Romes Mediterranean Empire
753 BCE 600 CE Early Rome Latin speech of culture common of indigenous population
Present Day Italy Latin speech of culture common of indigenous population Etruscan immigrants arrive in 7th Century BCE Republic of Farmers 753 BCE 31 BCE Agriculture key economic activity Land ownership determined wealth, social standing, etc. Council of Elders = large land owners Dominated politics, senatorial class Introduction of Roman Republic
Republic of Farmers 7 Kings, last = tyrant overthrown by Brutus establish res publica (Republic) Roman Republic 507 BCE 31 BCE Not democracy power w/ assembly Highest power = 2 counsels over the senate Senate = wealthy landowners, self perpetuating, life time service Roman Republic Social inequality Conflict of Orders fights B/T upper class (Patricians) and lower class (Plebeians) 12 Stone Tablets (published laws)
Plebeians would refuse to work and sometimes leave to gain social/political influence 12 Stone Tablets (published laws) Tribunes: lower class group (elected) who could veto acts passed by the Senate Elite able to sidestep some reforms by expanding elite to encompass some Plebeians Roman Republic Basic unit of society = family, leader oldest male (paterfamilias) Patron/Client Relationships wealthy & influential person bound to a lesser family/individual Patron = legal advice, protection, loans, etc. Client = support in battle, work land, support politically Women-childlike under the eyes of the law always under male
Overtime gained status married but under dad (able to gain freedom upon death of father) Inequality accepted and reinforced by systems of mutual benefits Pax deorum contract B/T gods and state, Romans tried to maintain the peace w/ gods Expansion of Roman Republic
Why?? Greed, State Structure reinforced expansion, Fear Land owning men had to serve in military Sophisticated armor Conquered ppl offered economic, political, and legal privileges of Rome Military service required in return Expansion of Roman Empire
BCE 2 battles against Carthaginians, Rome = conquered W. Mediterranean (1st overseas provinces) BCE Rome vs. Hellenistic Kingdoms 59-51 BCE conquered Celtic ppl of Gaul (France) under Julius Caesar 1st European break Expansion of Roman Empire
@ 1st didnt extend citizenship to far away provinces elite groups given autonomy Roman Senator sent to govern = Provincial Administrator eventually failed B/C officials were not good and selected B/C of connection and not ability Decline of the Republic
When landowning peasants were fighting farms turned into latifundia or large farms/estates by upper classes Latifundia shifted production to wine B/C create bigger profit, but at What Cost?? Cities depend on imported grain Peasants couldnt find work (B/C cheaper slaves) decline in peasant farmers shortage of military (landowners) Property less, poor men accepted into the army loyalty w/ army leader not state civil wars & factions Roman Principate Octavian/Augustus (63 BCE-14 CE) kept up pretenses but completely altered power military dictator, began Roman Principate Ruthless & manipulative aligned w/ equites (Italian merchants & land owners) The center of political action in the Roman Republic was
a.the Council of Nobles. b.annually elected civic officials. c.the Senate. d.the Plebeian Council. e.the Congress of Monarchs. The center of political action in the Roman Republic was
a.the Council of Nobles. b.annually elected civic officials. c.the Senate. d.the Plebeian Council. e.the Congress of Monarchs. Which statement is true about Roman women?
a.They were equal to Roman men. b.They had no say in family matters. c.They exercised influence over husbands and sons. d.They were required to provide ten years of military service. e.They were powerless and virtually slaves in their own homes. Which statement is true about Roman women?
a.They were equal to Roman men. b.They had no say in family matters. c.They exercised influence over husbands and sons. d.They were required to provide ten years of military service. e.They were powerless and virtually slaves in their own homes. Which of the following was NOT a contributing factor to Roman expansion?
a.aggressive fans of war in Rome. b.the short term of office of the Consuls in the senate c.the desire to acquire buffer zones protecting them from attack by enemies. d.the mandate to impose their religion on neighboring regions. e.the presence of a large, well maintained army. Which of the following was NOT a contributing factor to Roman expansion?
a.aggressive fans of war in Rome. b.the short term of office of the Consuls in the senate c.the desire to acquire buffer zones protecting them from attack by enemies. d.the mandate to impose their religion on neighboring regions. e.the presence of a large, well maintained army. For a period of over 60 years, Rome fought a war of expansion with which people?
