Europe/Mediterranean Civ.
Tiber River/ Good land / Climate/ Food surpluses – reason for quick growth and expansion
Motive for expansion was Domination of the Mediterranean trade
Political Practices
Roman Republicanism (senate) Vs. Hellenistic Absolute Monarchy (legacy)
Republic- government of elected officials an elite class 1st representative form of gov’t – Republic – led by Senators Aristocrats voted into office by citizens
Roman Empire – First Emperors /Julius Caesar, Octavian (Augustus) military dictators–Empire is centralized by the Emperor limited power of the Senate
Roman Military- Legions regulated borders /Political Power of Rome often was contested between military Generals
Pax Romana- Golden age of Rome during the empire
Superior discipline and order- Military
Social Structure
Society was divided into Citizens and non-citizens – society was hierarchal
Laws of nation- equal laws throughout the empire
Rulers/Bureaucrats/military/farmers, traders/ foreigners and slaves
Rural farmers and Urban Poor, Wealthy Romans and Slaves- Wealth and ancestry/heredity determined a person’s place in society. The Wealthy Spoke Greek and learned to read, studied philosophy, and literature, as well as math and sciences (high Culture) Elite
Plebeians-poor - Masses 80% low culture
Patricians- rich- (high Culture) Elite dominated government and local towns 20%
Gender Relations
Patriarchal society- males domination/ over his wife and children
Women could not vote/women could divorce/ women dependent on fathers/Brother’s will until marriage
Roman women were freer than Greek Women generally/ Poor women were freer than the wealthy
Roman women had influence within the family
Religious Practices
Polytheism initially- Worship of Gods similar to Greek Gods
Christianity – later Adopted by Emperor Constantine
Technology/innovation
Roman Strength was in the field of technology / Science
Civil Engineers /domes/Concrete/Bridges/Royal Roads/Ballistic military weapons/ aqueducts/Heat system/plumbing
Wars
Carthage – Major trade center in North Africa settle by Phoenicians – Romans will fight 3 majors wars against Carthage known as Punic Wars
Hannibal – African General known to have defeated Rome in the 2nd Punic War
Roman wars will increase the size of the empire- North Africa, Greece, Turkey, and Middle East -western Border
Rome- faced invasion from Germanic Tribes/Barbarians and internal rebellion in the Middle East from Jewish population in (Judea)
Trade Networks
Romans controlled the entire Mediterranean trade network (heavy international trade and wealth came from the North of Africa and the Middle East
Romans traded through the Silk Road as well
Migration /Expansion
Roman expansion happened through War campaigns
Superior Military and superior technology and discipline
Eventually Roman Empire is divided into Western and Eastern Regions as Empire begins to fail
Roman Capital in East Byzantium- Which becomes the center of a new Christian Empire in the East in the middle ages- Byzantine Empire-Preserved Christianity and Roman Culture in the middle ages.
Slavery
Widely practiced in Rome- Slaves constructed public buildings –aqueducts, baths, theaters, coliseum, temples, and were often gladiators
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