Geography and early people

• Italy is a peninsula about 750 miles long.

• Extensive famrmland allowed for large population. 

• Rome was easily defendable because it was built on 7 hilles.

• ltlaian peninsula jutting out into the Mediteranean Sea made it a major shopping point for trade and travel.

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Orgins of Rome

• Legend says that twins Romulus and Rmus were abandoned on the Tiber River and raised by a she-wolf.

• Later the two boys decided to build a city.

• Eventually Romulus kills Remus and the city of Rome is named after Romulus.

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The First Romans

​The Latins

• Buikt original settlement of wooden huts .

• Considered to be the first Romans.

• Helped spread Latin derived languages to the area.

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Patricians and Plebeians

• In the beginning most of the people elected to the Senate were patricians.

• Patricians controlled the law since they were the only citiznes allowed to be judges.

• Plebeians had the right to vote, but could not hold public office until 287 B.C., when they gained equality with patricians.

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The End of the Roman Republic

• A successful Roman general and famous speaker, Juius Caesar, was a governor of the territory of Gaul and managed to take control of many nearby territories. 

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The Roman Empire

• An empire is a nation or group of territories ruled by a single powerful leader, or emperor.

• As emperor Octaurian took the name Augustus.

• Augustus ruled the Roman Empire for more than 40 years, known as the Augustan Age.

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The Augustan Age

• During the rule of Augustus the Roman empire continued to expand.

• Augustus kept soldiers alont all the borders to keep peace in the Roman world.

• During this time architects and engineers built many new public buildings.

• During this time trade increased with olive oil, wine, pottery, marble, and grain being shipped all across the Mediterranean. 

• Lighthouses were constructed to guide ships into port.

 

The Rise of Christianity 

• After the death of Augustus in 14 A.D. a new religion began to spread: Christianity.

• At first it took hold in the eastern half of the Roman Empire.

• By 200 A.D. this religion had spread throughout the empire.

• Christians were viewed with suspicion and suffered persecution and many were punished or killed for their beliefs.

• Things changed when Constantine became emperor of Rome in 306 A.D. During his reign Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire.

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What took place for the Roman empire to fall apart?

• Government issues 

• Conflict (wars, etc.)

• Diseases

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Emmperors after the Pox Romana were weak citizens experienced a loss of confidence, patriotism, and loyalty to the Roman government.

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Multiple Causes: Fall of the Western Roman Empire

Political:

• Military interference in politics

• Civil war and unrest

• Division of empire

• Moving of capital to Ryzantium

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Social:

• Decline in interest in public affairs

• Low confidence in empire

• Disloyalty, lack of patriotism, corruption 

• Contrast between rich and poor

• Decline in population due to disease and food storage

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Economic:

• Distruption of trade

• No more warplunder

• Indlation

• Crushing tax burden

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Military:

• Threat from northern European tribes

• Low funds for defence

• Decline of patriotism and loyalty among soldiers

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Attempts to Reform the Empire

• To fix the empire, he doubled the size of the Roman Army.

• To fix the economy, he fixed the prices for goods.

• To fix the lack of loyalty, he presented himself as a god like emperor.

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After Diocletian, the emperor Constantine came to power and continued to reform Rome. 

• To help unify Rome, he ended persecutions and converted to Christianity.

• He moved the official capital from Rome to a new city in the East, called Constantinople. 

 

The Decline of the Roman Empire

• The fall of the Roman Emire happend in three major stages:

1. ​An era of decline due to internal problems within Rome.

2. A brief period of revival due to reforms by Emperors Diocletian and Contantine.

3. Continued decline, invasion by Germatic "barbarian", and the conquest of Rome.