Roman Civilization Unit 6 UNIT 6: ROMAN CIVILIZATION UNIT STRUCTURE 6.1 Learning Objectives 6.2 Introduction 6.3 Origin 6.4 Establishment of the Empire 6.5 Archaic Society and Economy 6.6 Let Us Sum Up 6.7 Further Reading 6.8 Answer the Check your Progress 6.9 Model Questions 6.1 LEARNING OBJECTIVES After going through this unit, you will be able to- explain the origin of the Roman Empire, discuss the establishment of the Roman Empire and discuss the society and economy under the Roman Empire. 6.2 INTRODUCTION In the previous Unit, we discussed the development of art and architecture under the Greek civilization. The Unit also discussed the Greek philosophers who made a significant contribution to the world. Significant among them were Plato, Aristotle. In this unit we will focus on yet another ancient civilization, the Roman Civilization. Considered as one of the important ancient civilizations of the Western world it had its base in the ancient city of Rome in Italy in Southern Europe. 6.3 ORIGIN According to a myth, the ancient city of Rome was founded by Romulus in 753 BCE. Romulus was probably not a historical personage. History of Ancient Civilizations 53 Unit 6 Roman Civilization Historical remains found in a few excavations, however, prove that human habitation started in the Palatine hills, which had the origins of the city of Rome, in the eighth century BCE. Ancient Rome was a city-state. The city-state underwent expansion from the sixth century BCE. A part of the Roman Empire, known as the Eastern Roman Empire or the Byzantine Empire remained powerful and lasted till 1453 CE. It had immense contribution to the areas of art, architecture, literature, religion and trade. LET US KNOW In 1453 CE the Ottoman Turks captured the Eastern Roman or the Byzantine Empire, due to which the scholars of Europe fled to Italy, especially to Rome and thus began the famous social and intellectual movement called the Renaissance. The city of Rome was situated on the river Tiber and at a distance of twenty-five kilometres from the Tyrrhenian Sea (also known as the Etruscan Sea). Easy access from the sea routes to most of the areas of Italy made it a centre of trade and commerce on the one hand and vulnerable to foreign invasions on the other. Continuous foreign attacks made the Italian people experts in war affairs. The city was given natural protection by the surrounding hills and mountains. The Alps Mountains in the north protected Italy to a great extent from foreign invasions through land routes. The plain area of Italy was very fertile for the growth of agricultural activities. 6.4 ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EMPIRE The Roman Empire attained its height in the early second century CE. During this period, the Empire had its largest expanse. Then it spread to Southern and Western Europe, Middle-East Asia and North Africa. European countries like Spain, Britain, France, Greece, and Sardinia, the Asian regions like Syria, Mesopotamia, and Asia Minor and the African 54 History of Ancient Civilizations Roman Civilization Unit 6 countries like Libya and Namibia- were included in the Roman Empire of that time. Historical writing in the Roman territory began only in the third century BCE. Therefore, proper documentations of early Rome and of early Italy were not made possible. Scholars have reconstructed the history of early Rome and of early Italy on the basis of myths and later histories. There is evidence that Palaeolithic people lived in Italy nearly 200,000 years ago. The tribes that inhabited Italy during 1200-900 BCE were, however, migrants. These tribes migrated probably from Switzerland, a country situated in the north of Italy. They settled in Northern and Central Italy and reared cattle and cultivated crops. The earliest inhabitants of the city of Rome comprised mostly Latin people. They spoke Latin, which is a language of the Indo-European language-family. These tribes were joined by several migrated groups of people in the pre-Roman period (i.e., in the period prior to the establishment of Rome). The most important of these groups were the Etruscans and the History of Ancient Civilizations 55 Unit 6 Roman Civilization Greeks who migrated to Italy probably from Asia Minor and settled on the bank of the Po. They had advanced knowledge of warfare. They gave the Latins, armaments when the latter had to fight with the Sabines, another tribe of the pre-Roman times. In course of time, trade and commerce developed between the Latins and the Etruscans. This resulted in the birth of the city of Rome, named after its founder Romulus. The Etruscans established twelve city-states in Italy. Rome was one of them. The Etruscans had developed a script of their own which is yet to be deciphered. The Etruscans used metals like copper and iron. The famous Gladiatorial Combat