Name:______Date:______

Civilization / Era:
ROMAN EMPIRE / Political Characteristics
  • 753 BC – 507 BC – 7 Kings of Rome (Romulus to several tyrants)
  • 507 BC – 31 BC – RomanRepublic
    Representative gov’t, heavily class-based:
    -Senate – elite aristocracy made decisions
    -Assembly – all male citizens had a voice
    -Civic offices – consul, tribune, praetors, etc.
  • 450 BC – Twelve Tables established
    (concession to plebeians, offering a clarification of laws/policies of Rome)
  • Rome grants citizenship to conquered peoples
  • 264 BC – 202 BC – Punic Wars
    -Victory over Carthage nets Spain, Sicily, etc.
  • 200 BC – 146 BC – Victory over Hellenistic kingdoms adds Middle East & Egypt lands
  • 59 BC – 51 BC – Caesar conquers Gaul
  • System of provincial governorships imposed on outlying territories (inadequate due to 1 yr terms, senators’ political aspirations, & greed)
  • 88 BC – 31 BC – Roman Civil Wars
    -Aspiring military dictators vie for control
    (Ex: Sulla, Pompey, Caesar, Mark Antony, Octavian) Octavian ushers in a new era….
  • 31 BC – 330 AD – Roman Principate
    Empire ruled by dictator (emperor), though aspects of Republic maintained (Senate, etc)
  • Octavian (Augustus) rules for 45 years
    -Reforms gov’t under his absolute authority, though rules by example w/ morality & honor
    -Provides equites (upwardly mobile middle-class) w/ civil service/admin. positions
/ Achievements (Cultural)
  • Pax Romana – (Roman peace)
    Refers to the general safety/stability granted empire’s citizens by Roman military might
  • Latin language – fosters Romance languages of Europe
  • Greco-Roman achievements signify Roman studying of, imitating of, and improving upon Greek accomplishments of the past
/ Religious Characteristics (Cultural)
  • Belief in numina – invisible deities of nature, hearth, food, & fertility
  • Belief in gods
    (notable similarities to Greek gods)
  • Priests offered sacrifices to gods in exchange for favor/support of Roman state
  • Jesus – Jew from Galilee (Israel) who defied status quo of mainstream Judaism that endured harsh Roman rule. Jewish authorities feared such an upstart & turned him over to local Roman leader Pontius Pilate, who had him executed.
    -Some frustrated w/ Roman rule & the seeming compliance of Jewish leaders denote him as possible Messiah (chosen one) to bring back the good ol’ days & kick out Romans
  • 45 AD – 58 AD – Paul of Tarsus spreads ideals of Jesus to Jews & Gentiles of Greek-speaking Eastern Empire
    -Sect of Christianity (Christos = Greek for cross, symbol of Jesus’ public demise) grows slowly but surely
    -Disenfranchised of empire (women, urban poor, slaves, etc) possess spiritual hunger; are heavily attracted to promise of Heaven, ideals/morals professed by Jesus
  • Hierarchy of priests/bishops develops
  • Polytheistic Roman officials endorse violent persecution & suppression of growing Christian minorities to no avail; movement spreads

