Western Civilization

1. Western Civilization Chapter 5

2. Origins • Rome, as a dominant force in the Mediterranean, owed much to both geographical features and human resources • Geographical features: • Located in the middle of Mediterranean region • Had productive farmland • Had mineral deposits and good timber • Had mild climate – good for agriculture

3. Background: • 2000 B.C., Italy experienced invasions of Indo-Europeans who brought with them • technical skills • effective military • political skills • language that was basis for Latin

4. The culture of the Greek city-states in southern Italy and Sicily spread north • Etruscans, who were migrants from Asia Minor settling in Northern Italy near the Tiber River, proved to be a major influence • Etruscans had • technical skills -- economic trade practices • political techniques -- religious ideas • an alphabet, architecture (arch), sculpture, and Latin

5. Etruscan Territory

6. Near the mouth of the Tiber River were the villages that were to become Rome • It was a settling place for herder farmers • The area was called Latium with the villages arranged around the 7 PalantineHillls • Soon after 600B.C., the villages were united as one city-state by Etruscan warlord • A single government led by a king

7. 7 Palantine Hills

8. King had advisors: • Senate who were wealthy heads of families • Freemen who were the bulk of citizen body formed 2 assemblies • Curiae • Centuries

9. The city’s population was divided into 2 classes • Patricians who were the upper class and had great influence • Plebeians who were the ordinary folk Plebeians were usually known as clients. Patricians acted as their patrons offering legal protection, material assistance, jobs, political direction. They acted as patriarchs.

10. Patrician and Plebeian

11. Romans didn’t like Etruscan power and challenged them • Etruscans were also having trouble with Greeks and Carthaginians • Instability resulted • Romans were able to dethrone the Etruscan king • In his place were 2 patrician consuls elected annually • This marked the beginning of the Roman Republic, 509 B.C.

12. Early Roman Republic, 509 – 265 B.C. • Struggled at first • Rome asked other cities in the area of Latium for cooperation and formed the Latin League • The Latin League fought more battles with the Etruscans • Gaul then sacked Rome and Rome had to pay them tribute until 295 B.C. when Rome crushed Gaul • Rome came to dominate the Latin League and took control of it

13. Rome began to spread out and establish dominance in Italy • They fought the Samnites, the Gauls, and the Etruscans • Afterwards, they fought the Greeks to the south • Rome was quickly becoming a world power • had military organization • enlightened treatment of those conquered • established and deepened the loyalty of citizens

14. Military • known as Roman Legion • citizen army • masses of well-armed infantry soldiers who showed flexibility and independence of action when needed • formidable and tough to beat

15. Roman Legion

16. Treatment of those conquered • extended outright citizenship to many, especially in Latium • others in organized city-states were partial citizens • had the right to trade • had the right to marry Roman citizens • could not participate in Roman politics • owed financial and military obligations to Rome • could continue to govern themselves in most matters

17. Allies • lived a little further out in conquered territory • had local independence • had no control over foreign affairs • had financial and military obligations to Rome • assumed that at some point they could become full citizens Most conquered peoples still had a considerable degree of independence but were tied to Rome through taxes and the military. Most received the promise of future citizenship Their actions promoted allegiance and loyalty

18. Struggle of Orders • Two centuries after the start of the Republic, there was the “Struggle of Orders”, a conflict between Patricians and Plebeians • The Patrician oligarchy was under constant pressure to give Plebeians more voice in government • Plebs began to organize in response to Patrician control

19. Plebeians gained power gradually – mostly through threats and strikes • They threatened to secede, and they threatened not to act as soldiers • Each crisis was followed by bargaining and compromises • Plebeians eventually won important victories

20. 494 B.C. – plebeians gained the right to elect officials called Tribunes who had veto power • Tribunes had protection: anyone harming a tribune could be killed without trial • A new plebeian assembly developed called The Assembly of Tribes

21. 450 B.C. – written law called the Twelve Tables was passed • It codified ancient custom • It protected ordinary citizens from arbitrary decisions by patricians judges • It covered private, criminal, sacred, and public matters Other laws were enacted to protect debtors, to permit intermarriage of patricians to plebeians, limit patrician control of land, encourage colonizing, and give land grants to the poor

22. By 367 B.C., elective offices were gradually opened to plebeians, and they were allowed to become consuls • By 287 B.C., decisions of pleb council were binding on all citizens, patrician and plebeian alike • By 265 B.C., Rome was theoretically governed by the decisions of a total citizen body acting through its assemblies

23. By 265 B.C., the Roman Republic was outwardly a democracy, but it was still dominated by a wealthy landed aristocracy, still largely hereditary • Patricians still managed the elections and manipulated the Assemblies through the client system -- making deals for votes

24. Punic Wars • By 265 B.C. Rome was a major world power • It was fighting wars of expansion throughout the Mediterranean world • Their next opponent was Carthage, a thriving commercial empire • They were drawn into war over Sicily • Carthage tried to defend the Greek city-state, Messina from another Greek city-state, Syracuse

25. Carthage

26. Sicily

27. Rome intervened to keep Carthage from getting too close to their Republic • The result was the First Punic War (264-241 B.C.) • With help from the Greeks Rome won Carthaginian seaports and control of the waters around Sicily • Treaty in 241 B.C. named Rome the victor • Rome gained Sicily and a monetary payment from Carthage for war expenses

28. After the war, Carthage tried to rebuild its strength by conquering Spain • Rome was unaware for a time but then learned of Carthaginian actions when Carthage tried to take over a Spanish city that was a Roman ally • This led to the Second Punic War (218-201B.C.)

