• After Caesar died– His 18 year old

grandnephew Octavian joined forces with Marc Antony (Caesar’s general) and Marcus Lepidus

• Second triumvirate defeated Caesar’s assassins in 42BCE

End of the Republic

Octavian

Antony

Lepidus

Octavian forced Lepidus to retire from political life

Octavian declared war on Antony when he married Cleopatra

31BCE-Octavian’s forces fought sea battle at Actium in Greece◦ A year later, Antony and Cleopatra

committed suicide in Egypt to avoid capture

Octavian became undisputed ruler of Rome

Second triumvirate did not last long

Mark Antony

Cleopatra

• Octavian believed Rome needed one strong leader– Senate agreed and appointed Octavian consul, tribune, and

commander in chief for life-27BCE

• Octavian gave himself the title of Augustus-Majestic One

Background info…

• Rome became an Empire and Augustus was the Emperor.

Augustus Caesar

• a policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force.

Imperialism

• Imperial = empire = large area under single rule

• Failure to have change of power from one emperor to the next.

• Civil war giving rise to Octavian (Augustus) Caesar.

Reasons for Imperial Rome

• Left Senate in tact (mainly as advisors).• Civil service started to enforce laws.• Fair tax system

– Used a census to count all who should be taxedHow can a census help create a fair tax

system?• Put jobless to work building roads and

temples and sent other to farm• Economic life grew prosperous.• Under Augustus Pax Romana began

Under Augustus

• 31BCE- “Roman Peace”• Peace lasted for 200 years• Augustus chose his own heir carefully, but did

not derive any law for selection of later emperors.

• Problems arose when new emperors came to power

Pax Romana

• Caligula = crazy = favorite horse named a consul

• Nero persecuted the Christians and started a fire that destroyed most of Rome

• Hadrian had a wall created in Britain to hold back enemies

• Marcus Aurelius focused on philosophy

Emperors during Pax Romana

Hadrian’s Wall

• Augustus established a uniform system of money.– Enhanced trade.Why would establishing uniform system

of money enhance trade?• Guaranteed safe travel and trade on

Roman roads.• Prosperity and stability of economy.

Economic Impact of Imperialism

• Stability returned to social classes – end of civil wars.

• Middle class enjoyed more rights and a better life.

• Increased focus on family.How could focusing on family strengthen the

Roman Empire?

Social Impact of Imperialism

• Stable government.• Created a civil service system to make

internal improvements to Rome.– This also gave jobs to middle class.

• Developed a uniform rule of law for all of Rome.– Today Roman law is the foundation of law

that developed in Western Europe and the U.S.

Political Impact of Imperialism

• Rome embraced and adopted the culture of the Ancient Greeks.

• Conquest spread Roman culture and technology throughout Europe.

• Western civilization was influenced by the cultural achievements of Rome.What is meant by Western Civilization?

Roman Culture and Contributions

1. Art and Architecture

• Pantheon– Domed structure with seven recesses

to honor the gods of the planets.– Has open “eye” in the center to let in

sunlight (skylight).– Today it is a church in Rome.

Pantheon

Pantheon

Pantheon inside

Pantheon inside

Pantheon skylight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=305niNDG8c4

The Pantheon

• Colosseum

– Held 50,000 people.– Took a decade to construct.– Center for entertainment (gladiators,

Christian sacrifices, mazes, naval battles).

– Model for modern stadiums.

Colosseum

Colosseum

Colosseum inside

Colosseum inside

Touring the Colosseum

http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=0CCD2227-04DF-4B18-96A8-CB669BD61267

Video Clip: Unsolved History: The Roman Colosseum

Forum (video)• Public places for political debate.

• Contained a number of separate buildings.

Forum

Forum

Circus Maximus

• Rome’s race track – Chariot Races

• Believed to hold 250,000

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aksOAH7dYsQ – Overall view

CIRCUS MAXIMUS

Circus Maximus

Circus maximus drawing

Chariot Races

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AAHljDbGtA – BEN HUR CHARIOT RACE

2. TechnologyAqueducts

• Artificial channels for carrying water.– From mountains and springs to cities using

gravity.• From as far as 57 miles away.• Lofty arches built of stone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTMrfyAt6Mo

Aqueducts

Aqueducts in Rome

Inside aqueducts

Roman Town

Roads

• “All roads lead to Rome”• Built of stone, extended throughout Rome

for 180,000 miles.• Cement wasn’t needed because stones

were masterfully fitted together.• Connected the empire for unity.

What other civilization had a large road system?

Roman Roads

Roman Roads

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu94sFmNwMw

Roman Roads Map

• Rome borrowed heavily from Greek culture

• Blending of Greek, Hellenistic and Roman culture that spread as Rome spread

Greco-Roman Culture

3. Science

• Romans tended to leave scientific research to other people like the Greeks

• Ptolemy – mathematician/astronomer – proposed theory that Earth was at the center of the universe.– This was believed for 1,500 years.– His work allowed later astronomers to

predict the motion of planets.

4. Literature

• Romans stole the Greeks style of epic poems.

• Virgil wrote the Aeneid – tied to Homer’s Iliad.– Aeneid escaped from Troy—started Rome.– Described how Rome was established.– Won favor with Augustus by stressing

patriotism.

Cicero-published speeches

Ovid-wrote Metamorphose verses

Horace-poet

Livy-wrote history of Rome

Tacitus-condemned tyranny of Julian emperors◦ Germania-contrasted

life of Germans with Romans

Other Writers

5. Religion

• Roman mythology is still present today.• Names of planets still today named after

Roman gods.• Roman citizens allowed to worship freely

– But still had to worship Roman gods• Later Christianity emerged within the

Roman Empire.

