The Roman Republic

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The Roman Republic Its Downfall
Crucial Questions A.) How could such a tiny
city-state conquer the Mediterranean region? B.)
Why did the Republic fall? C.) Can we draw
comparisons from the development and fall of the
Roman Republic to the United States today? D.)
What key contributions did Rome make to the
modern world? E.) What are the key items of
cultural literacy from Rome that we need to
know?
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Hypothetical reconstruction of Roman Forum in
Imperial times. Watercolor (18th century),
Giuseppe Becchetti
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The Roman EmpireWhy was it able to conquer and
what are Romes legacies?
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Ancient Italy (c. 6th century B.C.)
PEOPLE The Latins -Rome The First
Romans The Etruscans -Northern Italy -Urbanized
Rome Building Programs (the
Forum) -Influence on Romans the arch,
alphabet The Greeks -Southern Italy and
Sicily -Influence on Romans art,
architecture, literature, ..government,
engineering GEOGRAPHY -Tiber River
Mediterranean Sea -Fertile Soil Strategic
Location
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Beliefs ValuesMilitary Valor Loyalty to the
State
Does this have a role in America too?
The ideal of the citizen/soldier/farmer was
Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus. According to Roman
legend, Cincinnatus was tending his farm when a
messenger arrived, telling him that Rome was
under attack and that he had been elected
dictator He was at first reluctant to go, but the
Senate pleaded with him. He defeated the enemy
tribe within a matter of weeks and then returned
to his farm.
And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your
country can do for you ask what you can do for
your country.
Peace Corps The Toughest Job You'll Ever Love
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GovernmentThe Roman Republic (509 B.C. 27
B.C.)

• 509 B.C.,Romans revolt against and defeat
  Etruscan king (monarchy) and establish a
  republic.
• Power rests with the citizens who have the right
  to vote for their leaders.
• In Rome, citizenship with voting rights was
  granted only to free-born male citizens.

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The Roman Republic (509 B.C. 27 B.C.)STRUGGLE
FOR POWER CLASS CONFLICT
Equal Power is not present in the new republic

• Patricians- wealthy landowners who held most of
  the power inherited power and social status
• Plebeians- (Plebs) common farmers, artisans and
  merchants who made up the majority of the
  population can vote, but cant rule
• Tribunes- elected representatives who protect
  plebeians political rights.

The plebeians were the merchants, farmers, and
artisans of Rome. They were allowed to vote, but
only Patricians were allowed in the senate. In
471BC, the plebeians elected a tribune. Ten men
represented the plebeians against any political
oppression by the consuls or the patricians. By
287BC, the laws passed by the plebeians were
binding for all Romans, including the
patricians. The senate met in the Forum, a
marketplace in the valley among the hills that
surround Rome. The senators would rule on the
military and foreign affairs, but the tribunes
protected the rights of the plebeians. When a
tribune objected to a law, he would shout veto.
Veto means I forbid in Latin, the language of
the Romans. If enough tribunes objected, they
could stop the law from passing
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The Roman Republic (509 B.C. 27 B.C.) A
Balanced Government

• Rome elects two consuls Among the most powerful
  families it was decided that extraordinary powers
  be given to two men, who would eventually be
  called consuls. The reason the Romans opted for
  two executives was an obvious attempt to prevent
  tyranny. Both consuls possessed the highest
  military and civil authority in the state. They
  could only serve for one year at a time. Only
  much later was it agreed that there be at least
  a ten year interval between terms so as to
  prevent "unbridled ambition."
• Senate- chosen from patricians (Roman upper
  class), make foreign and domestic policy
• Popular assemblies elect tribunes, make laws for
  plebeians (commoners)
• Dictators- leaders appointed briefly in times of
  crisis (appt. by consuls and senate)

Executive Legislative Judicial
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Comparing Republican Governments(and Empires)

• What similarities do you see in the governments
  of the Roman Republic and the United States?
• What do you think is the most significant
  difference between the Roman Republic and that of
  the United States today?

http//eefy.editme.com/romeandus
http//www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,794163
,00.html
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The Roman Republic (509 B.C. 27 B.C.) THE
TWELVE TABLES

• 451 B.C., officials carve Roman laws on twelve
  tablets and hung in Forum.
• Laws confirm right of all free citizens to
  protection of the law
• Become the basis for later Roman law (and Western
  Law)

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(No Transcript)
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Why were the Romans able to conquer Italy the
Mediterranean World?
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Expansion Military OrganizationThe Roman Army

• Romans defeat Etruscans in north and Greek
  city-states in south
• Pyrrhus of EpirusPyrric victory
• "One more such victory and I shall be lost!"
• Treatment of Conquered
• Forge alliances
• Offer citizenship
• By 265 B.C., Rome controls Italian peninsula

• All citizens were required to serve
• Army was powerful
• Organization fighting skill
• Legion- military unit of 5,000 infantry (foot
  soldiers) supported by cavalry (horseback)
• Replaces Phalanx (clip)
• Slowly develops into a Professional Army