Time Period:
753 BC – 600AD
Related Key Concepts
2.1. Development & Codification of Religious & Cultural Traditions
2.2. The Development of States & Empires
2.3Emergence of Transregional Networks of Communication & Trade
Most Important Thing to Remember:
Pagan  Christian Empire
Republic / Principate
Technological Characteristics (Cultural)
  • Experts in engineering:
    -Roads
    -Walls
    -Forts
    -Bridges
    -Aqueducts (water transport)
  • Developments in architecture:
    -Domes (building roof feature)
    -Arches (building support)
  • Concrete – durable building material
/ Interaction with Environment
  • Rome’s central location in Italy allowed for unification there, then later of all Mediterranean region
  • ApenninesMtns. run north-south, while AlpsMtns. shield the north
  • Land rich in resources
  • Rivers navigable, mountains passable
  • Mild climate leads to year-round crops
  • 80% of empire’s 50-50 million subjects lived rurally, though gov’t admin. & economic wealth centered in cities & towns
  • Rome = population 1 million people
/ Economic Characteristics
  • Early Romans based status, wealth, & privilege on land ownership & independent farming
  • Latifundias – large estate farms
    -Established by unscrupulous wealthy prospectors, who bought/stole land from peasants away serving in army
    -Many switched from growing of grain to more lucrative herding/olive oil/wine
    -Led to huge rise in urban poor, grain shortage, need for imports, peasant unrest
  • Manufacturing of glass, metalwork, pottery often exported for luxury goods from corners of empire
  • Upper & Middle-class thrives on land/sea trade
/ Social Characteristics
  • Patricians – aristocracy
  • Plebeians – lower classes
    -Conflict of the Orders – term given the frequent disagreement between the 2 social classes
  • Basic unit in life was family
    -Several generations & slaves
    -Head of household = all authority
  • Patrons vs. Clients – accounted for all business, social, cultural activity
  • Institutionalized inequality
  • Roman women lacked political rights, but exercised economic freedom & received protection from family
  • Evidence of women’s influence in art, poetry, & as advisors to their sons/husbands

Civilization / Era:
ROMAN EMPIRE / Political Characteristics (cont.)
  • Emperors following Augustus all technically receive affirmation of Senate, though possess absolute authority & control of army
  • Later emperors would “adopt” a son, any man of noble deeds to succeed them
  • 212 AD – Caracalla extends citizenship to all free adult males in empire
  • 235 AD – 284 AD – 3rd Century Crisis
    -20 emperors claim title for short periods of time, killed by own men or ousted by rivals
    -Germanic invaders attack frontier, spurring trend of towns/cities constructing city walls
    -Treasury drained to ensure loyalty of army
    -Coins devalued of their precious metals
    -Trade/industry hurt
  • 284 AD – 305 AD – Diocletian saves empire
    -Reforms help revive/transform Roman state
    -Sets max prices for goods to curb inflation
    -Froze workers & their sons into professions for life to maintain stable, trained workforce
    -Black market emerges in response, and many lose loyalty to a gov’t interfering in their lives
  • 306 AD – 337 AD – Constantinetakes over
    -Passes Edict of Milan – guaranteeing freedom of worship to all throughout empire
    (he converted & openly supported Christianity)
    -Moves empire’s capital from Rome to Byzantium, renamed Constantinople
  • 527 AD – 565 AD – Justinianrestores glory
    -Reconquers lost territory in N. Africa/Italy
    -Establishes Justinian Code of Laws
    (reflecting 1,000 yrs of Roman laws/ethics)
  • 395 AD – Split into Western / Eastern empires
  • 410 AD – Rome sacked by Visigoths
  • 476 AD – Last emperor in Rome
  • 530 AD – Rome’s political power gone, as empire fractures into Germanic kingdoms, and economic & social order disintegrate into chaos
    (Patriarch of Rome, eventually called Pope, still retains role as religious authority in Rome)
/ Religious Characteristics (Cultural)
(cont.)
  • 306 AD – 337 AD Constantineassumes throne
    -Passes Edict of Milan – guaranteeing freedom of worship to all throughout empire
  • 325 AD – Nicene Creed established in meeting of Christian Church leaders
    -Sets up uniform religious practices all over
    -Establishes church hierarchy:
    Patriarch  Bishops  Priests
  • 392 AD – Theodosius bans all pagan ceremonies; thus old gods no longer accepted

Time Period:
753 BC – 600 AD
Related Key Concepts
2.1. Development & Codification of Religious & Cultural Traditions
2.2. The Development of States & Empires
2.3Emergence of Transregional Networks of Communication & Trade
Most Important Thing to Remember:
Pagan  Christian Empire
Republic / Principate
Social Characteristics (cont.)
  • All landowning males expected to provide military service & supply shield, armor, spear, & sword
  • Patricians lived in elegant hilltop villas
  • Urban poor crowded into smelly slums of tenements amidst disease & fire risks
  • Romanization – spread of Latin language & culture throughout empire