6. Law

• The Twelve Tables– Provided legal and social protection of

patricians and plebeians.• Similarities today

– Innocent until proven guilty– Defend yourself– Face accuser– Solid evidence needed– Judges interpret the laws and make fair

decisions

7. Language

• Latin became the basis of Romance Languages.– Italian, French and Spanish

• Today many of our words come from Latin words.

Languages Pic.

Wealthy children received private education at home

Young men went to academies

Daughters did not attend academies-studied at home

Lower classes had basic knowledge of reading, writing, arithmetic for business

8. Roman Education

Rise of Christianity

Message and beliefs• Christians beliefs are centered around

Jesus.– Jesus – Jew born around 4 BCE in

Bethlehem.• Christianity is deeply rooted in the Jewish

religion.– One God (monotheism).– 10 Commandments– All people are equal before God.

Christianity

• Jesus called himself the Messiah or the Son of God.– His disciples thought he was the messiah, others

disagreed with him

• Jesus also preached NEW beliefs.– His mission was to bring spiritual salvation and

eternal life (life after death) to all that believe in him.

– His message was for everyone – gentiles.– He preached forgiveness rather than “Eye for an

Eye.”

Jesus was crucified (died on cross) because he was viewed as being a revolutionary who might lead the Jews against Rome.

According to disciples, Jesus arose from the dead (resurrection) and commanded them to spread his teachings.◦ His followers were called Christians.

Most of what we know about Jesus comes from the Gospels.◦Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John.

• Christianity began as a small group within Judaism.– Was in conflict with Roman polytheism.

• The message of Jesus and Christianity was spread after his death.

• Paul is credited with spreading Christianity.– Came from Asia Minor.– Never met Jesus– Converted to Christianity after he had a

vision.

Spread of Christianity

• Paul decided to spread Christianity out of Jewish communities to gentiles (non-Jews).– Set up churches from

Mesopotamia to Rome.

– Promised eternal life for all believers.

• Peter first pope

• Today Christianity is the main religion of Europe, Russia, and North and South America.

• During the Roman Empire, many Christians were persecuted because of disloyalty to Rome.– Christians refused to

honor the emperor as a god and rejected military service

• Emperor Nero was the worst – sacrificed Christians in games at the Colosseum.– threw martyrs into

stadiums to be killed by wild beasts in front of crowds

Persecution of Christians

• Christianity was a religion of cities and had a big influence

• Persecution only strengthened its following

• Persecution lasted until 300sCE

• Different varieties of Christianity flourished

Persecution and Competition

Under Emperor Constantine, Rome allowed Christianity in 313 CE.◦ Edict of Milan – gave

religious freedom to all people in the Roman Empire.

• Christianity became the official religion of Rome in 395 CE under Emperor Theodosius.– He banned all old

Hellenistic and Roman religions.

Rome Converts to Christianity

• 100-500AD: Church Fathers wrote books explaining Christian teachings

• Augustine– Wrote Confessions– Leading church official in North

Africa– Wrote City of God-first history of

humanity from Christian viewpoint

The Early Church

– Pope was the leader of the Catholic Church.

– Bishops directed churches in religious services.

– Priests served in parishes (churches).

Christian Social Order

• Marcus Aurelius (161-180 CE) is considered to be the last great emperor of Rome.

• He led Rome through Pax Romana.– Pax Romana ended soon after the death of

Marcus Aurelius.– 192 CE, Rome began to split apart as the

army began choosing emperors.

Causes for the Fall of the Roman Empire

Economic Causes• Poor harvests

• Trade disruptions

• Inflation and devalued currency.

• Rising cost of defending Rome’s borders.

Social CausesLoss of confidence in the Empire.

Corruption and lack of patriotism.

Social inequalities.

Christian beliefs.

Political Causes• Political instability over 50 years with 26

different emperors.• Partition (dividing) of empire.

– Diocletian in the West & Constantine in the East • Capital moved from Rome to Byzantium.

Military Causes• Threat of

barbarians and Persians to Invade

• Troops no longer loyal- fought each other

• Rome simply got too big to manage.

• 284 – 305 CE – Diocletian ruled the Empire.– Tried to save Rome by dividing it into and

Eastern and Western Empire– Eastern capital was Byzantium, Western

capital was Rome.– Tried to divide Rome to make it easier to

manage.

Attempts to Save Rome

• 312 – 337 CE – Constantine ruled the Empire.– Built a great capital at Byzantium and

renamed it Constantinople.• Modern day Turkey.

East-Byzantine Empire

West- Roman Empire

• Now there were two empires.– The western empire was less prosperous than

the eastern empire.

– Harder to defend Eastern Rome against attacks from German barbarians.

– During the 400’s invasions came from the Huns (under Attila the Hun), the Germans, and other groups trying to weaken Rome’s control.

End of Rome

• German Invaders: Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Vandals, Franks, Angles, Saxons

• Visigoths most important– 378CE-rebelled against Roman rule

and defeated Roman army

The Huns◦Nomadic group from

Central Asia◦Led by Attila◦Raided eastern empire

then moved north to Gaul◦451CE-Romans and

Visigoths united to stop the Huns

◦Attila turned to Italy He died in 453 and the Huns

retreated to Europe

• 476 CE Fall of the Western Empire– Eastern Empire (Byzantine Empire) lasted

another 1000 years

• Roman Empire controlled by Germanic tribes after “fall” of Rome– Fought against each other– Had no experience in governing an empire– Franks/Goth split Gaul– Vandals sacked Rome

• The Roman Catholic Church survived and came to rule in the city of Rome and the surrounding areas