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Chapter Five. The Rise of Rome p. 162-191. Why Do We Study Rome?. T he Roman constitution is a model for many democracies Roman architecture was unmatched until recently Romans were able to administer people well, while letting them keep their own culture
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Chapter Five The Rise of Rome p. 162-191
Why Do We Study Rome? • The Roman constitution is a model for many democracies • Roman architecture was unmatched until recently • Romans were able to administer people well, while letting them keep their own culture • Roman society was founded on principles of justice and fair treatment for themselves and foreigners alike
Geography: The Italian Peninsula • Peninsula lies in the geographic centre of the Mare Nostrum, “Our Sea” • Separated from the rest of Europe by the Alps • 1000 km long and 200 km wide • Divided down the middle by the Apennine Mountains • Few rivers that were navigable – most important were the Po River and the Tiber • Few good harbours • Built Ostia at the mouth of the Tiber to supply the city of Rome – “Portus”
Geography Part II • Generally fertile along the narrow coastal plains and in the river valleys • Increased reliance on Egyptian grain as the urban population increased • Climate is mild in winter and summer • Temperatures milder along the coasts • The relatively mild climate, general agricultural prosperity, seclusion from the rest of Europe, and central position in the Mediterranean were all important factors in the rise of Rome
The Etruscans • Controlled territory from the Po River to Cumae on the northern edge of the Bay of Naples • Power of the Etruscans limited by the Apennine Mountains • Much of what we know about the Etruscans come from their burial customs
The Etruscans Part II • Buried under great mounts or earth or hollowed out tombs • Tombs were made to resemble houses • Had relief sculptures and frescoes
The Etruscans Part III • The Etruscans may have been native to Italy or may have been immigrants from Asia Minor. • They were skilled artisans and accomplished traders.
The Etruscan Monarchy: Kings of Rome, 753 – 509 BCE • The period of monarchical rule lasted from Rome's mythical founding on 21 April 753 BC to 509 BC. According to the historian Livy, there were seven kings of Rome.
The Etruscan Monarchy Part II • Romulus (753 - 715 BC) was supposedly the son of Mars, the god of war, and a priestess, Rhea Silvia. • Their uncle Amulius had ordered the death of Romulus and his twin brother Remus. • The twins were thrown into the Tiber River and they eventually landed near Palatine, one of the Seven Hills of Rome, and the home of the Emperors. • A she-wolf suckled the boys until a shepherd found them. • The boys had a disagreement over the founding of Rome and Romulus killed Remus.
The Etruscan Monarchy Part III • NumaPompilius (715 - 673 BC) was supposedly a Savine and responsible for several religious innovations. • TulliusHostilius (673 - 641 BC) was known for his expansion of Rome's influence and his attack on Alba Langa, Rome's mother city in Latium. • AncusMarcius (641 - 616 BC) was known for his statesmanship and for resettling the Latins in Rome and granting them security.
The Etruscan Monarchy Part IV • Over time, the Etruscans extended their power to include Rome and replaced Roman kings with Etruscan ones. • L. TarquiniusPriscus (616 - 579 BC) built the great temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximum on the Capitoline. • In later times, Roman life was centred on the capitolium. • Priscusalso built the sewer system, which drained the valley between the Palatine and Aventine hills in Rome.
The Etruscan Monarchy Part V • ServiusTullius (579 - 534 BC) completed the city building started by Priscus. • L. TarquiniusSuperbus (534 - 509 BC) was the last Etruscan king. • He was overbearing and tyrannical. • His son, SextusTarquinius, raped Lucretia, which lead to a rebellion by the Romans.
Etruscan Influence on Roman Life • Several elements characteristic of Roman life include numerals, human blood sports, superstition • The high magistrates of the Roman Republic took over the purple garb and ivory thrones of the Etruscan kings • The symbols of authority over life and death -- the fasces -- were also taken over as well
The Roman Republic • The Roman Republic (Res Publica, public matter) lasted from 509 BC to 27 BC and can be seen as a battle between the Patricians -- the land owning aristocracy -- and the Plebeians -- the poor and landless. • The Roman Republic was known as the SenatusPopulusqueRomanus (the Senate and the People of Rome).
Assemblies • The magistrates were drawn from several assemblies. The Senate originally was a council made up of wealthy land owning males who advised the king. All patrician males with enough money could be members of the Senate.
Assemblies Part II • The Comitia Centuriatawas an assembly of all land-owning male citizens, which were divided into five electoral classes segregated according to wealth. • The wealthiest class voted first. • The job of this assembly was to pass laws presented to it by the annually elected senior magistrates.
