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

1. 6 Rome and the Barbarians The Rise and Dismemberment of Empire 750 b.c.e – 500 b.c.e.

2. 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

3. 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 checks and balances

6. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. Social World of the Late Republic • “Bread and circuses” • Slaves • Very widespread slavery • Three great slave revolts

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

17. 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

19. Roman Culture • The deep influence of Greece • Virgil and the rhetoric of greatness • Stoicism

20. 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

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

25. 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

26. 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

28. 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

29. Transformation of the Roman Empire • Causes for the “fall” • Military = too expensive for its economic base • No fixed system of imperial succession • Germans

31. 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

32. Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) • Religious Disputes • Monophysites • Iconoclasm • Build-up of strong Byzantine bureaucracy

34. Legacy of the Roman Empire • Linguistic • Legal • Urban • Transformation of Roman administration by Christian church