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Romes Commercial Network

• Rome establishes a large trading network
• Access to Mediterranean Sea provides many trade
  routes
• Carthage, powerful city-state in North Africa,
  becomes Romes Rival

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Romes Expansion ThreatenedChief Rival Carthage
From its origins as a trading port, Carthage
became the Mediterraneans ultimate city,
enjoying the best luxuries available precious
metals, jewels and spices all poured into
Carthages harbours. Carthage was a city of
magnificent temples, glittering palaces and
luxury houses lived in by the rich merchant
classes who benefited from Carthages trade.
Their town houses were up to six storeys high,
built around central courtyards. They also had
private estates in the countryside around the
city, with large houses and gardens backing on to
extensive plantations that benefited from complex
irrigation systems. Herds of cattle and flocks of
sheep pastured on the surrounding plains.
Read about Carthaginian Child Sacrifice
http//www.channel4.com/history/microsites/C/carth
age/carthage_life.htmlchild_sacrifice
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Punic Wars (264-146 B.C.)Three Wars between Rome
and Carthage
Carthages main port contained two linked
harbours, with a common entrance from the sea 70
feet wide, which could be closed with iron
chains. The first harbour was rectangular and
used by merchant vessels, while the second was
circular and designed for military use. Its
shipyards and dry docks had a capacity for 220
ships. The central island rose to a considerable
height, allowing Carthaginian commanders to
observe what was going on at sea, while
approaching ships had no clear view of what lay
within. A double wall enclosed the docks of the
circular harbor, and gates allowed merchant ships
to move into the city without crossing the naval
dockyards. Archaeologists have discovered that
the harbors were built, or at least restored, as
late as 150 BC. So Carthage really was expanding
rapidly in the last years of Punic rule.
Carthage was the predominate trading Power in the
Mediterranean and an heir Of the great Phoenician
Civilization.

• 1st Punic War- Rome gains control of Sicily
  western Mediterranean Sea.

Because Carthage was primarily a trading city,
with much of its trade route going over seas,
Carthage had a huge navy of more than 130 strong
and big ships. However, Carthage did not have a
large or skilled army. Carthage used its treasury
to pay mercenaries, most of which were from the
neighboring Numidia, however, this meant the
soldiers were less loyal to Carthage. Before Rome
could expand over seas, it would have to
establish a navy in a hurry. Different stories
tell of a wrecked Carthaginian ship that washed
up along Roman shorelines. Quickly, the Romans
copied this new ship design, building about 160
ships. This gave the Romans an advantage in the
number of ships.
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Results of the First Punic Wars
Romans built their first navy Carthaginian
navy suffered its first defeat Carthage was
invaded for the first time the Roman army was
thrashed and the consul Regulus taken captive and
tortured to death yet the Romans demonstrated
their ability to accomplish a monumental task in
a short time and the superiority of a patriot
force (Roman) over a mercenary army (Carthage)
was established.  Though the Romans also gained
Sardinia, Hamilcar "He whom Melkart (a deity)
protects" Barca (the surname means "lightning")
took a new Carthaginian force to Spain, where he
proceeded to reconquer lost territories there.
The First Punic War (264 BC - 241 BC)
Festering Rivalry Carthage, a Band of
non-allied mercenaries attacked Sicily, the
Carthaginians responded with force Romans
claimed Sicily as their own province and
attacked.
Go to http//www.pchs1.com/ecourses/punicwar/pun
icwar.htm and complete the activity for extra
credit. Bring it proof that you did the
activity.
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Punic Wars (264-146 B.C.)2nd Punic War-

• Carthaginian General Hannibals surprise attack
  through Spain France
• 60,000 soldiers and 60 elephants
• Romans experience severe losses, but eventually
  ward off attacks invade North Africa

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Main events of the Second Punic War
Date Event
For Carthage, a peace even more humiliating than
in 241 BC followed. Its navy was left with just
12 triremes (warships), all overseas territories
were lost (including Spain) and reparations of
10,000 talents were to be paid over 50 years. The
bulk of the navy was burned in full view of the
Carthaginians. Hannibal, who had spent virtually
all his life outside Carthage, became involved in
Punic politics, but fell out favour and went into
exile. In 183 BC, with Rome eager to capture him,
he took poison to avoid surrendering to his
life-long enemy
218 BC Hannibal defeats Romans at Ticinus and Trebia in northern Italy.
217 BC Major defeat for Flaminius Roman army at Lake Trasimene 15,000 Romans killed.
216 BC Hannibals victory at Cannae disastrous defeat for Rome.
205 BC Scipio prepares invasion of Africa. Mago invades Italy in failed attempt to reinforce Hannibal.
202 BC Scipio defeats Hannibal at Zama in north Africa.
201 BC Peace concluded, ending Second Punic War.
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Punic Wars (264-146 B.C.)

