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The Roman Empire. Coach Parrish OMS Chapter 8, Section 2. Ruling an Empire. When Augustus came to power, Rome had already began to expand its empire. Rome controlled all of the lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.
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The Roman Empire Coach Parrish OMS Chapter 8, Section 2
Ruling an Empire • When Augustus came to power, Rome had already began to expand its empire. Rome controlled all of the lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. • Rome referred to the Mediterranean Sea as mare nostrum meaning “our sea.”
Power of Augustus • Augustus was an intelligent ruler who respected the senate and avoided acting like a king. (He tried to avoid the fate of his father.) • Because the Romans were enjoying wealth and prosperity, they gave Augustus as much power as he wanted.
Governing Conquered Peoples • The Romans took some conquered people as slaves. To help govern, they divided the empire into provinces. Province – area of an empire, had a Roman governor supported by an army. • Rome kept its conquered people happy by allowing them to continue their traditions and cultures.
The Five “Good Emperors” • Once Augustus died in 14 AD, the next 82 years were spent with good, bad, and terrible emperors. • Two of the worst were Caligula and Nero. Both were perhaps insane. Caligula claimed himself a god and treated the people unfairly. Nero murdered his half-brother, his mother, and wife. Eventually Nero took his own life.
The Five “Good Emperors” • In 96 AD, Rome entered the age of the good emperors. The greatest of the five good emperors was Hadrian. His laws protected women, children, and slaves. He issued a code of laws that applied to everyone. • Hadrian also commissioned a wall to be built across Brittania to keep out invaders from the north. • The last of the good emperors was Marcus Aurelius.
Empire in Decline • During the reign of Commodus (Aurelius’ son), the empire began to decline. Bad government, economic problems, and foreign invaders helped contribute to the fall of the empire.
Greek Influence on Rome • The Romans greatly admired Greek achievements. Historians claim that Hadrian spoke better Greek than Latin (The language of Rome). • Greece primarily influenced Rome in two ways: • Religion • Building on Ideas
Religion • Greek religion influenced Roman religion. The Romans were polytheistic like the Greeks and gave sacrifices and gifts to their many gods. • As the empire expanded, the Roman people adopted gods from other regions as well.
Building on Ideas • Like the Greeks, the Romans valued learning, but in different ways. The Romans built their empire using architecture and engineering they learned from various Greek subjects.
The Roman Style • Roman statues and buildings were heavier and stronger in style that those of the Greeks. The Romans made advances using the arch. Arch – curved structure used as a support over an open space. • Romans developed the use of concrete. Concrete helped them build the world’s tallest buildings of the day.
Colosseum • The Romans’ most impressive structure was the Colosseum. Colosseum – site of contests and combats between people and between people and animals. • The arena held between 50 – 70 thousand people. The walls were so well built, the floor could be flooded for mock naval battles. Elevators also existed to help carry animals and people to the surface.
Colosseum Interior View Exterior View
Roads and Aqueducts • Roman engineers built roads from Rome to every part of the empire. “All roads lead to Rome.” The roads helped both people and the army move quickly around the empire. • Rome was also famous for its aqueducts – structures that carried water over long distances. The aqueducts help supply water to the Roman cities.
