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Home , Plebeians

Mediterranean Society: The Roman Phase

Kingdom of : 8th C BCE – 509 BCE Marcus : 509 BCE – 49 BCE Lucius Punic Wars: 264-146 BCE Julius Marc Antony/ Civil Wars: 87 BCE – 49 BCE : 49 BCE – 476 CE Octavian () Roman Republic: 509 BCE – 49 BCE

Punic Wars: 264 -146 BCE •Fought over Sicilian grain supply •70,000 soldiers and 37 elephants crossed the Alps into Italy • Romans spread salt in • Rome eventually defeats Carthage for control of Mediterranean •Hannibal drinks poison rather than be controlled by the Romans (50,000 = ) Roman Republic: 509 BCE – 49 BCE Structure of Government Consuls Senate • Chosen by the Senate • Main lawmaking body • 2 chosen each year • 300 Patricians appointed for life • Head of State – commanded army • Controlled foreign affairs • Could become Dictator for 6 • Selected Dictator months in times of need • (I forbid) power over Senate Assembly • Elected by the Plebeians • 2 to 10 Chosen by • Approved Consuls • Could Veto actions of the Consuls • Later given power to pass laws and the Senate

(For Adult White Male Citizens) : The

• Finally in 450B.C. the laws were engraved on 12 bronze tablets called the Twelve Tables. They were displayed in the , so all citizens could see their rights. • First written law code in Rome – written in 451 B.C.E. • All Free citizens had equal protection under the law. • Protected the rights of the Plebeians

Marriages between plebeians and patricians are forbidden

An obviously deformed child must be put to death.

A person who admits to owing money or has been adjudged to owe money must be given 30 days to pay.

If a father sells his son into slavery three times, the son shall be free of his father Cincinattus Consel, then Dictator 458-439 BCE

His immediate resignation of his near-absolute authority with the end of the crisis has often been cited as an example of outstanding leadership, service to the greater good, civic duty, lack of personal ambition and modesty. SOCIAL concerns with expansion…

ECONOMIC concerns with large # of slaves (LITTLE incentive for innovation and new technologies)

Latifundia =unfair advantage for wealthy landowners

Less wealthy landowners lost their land when they were obliged to do their military service….

# of slaves increased with expansion AND slaves needed to work on the latifundias……

Demanded fair treatment- SPARTACUS Rebellion 73 BCE Roman soldiers killed 1000s, executed another 6000 by crucifixion How did the Roman Republic treat conquered peoples? How did this change with the transformation to empire?

Expansion of Republic w/ military threats and incentives: tax incentives/ trade privileges/ promise of / let them govern their own affairs/ couldn’t make a military alliance with anyone else/ had to provide soldiers and military support for the empire (Private armies??) Bros? Republic (Caesar): gave citizenship to provinces/ confiscated land from conservative Plebian aristocrats and gave to veterans and supporters/ eased the suffering of the poor members Empire (Augustus): more centralized… Roman Empire: 49 BCE – 476 CE r. 1 Januaryb 49 BCE – 15 March 44 BCE

r. 49 BCE – 49 CE

“All Roads Lead to Rome”, Bridges, standardized currency, aqueducts, State courier systems, direct taxation, patron of the arts Innovation: The Arch and the Dome

Colosseum: 70-80 CE Naumachia: simulated naval battles in the

Romans: heavy use of slave labor to sustain the empire: how does a heavy reliance on slave labor discourage technological innovation? (we already know the answer) Roman Baths

Circus Maximus: Chariot race track 2000 ft long/ 400 ft wide: 27,000 spectators

Roman Arch: Spain

Corbel Arch: Mesoamerica Roman Road: Pantheon: temple of the gods At peak: = 54,000 miles

Roman Milestone

Roman Milestone Christianity, based on core beliefs about the teachings and divinity of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded by his disciples, drew on Judaism and Roman and Hellenistic influences…

Search for tranquility… Religions of salvation…...

• Taught to observe high moral standards/ aid others

• Place faith ahead of person and family interests

• Explained the world and human history as the result of God’s purposeful activity

• Provided a framework of meaning

• Taught people to repent/ask forgiveness Paul of Tarsus? Appeals to…..

Social: !! Development and Transformation of Patricians/ Plebeians/ Women did have influence in domestic sphere/ social structures one third of the population were slaves Internal unrest: rebellions of the plebeians/ land issues/ slave revolts S (Spartacus: army of 70,000 slaves) Immigrants were attracted to Rome/ ? population at height= 60-100 million Plebians? Consuls? Senate? Political: Monarchy>Republic:>Empire/ Punic Wars/Carthage? (Effects?) State-building, Expansion of republic? /Gracchi Bros/ Sulla? Civil Wars Tribune? P expansion and conflict Dictator? ? /”Dictator for Life” 46 BCE/ killed 44 BCE “ ” Policies? Augustus? (Octavian) 27 BCE monarchy disguised as a republic died 14 CE No private armies/ well organized army and navy 12 Tables/ “Innocent Until Proven Guilty”, right to challenge your accuser in I court 117 CE- approx. 323 CE period of great expansion/ no policy for dealing with domestic unrest….. Only “Bread and Circuses” C (Evolution of treatment of conquered peoples??) Interaction Mediterranean- eventually would include are as far east as Anatolia/Armenia, Between humans and south to Egypt, present day Morocco, Britain and Wales: 2.2 million square the environment miles at its height

E * Architecture: Concrete, Arch, Aqueducts, Fountains, Forum, Stadiums, Public Baths and Sewers/Postal System (greatly expanded during period of empire) Culture: Polytheism: Roman deities/ many adopted from Greece/ Development and interaction Stoicism: adopted from the Greeks: active life, help others, scorn accumulation of of cultures wealth, live by reason according to nature S Cults: Isis Judaism (Romans had problems w monotheism & refusal to accept state gods) Romans eventually crush Jews (66-70CE); Essenes/ Dead Sea Scrolls

Religions of Salvation: P Mithraism: no women, appealed to military, adopted from Zorastrianism and emphasized strength and courage Christianity: moral code, divine nature of Jesus, New Testament records teachings= Romans crucify him (Paul of Tarsus??) Variation on doctrine/ rituals/ resurrection/ I role of women…

Economic: Republic: agriculture/ latifundia?/ problems with land distribution/ Creation, expansion and Empire: Mare Nostrum: Navy = trade free from pirates/ economic C interaction of economic Specialization/ wealth of Rome fueled great urban development/ Roads, systems communication, mileposts, services encouraged growth of trade Taxes and tribute collected Great wealth encouraged conspicuous consumption/ wealth in provinces E encouraged growth of cities there/ development of infrastructure there