29. In this war Rome faced Hannibal who hated Rome • Hannibal brought his troops into Italy by a northern route through the Alps; enemies of Rome joined in • Rome was taken unaware • Beginning in 218 B.C. Rome challenged Hannibal and were defeated again and again • Rome knew it couldn’t win in a direct battle, so they settled for harassing his troops • Hannibal was in Italy for 15 years

30. Hannibal

31. Hannibal failed to totally defeat Rome • In 205 B.C. the Roman , Scipio Africanus was sent to Carthage to defeat the Carthaginians • Hannibal was recalled to help • Rome defeated Carthage at Zama in 202 B.C. • Treaty: Spain went to Rome No Carthaginian navy allowed Carthage received a heavy fine Carthage could not wage war outside of Africa without first getting permission from Rome

32. Carthage became a minor power • Rome was dominant in the western Mediterranean • Carthage continued to haunt Rome; they were afraid it would rise again • Out of fear and vengeance and under the pretense of a treaty violation, Rome attacked Carthage in the Third Punic War (149-146 B.C.)

33. It was a slaughter • Carthage was completely destroyed in 146 B.C. • They then threw salt on Carthaginian soil, so it would never rise again By 146 B.C. the Roman Republic controlled the whole rim of the Mediterranean

34. Ruins of Carthage

35. The Romans • Romans became more and more familiar with Hellenistic culture as they took over more of Alexander’s empire • Rome was still Roman • Rome was created by very practical, realistic, down-to-earth farmers and soldiers • Typical farmer worked a small farm, not a great estate

36. Farmers raised grain, beans, and hogs for his family to consume • They raised olives and grapes as a cash crop • They just squeaked by • These farmers were also the ones who became soldiers • They would plant and go off and fight • They returned home to harvest crops

37. Most soldiers were foot soldiers • There was also a cavalry -- elite equestrians (equus is Latin for horse) • The Infantry • Main fighting force • Used Greek phalanx idea for the Legion • 30 companies of 120 soldiers each, lined up in 3 rows • Used javelins & short swords

38. Great discipline and a chain of command • Constant training and preparation • Also used a catapult and built bridges as needed • If soldiers were victorious, they were allowed to kill everyone of the enemy and then pillage • Booty was then distributed among all of the Legion • As fighting became more international and soldiers were far away from home, they could no longer farm • As a result, many lost their farms to great estates • Without land, their sons were excluded from the military

39. Before 250 B.C., Romans had little interest in cultural life • They were occupied with war, politics, and making a living • Basic Roman Outlook: • Family life was close-knit and patriarchal with respect for authority • Agriculture made them realistic and practical • Warfare created a sense of duty to home & country • Religion : felt unseen spirits were in control

40. Romans borrowed Greek mythology and just renamed the gods • Roman religion was formal and unemotional All this made Romans sensible, unemotional, hardworking, disciplined, and practical people

41. Roman Family • The father was the master of the family • He was called the paterfamilias • Had authority over the wife, the children , and any slaves • Upon his death, authority passed to his son • Male dominated world • The girl became the responsibility of her husband and his family upon marriage

42. The man could divorce his wife easily: he returned her and her dowry to her father • Women were in charge of the moral education of her children • She was in charge of the household • It was the father who decided if a child would live or be left out to exposure to die • Defective child • Too many kids already • unwanted

43. Abandoned children could be adopted by others and/or sold as slaves • Often if these children lived, they would be slaves or prostitutes • If a family had no son, it could adopt one who would have the same legal rights as the other children in the family • Slaves were present in Rome -- treated well or not

44. The House • Domus • Center of everyday life • Simple low building • No outside windows ( protected from dust and noise) • Rooms arranged around an atrium, an open courtyard – provided sunlight • Collecting pools for rain water under the opening

45. Roman House

46. House was decorated with busts in niches of the walls and with wall paintings

47. Women • As the boundaries of the Roman Republic expanded, some women began to take a more active role in public life • Some escaped the authority of their husbands • Fewer fathers handed over authority to new husband • The daughter, in that case, would remain under her father’s authority until he died; then the woman would be independent of male authority

48. She would then manage her own affairs without asking her husband for permission • Women at this time were not legally related ti their children and not fully part of the husband’s family • They had sealed alliances with men • Fathers could force daughters to divorce in order to make a better alliance for her family • Divorce was commonplace in 2nd century B.C.

49. As the wealth of the Roman Republic increased, so did the wealth of some individuals who would make their homes and family members more elegant • Some lived well • Some had no homes at all • Housing was a problem • There were multi-storied apartment buildings

50. They were a fire danger because they were made of wood • Buildings were cramped • Rooms were 10 ft. square • There would be wealthy home, poor apartment buildings, and shopkeepers all crowded into the same area • This proximity could bring friction