a.Lebanon. b.Israel. c.Carthage. d.Persia. e.Scythians. For a period of over 60 years, Rome fought a war of expansion with which people?
a.Lebanon. b.Israel. c.Carthage. d.Persia. e.Scythians. During the Republic, Romans managed their imperial territories by
a.brutal domination and conquest, enslaving local populations. b.establishing a system of satrapies and using local leaders to enforce Roman power. c.nonoccupation and little interaction other than tax collection. d.establishing a provincial administration and sending a Roman senator to oversee matters. e.dispatching the army to occupy the area and bring the locals into line. During the Republic, Romans managed their imperial territories by
a.brutal domination and conquest, enslaving local populations. b.establishing a system of satrapies and using local leaders to enforce Roman power. c.nonoccupation and little interaction other than tax collection. d.establishing a provincial administration and sending a Roman senator to oversee matters. e.dispatching the army to occupy the area and bring the locals into line. Succession & Role of Emperors
Not hereditary, theoretically senate chose but actuality = military 2 CE ruler selectadopt a son that is mature and able to succeed Role of Emperors deified after death (complete abandonment of republic), wrote new laws (supplement 12 tabs) Empire State Structure
Urban Empire administered thru cities, urban ppl benefited most Upper class lived in townhouses on hill centered around atrium Lower classes lived in cramped slums City/town structure mimicked Rome Empire State Structure
Landownership end of conquest caused decrease in slaves moved towards tenant farming lived and farmed the land in return gave up portion of crops Wealth concentrated in cities City ppl wealthy off of commerce pax romana peaceful trade of resources and goods throughout empire Also allowed spread of culture Romanization Empire gradually extended citizenship in return for 26 years military service, good service, etc. Extension of citizenship led transition into commonwealth eventually intellectuals and emperors from other places Rise of Christianity Judaea under Roman control 6 CE
Roman/Jewish tensions Jews wait for liberator Jesus upset Jewish authority who turned him over to the Romans, sentenced to die Followers (apostles) believed he was the messiah and sought to spread his teachings & their beliefs Initial split Jews that followed apostles & belief JC was messiah & those that retain traditional Jewish beliefs Paul established Christian communities Rise of Christianity Christians grew slowly & appealed to disenfranchised groups developed hierarchy of priests Persecuted by Romans B/C monotheism doesnt allow emperor worship Technology Easiness & safety of travel helped the expansion of Christianity & commerce Engineering experts roads, bridges, arches, fortifications, etc. Aqueducts underground conduits that move water from source to city 3rd Century Crisis CE economic, political, & military problems nearly cause collapse of Empire Frequent change of rulers = instability Rise of Germanic tribes Inflation, decline of municipal aristocracy, population shift out of cities Constantine Diocletian saved Rome from destruction fixed prices, froze professions Caused the creation of a black market Eventual successor = Constantine believed Christian God helped him win a crucial battle issued Edict of Milan: end persecution of Christians and allowed freedom of worship Major impact in history ppl began converting B/C Christians had advantage over nons when seeking political offices Moved capital to Byzantium Constantinople Byzantine & Germans Split B/T E & W parts of Empire Grks in West under influence of Germanic ppl East known as Byzantine Empire (from Constantine name) 335 Council of Nicaea resolve disputes over Christian doctrine next several centuries continued to argue about theology Christianity progressed through the cities B/C rural ppl stuck with polytheism Byzantines & Germans Religion didnt interfere w/ expanding the empire Justinian took back N. Africa from Germans Compiled 1000 yrs of Corpus Juris Civilis (Body if Civil Law) W & E officially split after 395 eventual decline of Rome, last Roman empire in 476 Decline of Rome 530 Rome in shambles W fragmented in Germanic kingdoms Rome lost importance but retained seat of patriarch of Roman church Pope Latin language evolved into romantic languages The Origins of Imperial China: 221 B.C.E-220 C.E. The Qin Unification of China, 221207 B.C.E.
By 221 B.C.E., the Qin-first Chinese empire. Success due to: defending against barbarian neighbors, the adoption of Legalist methods ambition of Shi Huangdi and his advisors. Qin established strong centralized state by: a
Qin established strong centralized state by: a. eliminating rival centers of authorityb. establishing primogeniture c. creating a strong bureaucracy. Also standardized law, measurements, coinage, and writing. Suppressed Confucianism. Qin sent a large military force to drive nomads north.
