilege
§
Poor, dependent small
farmers & artisans
·
Clients of
Noble Patron classes
§
Holding the line =>
friction & future pressure for change
v
Republic’s early phase:
Ø
Role of religion in
Rome’s government?
§
Influence over time
§
Politics & law =>
rational & secular => Result?
Ø
Constitutional system evolved
§
Unwritten accumulation
of laws & customs
§
Government structure:
checks & balances
·
2 Consuls with imperium
¨
1 year terms =>
Senate for life
¨
Assistance: Quaestors
& $$$
·
Special circumstances:
¨
Dictator – six months
¨
Pro-consul – long military campaigns
¨
Praetors - judicial
authority
·
Censors – as power & prestige grew - career’s top goal
·
Senate
¨
Comprised of influential
patricians & clan leaders
¨
Power increased with end
of monarchy
·
Centuriate
Assemble
¨
Rome’s army acting in
political role
¨
Basic combat unit: century – classed according to $$
§
Growth of constitution
results in controversy & struggle
·
Between who & why?
Ø
Struggle of
the Orders (509 – 287BC)
§
Causes?
·
Monopoly of Patrician Power => tension
·
Plebian grievances? => Result?
¨
Plebian Tribal Assembly
¨
Elect Tribunes - role?
¨
Threat to strike?
·
Patrician reaction?
§
The Twelve
Tables – 450BC
·
Rome’s first written
Code of Laws – significance?
§
Later Patrician concessions
·
Intermarry
·
Access to formerly
restricted offices
·
Elimination of slavery
for debt payment
§
Tribal
Assembly powers steadily grow
over time
·
287 BC: Power to enact
laws without Senate approval
·
Significance?
¨
End of struggle &
beginning of constitutional system
Ø
Based on laws &
civic needs
Ø
Supercedes religion
& its priests (Patricians)
§
Mission of Rome’s
government as a result?
v
Rome and Carthage & the Punic Wars:
Ø
Carthage’s
expansion throughout Mediterranean (Map)
Ø
Rome’s domestic
expansion => Italy => Sicily (Map)
§
Enabling factors for
Rome’s expansion
·
People’s sense of unity,
purpose, and spirit
·
Military battle
formations superior to massed hordes
Ø
Perceived strategic
threat => “defensive” war of preemption
§
Security and protection
Rome’s allies
§
Preemption of potential
threat to Rome & its conquests
Ø
First Punic
War (264-241 BC)
§
Carthage expansion in
Mediterranean => Sicily
§
Percieved strategic
threat to Rome from Messana
§
Rome’s new Navy => operational strategy => siege
§
Result: Sicily, and later Sardinia & Corsica (238 BC)
·
Preparations by Carthage
in Spain for next round
¨
Metals, $$$, &
manpower
Ø
Second Punic
War (218-202 BC)
§
New Roman ally in Spain
– Saguntum
·
Rome’s friendship =>
protection
·
Saguntum
emboldened => interfere w/local tribes
·
Problem?
§
Local tribes are allied
with Spain’s cmdr- Hannibal
·
Ignores Rome’s warnings
to back off
·
Lays siege to Sarguntum => Rome declared war 218BC
§
Hannibal invades Italy via Alps – great achievement
·
Slash & burn Roman farms
·
Rome reconsiders
strategy of avoiding Battle
·
Battle of Cannae (216 BC) (Map)
§
Scipio Africanus in Spain
·
Forces withdrawal of Hannibal
¨
Wins all battles but
loses war
§
Hannibal’s
return prompts prep for one last battle
·
Zama (202 BC) – result?
Ø
Rome’s triumph in
Western Med proves too much for it
§
New Imperial System
§
The chance to profit on
conquered provinces
·
Corruption &
oppressive rule => resentment
·
Undermining Rome’s
values & principles
v
Rome’s Hellenistic Conquest:
Ø
Phillip V of
Macedon => opportunity knocking?
§
Alliance with Carthage
=> prompts Rome’s old fears
§
Rome initiates Macedonian wars => marches East
Ø
Rome defeats Phillip at Thessaly in 197 BC
§
Declare Greek cities
free & autonomous – 196 BC
Ø
Antiochus attempts to exploit opportunity in Greece
§
Soundly defeated at Magnesia in Asia Minor – 189 BC
§
Peace of Apamia
Ø
Rome admires Greek
culture (possible inferior complex)
§
Client –
Patron relationship not
appreciated by Greeks
·
Rome resents Greeks lack
of appreciation
Ø
Third Macedonian War – Perseus
§
Battle of Pydna – Perseus defeated 168
§
Harsher terms now
imposed on Macedonia
·
Macedon divided into 4
separate republics
¨
Intermarriage &
trade prohibited
Ø
Rome becomes more strict
& conservative (Cato)
§
Anti-Roman behavior
punished severely
§
Corinth completed
destroyed
Ø
Rome’s treasury benefits
from conquest
§
Property taxes repealed
§
Spoils of war
=> new motive for Roman conquest
Ø
Harsher attitude &
repression illustrated in Spain &
Carthage
§
Spaniards considered
Barbarians => Atrocities & lies
§
3rd Punic War both unnecessary
& highly punitive
v
Roman Republic & Greek Influence:
Ø
Religion – Greek
equivalents incorporated
§
Other new influences
from East during 3rd century BC
·
Worship of Cybele – Great Mother goddess
·
Dionysus & Bacchus rites banned by Senate
Ø
Education – Greek
influence on aristocratic sons
§
Greek teachers both
admired & resented
§
Homer and
the basis of a liberal education
§
Roman’s acquire
knowledge:
·
Scientific thought,
philosophy, medicine, & art
·
Adopt Humanist outlook
·
Roman writers use Greek
history, poetry, oratory
¨
Romans emphasize on rhetoric – why?