was introduced in the Roman kingdom by the Etruscans. LET US KNOW The Gladiatorial Combat was a popular entertaining sport, in which one or two or more armed combatant(s) fought with similar combatant(s) or criminal(s) or animal(s) during the hey-days of the Roman Civilization. The Greeks migrated to Italy through the Mediterranean Sea and established city-states like Tarentum, Syracuse and Naples in Italy.The Greeks had a script of their own. Roman script is a development from a form of the Greek script. Several tribes migrated to Italy even after the establishment of the Roman kingdom in 753 BCE (along with the establishment of the city of Rome). The Gauls, a Celtic-Aryan tribe of Western Europe, invaded the Roman Republic and defeated the Roman people in battle in 390 BCE. However, finally the Roman people could send the Gauls back. A small number of Gaul people, however, did not return. They established themselves in northern Italy. In the third and second centuries BCE, the Roman Republic had wars with the Carthaginians (The Punic Wars) which helped the Romans to begin overseas conquests. 56 History of Ancient Civilizations Roman Civilization Unit 6 CHECK YOUR PROGRESS Answer the following questions: Q 1: Who were the earliest inhabitants of the city of Rome? ............................................................................................................ Q 2: Who were the Gauls? ............................................................................................................ Q 3: The city of Rome was situated on the bank of which river? ............................................................................................................ 6.5 ARCHAIC SOCIETY AND ECONOMY Society The conflict between the aristocratic class (the Patricians) and the general citizens (the Plebeians) was the most significant among the internal problems of the Roman Republic. The wealthy people having ownership of vast pieces of land were the members of Council. The high posts of the government like the Magistrates were under the control of the aristocratic class. The general people or the Plebeians were left to cultivation, craftsmanship and small trade. They were forced to pay heavy taxes. Moreover, they were forced to join the army. As a result, the general people were dissatisfied with the oligarchic rule (rule of a few powerful men) in the Republic, a rule which deprived them from their rights and privileges. The general people started the struggle to gain equal right as that of the aristocratic class in the social, political and religious matters. The Roman society was divided into four classes and this class division was very important to the Romans. The four classes were Patricians, Equestrians, Plebeians and the Slaves. Again, the family was the lowest unit of the society. The father was the head of the family. According to the ancient Roman law, the father had complete control over his wife and children. The adult sons were also under the control of the father. But later on the laws governing the family life were greatly relaxed. Among the four classes, the Patricians were the highest class of the History of Ancient Civilizations 57 Unit 6 Roman Civilization Roman society. They were the nobles of Rome and were very rich. They were the real masters of the state and all the real power of the Empire was enjoyed by this class. Economically, politically and socially these Patricians were the dominant group in the Roman society. They enjoyed a very high status in the society. Apart from that they also had extensive control over the Roman religion. The Patricians used to monopolize the Senate, which was the main organ of the Roman Republic. Only Patrician males could be members of the Senate and therefore all the laws were passed by the Senate in favour of the Patrician class. Thus, in a single word it can be said that the Roman Republic was ruled by a group of hereditary Patrician aristocrats. The second highest class in the Roman society was the Equestrians. They were sometimes called as the ‘Knights’. Originally they were the people who worked in the Roman Army and had their own horses (equus). To become an equestrian one had to be very rich. Later on they became a ‘middle class’ between the senators and the rest of the Roman citizen. The next class in the Roman society was the Plebeians. They were free common people and were poor and could not hold any state office. In the Roman society there was the law of debt by which any family could be enslaved for the non-payment of debts. It is very important that as the economic condition of the Plebeians was not very good, therefore they were always in debt under the Patricians. As a result of this the latter could enslave the former at any time. Later on the Plebeians put forward some demands in front of the Patricians.