Constructed connections and extensions to walls built earlier to defend the kingdoms, the ancestor of the Great Wall of China. Shi Huangdis attack on the nomads inadvertently united the fragmented nomads under the Xiongnu Confederacy, To fill their military and labor needs, the Qin government instituted an oppressive program of compulsory military and labor services. Shi Huangdi died in 210 B.C.E. Tomb guarded by a terracotta clay army of seven thousand soldiers. His son secured the throne but proved to be weak Qin rule was over by 206 B.C.E. The Long Reign of the Han
202 B.C.E.220 C.E. Gaozu (the throne name of Liu Bang) -peasant who defeated all other contestants for control of China, -established the Han dynasty. The Han political system used both Confucian philosophy and Legalist techniques. To ease their transition and help the economy, the Han: reduced taxes andgovernment spending collected and stored surplus grain for times of shortage. Gaozu restored the system of feudal grants Confrontation with the Xiongnu confederacy policy of appeasement (annual gifts)
Emperor Wu(r. 14187 B.C.E.) Expanded the empire into areas as far as northern Vietnam, Manchuria, and North Korea. Instead of appeasing the Xiongnu, he built his military to fight the northern nomads. The Long Reign of the Han
202 B.C.E.220 C.E. Wus reign -expansion of Chinese territory into the northwest and the foundations of the Silk Road, The state also adopted Confucianism, using Confucian scholars as officials of the government, who in turn expected exemplary ethical behavior from their rulers. Chinese Society The family-basic unit of society. Male Dominated
Ancestors were thought to take an active interest in the affairs of the current generation Were routinely consulted, appeased, and venerated. During the Western Han period (202 B.C.E.8 C.E.) capital-Changan.
Changan was an easily defended walled city with easy access to good arable land. The population in 2 C.E. was 246,000. Other cities and towns imitated the urban planning of Changan During the Eastern Han (23220 C.E.) capital-Luoyang The elite of Changan lived in elegant multistoried houses arranged on broad, well-planned boulevards. They dressed in fine silks, were connoisseurs of art and literature, and indulged in numerous entertainments. The common people lived in closely packed houses in largely unplanned, winding alleys. Local officials were supplied by a class of moderately wealthy, educated local landowners whom historians refer to as the gentry. The gentry adopted Confucianism as their ideology and pursued careers in the civil service, most often paying to have their sons trained in the same profession. Merchant families also tended to be based in cities. Chinese men were required to give two years of military service and often spent their time stationed on distant frontier posts. New Forms of Thought and Belief
Relative to technological innovations, the Han era saw the development of the watermill, a usable horse collar, paper, horse breeding to supply cavalry forces, and a reliable crossbow trigger. The Qin and Han also built thousands of miles of roads to facilitate army movement and a network of canals connecting northern and southern river systems. The Chinese believed in a number of nature spirits whom they worshipped and tried to appease.
Daoism, which emphasized the search for the dao, or path, emphasized harmony with nature. Because Daoism tended to question tradition and reject hierarchy, charismatic Daoist teachers led a number of popular uprisings during the last decades of the dynasty. Buddhism was introduced to China in the first century C.E., probably spread by merchants on the Silk Road. Because Buddhism called for monks to withdraw from families and abstain from sex, it came into conflict with Confucian beliefs in family and procreation of children to maintain the cult of ancestors, leading to its gradual reshaping for acceptance in Chinese culture. The Han Empire was undermined by a number of factors:
First, the imperial court was plagued by weak leadership and court intrigue. Second, nobles and merchants built up large landholdings at the expense of the small farmers, and peasants sought tax relief, reducing revenues for the empire. Third, the system of military conscription broke down and the central government had to rely on mercenaries whose loyalty was questionable. Decline of the Han Decline of the Han These factors, compounded by factionalism at court, official corruption, peasant uprisings, and nomadic attacks, led to the fall of the dynasty in 220 C.E. China entered a period of political fragmentation that lasted until the late sixth century. Hmmmm This might be a good question. Compare the administration of government , social structure and culture in Han China and the Roman Empire.