Global Q3 Test 1 Flashcards
- Diocletian and Constantine
Diocletian divided empire. Constantine moved capital. East rich, West dark ages
Fall of Rome
courtesy of social reasons. Post- Augustus ppl were doing terrible things. Escalated to politics with commodus who pretended to be Gladiator and danced around. Poor gap expanded, Pagans and Christians still hated eachother, Barbarians set down the last straw to insight the fall
Constantine
Noticed excessive violence between Christians and non-Christians, made it illegal to persecute ppl’s religious beliefs: Edict of Milan. Debated on whether or not Constantine converted to Christianity for political reasons or not.
Rise and triumph of Christianity
: Christianity was appealing because it was open to all people, and had one place where if you lived correctly you could go after death. Promised personal, loving relationship with God. Jesus became traveling preacher and performed miracles, first-hand accounts. Believed widely to be son of God. As a result, was threat to roman emperors, fear of uprising and mutiny of power. Jesus arrest and crucified on the cross. Some viewed him as criminal, others as a martyr, those ppl believed he was a messiah. 3 days after his death, ppl spotted him walking around and his apostles were inspired. Saul’s mind changed, then called Paul and spread Christianity. Paul had enormous role in spread of Christianity, after being prosecutor, was prosecuted and killed by Rome.
Culture and Society in the Roman world:
Gladiator shows in colosseum, fun for romans to watch, slaves, Christians, or famous warriors fought to death, diverted masses into one place, and kept crime down
Age of Augustus
Young when office was taken. Didn’t want title “augustus,” humble. Firs built economy by trade and infrastructure. Originated common currency, founded the “City of Marble.” Civil service exams introduced, self-sufficient gov. Supported circus, to keep the bad ppl off the street, and Pax Romana. Cultural diffusion prominent, Greco-Roman culture: Persian, Indian, Greek, Egyptian, and Roman. Romans adapted and created new architectural techniques, also were known for famous law system, of which some rules are still in place today. Literature, famous authors such as Virgil, Aeneid. Aqueducts, revolutionary plumbing, channeled water
2nd triumphed
Octavian Lepidus, Mark Anthony, same as first tri one person wanted to end on top. Octavian wanted Lepidus gone. Rivalry between Mark A and Oct, Mark left Cleo to fix relationship, married Octavia. Left Octavia for Cleopatra, beginning of DOWNFALL. Cleopatra asks for land and marriage, Rome upset. Oct used this as reason to declare war on Mark, because Mark gave Cleo lands that were fought for by the romans: Battle of Actium. Battle between: Octavian v Mark Antony and Cleo. When cleo sees troops overrun, leaves, mark follows. Cleo spreads suicide rumor in Egypt, results in dead Mark Antony. Rumor made to keep Oct away, although Oct finally captures her, and shows mark’s dead body. Cleo sad, actually commits suicide, Oct mad because he couldn’t show her off. First real Emperor: Octavian. Roman Republic dead
Decline of roman republic
Rich people got extremely wealthy with slave labor and cheap prices and ran middle class farmers out of business. This made the poor people very mad. Gracus brothers wanted to reform to help poor. Limit size of latifundia to bring back the middle class but senators did not like it so they killed the brothers. That angered many and brewed a civil war. Marius supported land redistribution. Tried to gain army of extremely loyal followers. Sulla had kill list for his enemies and people he did not like. Killed about 10,000 political enemies. Sulla the syco. Julius Cesear favored liberal policies and reforms. Extended imperial citizen ship to conquered peoples. Took land and distributed it to his military veterans He launched gladiator games and got people to watch them and gave people free bread. This minimized crime. Appointed Gauls to the senate to gain more support. Launched huge building projects in rome and kinda started the pax romana. 1st triumverent was Caesar, Pompey, Crassus. These three men had shaky alliance to begin. Crassus died in battle. Pompey was married to Caesars daughter and cut of ties with him when Caesar’s daughter died. Caesar wanted to kill pompey but pompey fled to Egypt. Egyptians killed him. Caesar meets Cleopatra and they have a little Caesar and Caesar was named dictator fo life. Group of senators were conspiring to kill him
- Roman imperialism and how they treated their subjects.
They conquered lands and took over politically and socially. Wanted to take over more land to get the loot. Conquered could become roman citizens if they proved their loyalty. Wanted more rights so wanted to be a citizen. This helped Rome because then the conquered people were involved in the success of rome.
Punic Wars
- Punic Wars- The First Punic War was fought over ownership of Sicily, the most fertile part of Italy. Carthage, who owned Sicily, handed it over to the Romans as long as they got Sardinia and Corsica to use as leverage because of its close proximity to Rome. The Romans broke the treaty and took over the two islands, starting a rivalry between the two cities. Hannibal, the son of Carthage’s leader, hated Romans. When he became ruler, he marched an army of elephants through the Alps and sneak attacked Rome from the north. He won every battle, but didn’t have the resources to invade Rome. The Battle of Cannae proved to be Rome’s worst defeat, where Hannibal killed over 40,000 Romans. Scipio was soon elected to as dictator. Scipio cut off Hannibal’s supply lines and brought the war to a Carthaginian city. Hannibal now had to fight on the home front but was too late to help his people. Hannibal was quickly exiled, who committed suicide when he learned the Romans planned on killing him. Rome became the unquestioned master of the western Mediterranean world. Called the Mediterranean our sea mare nostrum.
6.
Third Punic war
Romans felt there was still some Hannibal. Romans salted carthage and destroyed it. It then became roman province
Structure of roman republic
meant to create a balance of power to prevent another monarchy. Formed the plebeians and the patricians. The plebeians were made up of the middle class and the poor while the patricians were the aristocrats. Struggle of the Orders caused a massive plebian strike, which led the patricians to give them written rights. The Twelve Tables were the first Roman laws. The plebeians also demanded that they be given tribunes, who were elected officials that protected plebeian rights. Patricians elected two consuls, who were only allowed to have one year terms since they were so powerful. The Senate was composed of 300 people who served for life.
Tarkin the Proud and the Rape of Lucretia
Tarkin was the last Etruscan king (who’d oppressed Italy for 100 years under their monarchy; after the rape of lucretia the romans formed a republic). Tarkin’s son raped Lucretia, who ended up killing herself rather than be dishonored. Her family ended up killing every member of the Etruscan family and swore Rome would never have another king, founding a republic. This story was written by the historian Livy, who recounted the story in The History of Rome.
. Legend of Ramus and Romulus
twin brothers that were destined to inherit a future city. Their uncle threw them into the river, where they were eventually found by a she-wolf. At some point, they were found and raised by a human couple. Social commentary on Roman society because Romulus ended up killing Ramus to take over the city, naming it after himself. Points out how Romans could be very sophisticated while also very barbaric
Geography
-had Apennine mountains that ran down Italian peninsula, but not very high so no political dissunification. Alps protected them from the north side, and since they were a peninsula in the center of the Mediterranean Sea it was a good spot for trade. Rome was nice to live in because it was easily accessible, built near the Tiber River on the Plain of Latium, which was very fertile. Since it was built on high elevation and miles from the sea, they could quickly see if an enemy was coming, while not being far enough from the sea for trade. Rivers made moving from place to place easier.
