Topic Four - Rome: Origins and the Roman Republic Flashcards
Rome’s mythological origins/Ananeas, Romulus, Remus
Aeneas: hero who escaped Troy and settles in Italy
-reflects cultural connections to Greece, desire for legitimacy
Romulus and Remus: brothers who were sons of Mars
-raised by shepherd after being abandoned and suckled by a she-wolf
-avenged their mother’s death and founded Rome, 753 BC
-Romulus: kills brother, becomes first king of Rome
Roman Monarchy
Period of Seven Kings (753-509 BC)
-Two Etruscan Kings?
-Roadbuilding, temple creation, general urbanization
-Etruscan cultural influence: toga, alphabet, and ruling insignia
-Rape of Lucretia ended Seven Kings Period
Roman Republic
509 BC-264 BC
Executive authority: only authority
Consuls; praetors; dictators; quaestors; aediles
Executive authority:
-two consuls: one-year terms, also served as chief of military affairs
-praetor: executive when consuls were away, in charge of civil law; more positions added as Rome expanded
-dictator: assumed near-limitless power during crises
Administrators:
-quaestors: finances of the republic
-aediles: oversaw games and grain supply
Roman Senate and Popular Assemblies
Roman Senate:
starts as council of elders
about 300 men, served for life
Can advise not make law, but advice carries much weight
Popular assembles:
Could pass laws
Plebeians and Patricians, Clientage and Patronage
Clients: dependent on Patrons for protection, legal help, financial assistance, gave labor for services, etc.
Patrons: wealthy upper classmen
Plebeians: vast majority; made up virtually all citizens outside of Patricians
Patricians: aristocratic class, largely responsible for governance, traced lineage to original senators
The Struggle of the Orders
Social Restrictions on Orders (no intermarriage, plebs no office holding)
Demands of wealthy Plebs
with time rules were changed, opening opportunities for Plebeians (like allowing intermarriage and Plebeians to be counsel) but that still doesn’t mean it was done or socially accepted
Rome conquest of Italy
started in late 300s BC
by 264 BC control of the entire Italian peninsula was near complete
social integration into Roman confederation
rights of defeated foes: local political autonomy, opportunity for Roman citizenship, must provide soldiers
Punic Wars
Roman expansion beyond Italy, 200s - 100s BC
fought between Carthage (dominant western Mediterranean military and economic power) and Rome
Second Punic War had Hannibal with elaphants through Alps and Scipio Africanus from Rome
Carthage had gone into Spain, Rome pushed them out
Third Punic War, Rome utterly destroys Carthage
Qunitus Fabius Maximus
Second Punic War (Rome and Carthage) c. 200 BC
“The Delayer”
Roman General, when Hannibal came with his elephants, Maximus delayed the real fight back against Hannibal, waiting until they were at the heart of Rome
Battle of Cannae
big victory battle for Carthage in Second Punic war, 216 BC
as a result, Scipio Africanus pushes Carthage out of Spain, takes war back to Africa
Hannibal must return to defend city
Rome Conquers the Hellenistic World
After Rome’s defeat of Carthage, door opened to Eastern Mediterranean and Greek States
War with Macedonia and Seleucid Empire
Greek freedom from Macedonia, Rome is guardian
Then Rom takes over Macedonia
Then Rome controls the entire Mediterranean by 133 BC
Cum manu and sine manu marriages
had to do with who was legal guardian of woman in marriage in Roman Republic
By third century BC, there was divorce
Upper-class women handled family affairs in absence of husband (war)
overall increasing women’s legal rights
Optimates and Populares
two main groups in the senates (division)
Traditional sources of political power vs. newly ambitious
Gracchi Brothers
toward end of Roman republic
Tribune Gracchus and Gaius Gracchus
Supported reforms, like land redistribution to the poor, colonization, cheap grain, vast expanse of citizenship (better for plebians)
Bypasses senate, assassinated by Senators
This opened the door for more violence, reprisals
Gaius Marius
157 BC-86 BC
Consul 107 BC, campaigns to win wars
Bypasses Senate and gains control of amry
Radical military changes: professional full-time army
Urban and rural poor–soldiers–promises of land, pay
Sulla
Consul after Social War victory, but Marius supporters reject his claim
Toward he end of the roman republic
Social War
Roman allies in Italy go to war for citizenship rights; disastrous war that costs Rome much; grants citizenship afterward
around 100 BC
Julius Caesar, Pompey, Crassus; First Triumvirate
Julius Caesar and Pompey are Sulla’s heirs apparent, Pompey and Crassus buy consulship
Crassus death: triumvirate falls apart and civil war between Caesar and Pompey
Caesar defeats Pompey: dictator; reforms: citizenship, colonization; assassination by senators
Cleopatra
Had affair with Julius Caesar
Political and sexual relationship
Had son Caesarius
Marc Antony, Octavian, Lepidus; Second Triumvirate
formed after Julius Caesar’s assassination
wanted to track down Caesar’s assassins
Lepidus exiled, and civil war between Octavian and Antony
Antony alliance with Cleopatra, doesn’t reflect well on his image
After Octavian gets main support, Antony and Cleopatra suicide in Egypt
Battle of Actium
31 BC- war after breakdown of Second Triumvirate
decisive victory for Octavian
Antony and Cleopatra suicide in Egypt
Emperor Augustus
Octavian changes his name to Caesar Augustus
promises to restore the Republic
Julio-Claudian and Flavian Dynasties; Caligula; Nero
Julio-Claudians: 14-68 AD
-Tiberius (Augustus’ stepson)
-Caligula (megalomaniac who considered himself a god
-Claudius (expanding empire, into Britain)
-Nero (immorality, matricide, persecution of Christians, heavy taxation)
Four Emperors-Flavian Dynasty 69-96 AD
Pseudo-Monarchy, no pretense of republicanism
The Antonines; Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius
96-180 AD
Five good empeerors
return to Augustan principles of administration
Height of Empire’s power and prosperity
Hadrian: walls on border of empire; restoration of old cities, founding of new, construction of Pantheon
Marcus Aurelius: Philosopher-Emperor- Meditations, fought invasions from Parthia and Germany
Pax Romana
Long period of peace and stability throughout empire
during the five good emperors (Antonines)
Economic prosperity: elimination and lowering of taxes, small shop basis, latifundia
From slavery to coloni (sharecropping)
Local governance
Lasted until 3rd century crises
3rd century crisis (crises)
anarchy within, invaders from without
emperors allow for no senatorial influence
Emperors allow for no senatorial influence
Fifty Years of chaos: civil wars, invasions, foreign threats
-1/26 emperors dies a natural death
Diocletian
During Third Century Crises
-Heavy handed reforms: price and wage controls; further weakens Senate, increased taxes
-Eastern and Western Divisions of Roman Empire
Constantine
During Third Century Crises
Moves capital to Constantinople
Basically leaves Rome open to invasion but continues Roman tradition