§
Creative assimilation of
Hellenistic ideas & values
Ø
Roman
Imperialism:
§
No grand plan or
strategy => preventive wars
·
Each victory led to wars
protecting new territory
§
Aftermath of Conquest
·
Impact of wars on returning
Veterans
¨
Hannibal’s
revenge
¨
Former soldiers lose
lands to rich landowners
Ø
Latifundia & division
of society
Ø
Gracchi Brothers
& land reform
§
Tiberius (133 BC) => Tribune who tried to reform lands
·
2nd Tribune’s
veto & constitutional crisis
·
2nd Term sought – (another violation of constitution)
·
Senate & patrician
reaction? Significance?
¨
Riot & killings
=> new bloody line crossed
·
Populares vs. optimates
§
Gaius (123-121 BC) => even more dangerous to Senate
·
Tribunes all
Gaius supporters => no veto of reforms
·
Proposal: new colonies
for landless veterans
¨
Two in Italy & one
in Carthage
¨
Also enacted price
controls on grain in Rome
·
Courted Equestrian classes for support
¨
Right to collect taxes
in Pergamum
·
Won reelection as
Tribune for another term
·
Proposal: Citizenship to Italians resulted in
lost support
¨
resolve discontent &
add new constituents to base
¨
Roman resistance to
proposal exploited by Senate
¨
Drive wedge & Gaius
loses election => vulnerable
·
Galius along w/3000
supporters put to death w/o trial
Ø
Marius &
Sulla
§
Jugurthine
War (111 BC) => drags on
§
Marius elected by people as consul => Numidia
§
Novus homo ? & popular political maverick
§
Innovative changes to Army recruiting system – impact?
·
Semiprofessional clients
loyal only to their commander
¨
Poor troops see means of
escaping poverty
¨
Generals now can exploit
loyalty for political gain
¨
Challenge civilian
authority => established precedent
§
Sulla –poor aristocracy & younger subordinate of Marius
·
Early resentment over
credit for Jugurtha’s defeat
·
Rivalry turns into
deadly civil war in Rome itself
Ø
Italian Wars (90-88 BC)
§
Romans refuse to give
Italian allies citizenship
§
Italian allies revolt
& establish own confederation
§
Roman strategy of divide
& conquer effective
§
Eventually all Italians
become Roman citizens
·
Maintain self-government
– cities thrive
§
With time =>
distinctions become blurred=> Italy
Ø
Sulla’s
Dictatorship (88 BC)
§
Established dictatorship
to reverse reforms => tradition
§
Gives up power &
retires => legacy?
v
Fall of the Republic:
Ø
Pompey =>
worked to reverse Sulla’s
constitution
§
Undermines power of the
Senate
§
Given Imperium over Med => $$ to clear it
of pirates
§
Senate fears his power
(expect Sulla type dictatorship)
§
Instead retires &
request honors & land for his troops
·
Jealous rival in Senate
refuse => push him into alliance
Ø
First
Triumvirate
§
Pompey,
Crassus, & Caesar
§
Informal agreement for
political purpose
§
Each seek separate goals
§
Only one would
ultimately win
Ø
Julius Caesar
§
Triumvirate
program enacted
§
Caesar gets
command & governorship of Gaul
§
Wins much glory =>
extremely popular in Rome
§
Pompey jealous & fearful => aligns with
Senate
·
Crassus dies
in Parthia
·
Pompey
conspires with Senate to defeat Caesar
§
Senate orders
Caesar to relinquish his command
·
Caesar crosses Rubicon => wins Civil War
§
Dictatorship for life
=> makes key rationale reforms
§
Then => 44 BC – Ides of March=> Republic’s
end in sight
Ø
Second
Triumvirate
§
Civil war ensues
following Caesar’s assassination
§
Mark Antony,
Lepidus, & Octavian fight assassins
·
Achieve victory at Philippi in 42 BC
·
Octavian controls
West & Antony takes East
·
Then fight each other in
ambitious struggle
§
Octavian
defeat Antony & Cleopatra at Actium
30 BC
·
Octavian now
most powerful & richest man in Med
·
Also signals end of
Roman Republic