Assemblies Part III • The Comitia Curiatacomprised the thirty divisions of the citizenry (curiae) from the three clans, Ramnes, Luceres, and Tities. • The job of this assembly was to confirm the magistrate's right to exercise the authority already given by the Comitia Centuriata.
Assemblies Part IV • The Comitia Tributawas composed of all citizens and could pass laws on behalf of all the people. • The ConciliumPlebiswas a tribal assembly much like the Comitia Tributa but aristocrats could not be members. • It passed plebiscita that had the force of law.
Magistrates • Two members of the Senate were elected to the position of consul and they were the chief magistrates of Rome. • Consuls were elected annually, and the senior consul had the power of veto over the junior one. • A dictator was an extraordinary position appointed by the consuls for a specified period, usually 6 months. • A dictator could rule without consulting any of the assemblies.
Magistrates Part II • The praetors were the magistrates under the consuls. • As the empire got bigger, more praetors were needed to help administer the empire. • Two censors held office for five-year terms. Censors had to have held the position of consul first. • Censors had to draw up the lists of Roman citizens.
Magistrates Part III • The aediles were originally assistants to the consuls, but eventually became responsible for the maintenance of roads, public executions, water, and official standards of measure. • The quaestors were annually elected officials in charge of administrating financial matters.
The People and Their Representatives • The Council of Plebeians was set up to give power to non-patricians and membership was restricted to non-Senatorial males. • Two tribunes were elected annually and they could even veto the decisions of consuls. • Gradually the number of tribunes was increased to ten
Growth and Maturity of the Republic • For 400 years, the Roman Republic underwent massive expansion and faced many dangers • The Gauls of Europe besieged Rome, but Rome recovered and fought back • Rome struggled for power over the sea as its desire for increased trade grew. This led to a war with the Carthaginians who were the greatest maritime power in the western Mediterranean
External Forces: The Punic Wars, 264-146 BCE • There were three clashes with the Carthaginians: • First Punic War 264 - 261 BC • Second Punic War 218 - 202 BC • Third Punic War 149 - 146 BC
The Punic Wars Part II • The word "Punic" is derived from the Latin word meaning Phoenician, referring the Carthaginian origins • The Second Punic War was the most dangerous time for Rome. • Hannibalwas the Carthaginian military leader of the time, and he ruled Spain as his own private kingdom.
The Punic Wars Part III • Hannibal led a land-based attack on the Romans by crossing the Alps. • Hannibal lost between 9 and 14 000 soldiers and 36 war elephants (26 000 soldiers and 1 elephant survived). • Hannibal led 4 great battles that led to huge Roman losses. • For example on 2 August 216 BC, at Cannae in southern Italy, over 50 000 from a Roman army of 86 000 were annihilated in one day
The Punic Wars Part IV • Hannibal managed to conquer most of the Italian peninsula, however he never captured Rome. • It took the Romans 14 years to drive Hannibal out of Italy and back to Carthage, in Northern Africa.
The Punic Wars Part V • Why did the city of Rome escape? • The Carthaginians saw no advantage in setting siege to a city that had been recently fortified • Hannibal was fearful of a city that after so many disastrous engagements could continue to raise army after army
Scipio Africanus • PubliciusCornelius Scipio was appointed by Romans to command in Spain and systematically rid Spain of the Carthaginians. • Scipio established a permanent and undeniable Roman presence in Spain
Scipio Africanus Part II • In 205 BC Scipio took an army to Spain and kicked out Hannibal. • He then crossed to Africa and ultimately captured Tunis in 203 BC. • After this, the Carthaginians sued for peace. • Hannibal returned to Italy while the peace terms were being considered and started up war once again. • Scipio joined with the Masinissa, king of Numidia, and defeated Hannibal at the Battle of Zama in 202 BC. • For this victory, Scipio was given the honorary name "Africanus".
Scipio Africanus Part II • In 199 BC, Scipio was elected censor and became the leading man in the Senate. • A lover of Greek things, he argued during his second consulship (194 BC) that mainland Greece should not be totally abandoned, but to no avail.
Scipio Africanus Part III • Scipio was eventually humiliated by a series of trials. • The trials were politically motivated and directed against his family • Scipio was also persecuted for his love of Greek culture. • Scipio retired from the city in 194 - 83 BC and died soon after • Scipio is important because it showed the potential that Rome had to dominate the rest of the Mediterranean.
