Chapter 15: the Roman Empire

The Roman Empire Study Guide – Accommodated

The Rule of Augustus  He was called princeps, or first citizen, Pater Patriae, or Father of the Country and Augustus, revered one.  He made power look balanced by keeping the assemblies and making senators feeling honored.  He made boundaries easy to defend by choosing natural borders – North: Rhine and Danube Rivers, West: Atlantic Ocean, and South: Sahara Desert.  Augustus was not interested in gaining new territory. He wanted to work on governing the exiting empire well.  To make sure people were not overtaxed, he started a census – population count.

Pax Romana  Augustus brought peace to Rome for 200 years. This was called the Pax Romana.  Trade increased because there were no tariffs, the seas were cleared of pirates and business boomed.  New laws had to be written that would be fair for non-Romans – different laws were needed for different territories.

Daily Life  The Rich lived in marble houses called domus.  Most poor Romans lived in apartment houses called islands that were six or more stories high.  Life in Rome was crowded and expensive  Children went to school to the age of 12. Formal education followed.  Politicians looking for votes staged the gladiatorial games during the republic. Under the empire, the games were staged by the government.  The most exciting chariot races were held in the Circus Maximus, an arena that could seat more than 200,000 people.

Fall of the Empire  There were three main reasons why the Roman Empire fell: o There was no written rule who should succeed an emperor. . Unpopular Commodus was strangled by his bodyguard, the Praetorian Guard. . The army and its power put 37 emperors in power in a 100 year period. o Roman began taxing its people unfairly and a period of inflation was suffered. o Germanic tribes crossed the northern borders and raided settlements.  Diocletian established rule by divine right- the emperors power came from god, not the people.

 Constantine I divided the huge empire into two parts. o He issued orders than sons had to follow their fathers’ trades. o Many wealthy landowners left Rome and moved to their villas in the country.  Germanic tribes defeated the Roman legions at the battle of Adrianople because their cavalry had use of the stirrup.  Romans were not able to force Germans from Gaul back across the border.  Alaric invaded, captured and burned Rome in 410 AD.