The Punic Wars Part VI • After their defeat by the Romans, the Carthaginians were required to pay huge war reparations, forfeit their commercial empire, and dismantle their once-powerful navy. • This did not keep them from rising up again 50 years later. • Numidia, a neighbour of Carthage, appealed to Rome for help, and Rome responded by thoroughly defeating the city. • The entire city was plundered, burned, and ploughed under with salt -- a Roman curse of eternal sterility
Eastern Expansion and its Consequences • In the same year that Carthage was destroyed, the Romans also took over Corinth, the last independent Greek city-state. • There had been conflict in the Greek world since the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC. • After Alexander's death, his empire was divided into three parts, and the inheritors of these empires squabbled amongst themselves.
Eastern Expansion and its Consequences Part II • Added to these squabbles were the pirates who raided between the Italian and Balkan peninsulas, which resulted in Roman trading not being secure. • Rome also became entangled in a series of complicated dealings with the rulers of the post-Alexander kingdoms.
Eastern Expansion and its Consequences Part III • This all came to a head in 147 BC when a Senatorial deputation arrived in Corinth and was treated badly. • In 146 BC, the city was attacked, razed, and its treasures plundered.
Expansion and Colonization in Italy • Rome was also expanding its influence over the rest of the Italian peninsula. • The Latins, a neighbour to the south, had been given IusLatinum (Latin Rights), which meant they were not quite foreign and not quite Roman, but they were protected. • Eventually, the non-Roman magistrates of a town were given full-citizenship rights, while the rest of the town's inhabitants received Latin Rights and were obliged to pay taxes. • These towns were known as municipia.
Expansion and Colonization in Italy Part II • Colonies were created in strategic places were there were no inhabitants. • The coloniae were given full Roman citizenship. • Most of the colonists were retired soldiers or poor Romans who had moved to the colonies for a piece of land and the benefits of a rural existence. • The Via Appia, or Appian Way, was the first paved road leading to Rome. Colonies were placed all along the Via Appia.
Conflict at Home: Dissatisfaction in the Republic • An entrepreneur class had grown out of the more wealthy non-Senatorial masses. • The knights who originated this class realized that wealth and influence did not necessarily have to come from owning land, but also could come from owning businesses, something the Senators deemed "sordid".
Conflict at Home Part II • Tiberius Gracchus was elected in 133 BC as tribune of the people and he felt that he knew how to solve the problems of the urban poor. • Gracchus redistributed land to the urban poor, land that had been illegally taken by the richer Romans. • He also set up a Land Commission to distribute 10 ha plots. • When Gracchus announced that he would seek re-election as tribune, it resulted in a riot instigated by the Senate.
Conflict at Home Part III • Over 300 people, including Gracchus, were killed, however the Land Commission continued with its job. • In 123 BC, Tiberius's brother, Gaius was elected tribune. He had three groups to deal with: • The Senate who did not support the Land Commission • The urban poor who wanted land but did not want more Italians to receive Roman citizenship or Latin Rights • The Italians who were envious of the urban poor who had received land
Conflict at Home Part IV • Gaius tried to satisfy all parties: • He gave a free, monthly supply of grain to the urban poor • He proposed new colonies at Capua, Taranto, and Carthage to meet the needs of the urban poor and not irritate the Senate • He transferred control of the jury courts and awarded the lucrative business of overseas taxation to the entrepreneur class • He gave some rights to the Italians
Conflict at Home Part V • This resulted in all Roman citizens being offended because they feared the dilution of their privileges among the Italians. • They opposed the colonization of Carthage on religious grounds because Carthage had been cursed with eternal sterility.
Conflict at Home Part VI • All of these actions made Gaius very unpopular, and he was declared a Public Enemy in 121 BC, which resulted in him committing suicide. • The Gracchus brothers' failures were intensified in the years to come as the gap between rich and poor got bigger. • This resulted in the demise of the Roman Republic.
Citizenship in Italy • The Italians wanted a share of the privileges which they observed in the marketplaces, the for a and comitia of the colonies and municipia.
Citizenship in Italy Part II • Privileges of citizenship included • Protected in Roman civil law from the arbitrary exercise of power by a Roman magistrate • A child born to a Roman citizen was also a Roman citizen if the father had the legal right to marry the mother • Enjoyed a favourable tax status and were exempted from tribute in Italy • A slave freed by a full Roman citizen was himself automatically a Roman citizen, although always dependent on his benefactor
Citizenship in Italy Part III • A bitter "Social War" broke out in 90 BC and ended with the cruel suppression of the Italians in 89 BC. • The Romans then granted the citizenship to all Italians south of the Po River. • North of the Po, ordinary inhabitants were given Latin Rights and certain cities were made full coloniae.