• 3rd Punic War- Rome seizes Carthage
• Scipio- Roman Strategist
• Conquered citizens sold into slavery, city burned
  and ground salted
• Why? Its a republic! How could they?

By 151 BC, Carthage had paid the last of the
indemnity payments and, Rome noticed, was
enjoying a renewed prosperity. Marcus Portius
Cato, a powerful Roman orator, started talking up
the threat of Carthage, catching the popular
mood. His speeches always ended with one phrase
Delenda est Kathago Carthage must be
destroyed! When, in 150, Carthage declared war
on King Masinissa of Numidia, an act prohibited
by the 201 BC peace treaty, Rome declared war on
Carthage. The Third Punic War comprised a
prolonged siege of the city, starting in 149 BC.
It took longer than the Romans expected, but by
146 BC, they were able to order the final
assault. The defences of the city were breached,
the temples sacked and the obliteration began. It
was a gruesome end. Fire spread throughout the
city for six days, and thousands were killed.
Finally, 50,000 Carthaginians surrendered, to be
sold into slavery. According to the citys
foundation myths, Dido burned herself on a pyre
as her lover Aeneas left for Italy to found Rome.
In 146 BC, the wife of the Punic leader Hasdrubal
threw herself and her children in the flames of
the burning temple as the city collapsed. It was
the end of the Third Punic War, and it was the
end of Carthage.
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Do you think the Roman Republic owed its success
more to its form of government, or its army?
Why?
(Give a few reasons explain)
Why were the Romans able to conquer Italy the
Mediterranean World?
Why did Carthage Lose?
Hannibal was never defeated in a single
important battle during 16 years in Italy, but
the momentum of his early victories didnt last.
He had anticipated that many cities, with
grievances against Rome, would readily switch
allegiance. However, although he was successful
in persuading Gallic tribes to support him, few
Italian cities defected to the Punic cause. Rome
was particularly well equipped to fight a war on
several fronts, which left the Carthaginians
struggling to recruit enough mercenaries.
Without a major port under Punic control, getting
fresh supplies of men and food was a logistical
nightmare. Apathy among the Carthaginian
leadership also worked against Hannibal only one
draft of reinforcements ever reached him in
Italy. Capturing Sicily could have provided grain
as well as ports, but Rome retained control of
the island. Romes assimilation of its former
enemies was a brilliant achievement, and one
reason why Hannibal was so unsuccessful at
persuading Italian cities to support him. They
had become part of the Roman world, with a depth
of loyalty that the Carthaginians simply couldnt
understand.
In Romes aggressive bid to become the ruling
power of the Mediterranean, the Carthaginians
were its most celebrated victims. But they
werent alone Rome and its mighty military
machine took on one state after another. In the
same year that Carthage was destroyed, Rome also
conquered and destroyed Corinth.
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The Destruction of Carthage Lays the Seeds for
the Destruction of the Roman Republic
The newly rich, who prospered with the extension
of trade and empire, resented their exclusion
from power by the old aristocracy. The urban
poor, who had increasingly gathered in Rome in
growing numbers as large estates and slave labor
displace free peasant farmers, are increasingly
discontented. And the army, now more numerous,
independent and powerful than ever, is giving
birth to new generations of military leaders, who
are happy to use the personal loyalty of their
troops to pursue their political ambitions.
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The End of the Republic

• What went wrong?
• Great Expansion in the beginning was beneficial
  to the Republic but as the
• territory increased the provinces became a burden
  or changed the Roman way
• of life.
• 1. War Reparations Decreased
• 2. Higher Taxes because of the cost to conquer
  and administer the provinces Caused Inflation
• 3 Too Many People and Not Enough Food
  (Hannibal Destroyed Many of the Fields as He
  Ravaged Throughout the Land)
• 4. Nobles Gained Power Which Means the Assembly
  of Tribes and Administration Had less Power.
• 5. Corruption was widespread. Officials Stole
  and Became Wealthy. Especially in the Provinces
• a. The Proconsuls received no salary and
  were only in office 1 year so they took bribes.
• b. Publicans (tax collectors) had a fixed
  sum to collect and whatever they collected over
  this amount they kept.
• 6. No One Took Care of the Fields (Too Many Men
  off to Protect the Expanding Republic)
• 7. The Roman government owned much of the land
  in the new provinces and leased it in very large
  estates called latifundia which also decreased
  the role of the citizen- farmer. When they
  returned from wars their farms were in disrepair
  and they often moved to the cities. (unequal
  distribution of the wealth causes economic
  problems.)
• 8. The new wealthy class (traders and
  merchants) had little political power.
• 9. People were judged for their wealth instead
  of their character.
• 10. Real reformers murdered or silenced to
  protect the wealth of the rich
• a. Gracchus's brothers murdered (133 121)

Slavery accounted for roughly every third person
in Italy. Slaves were liable to extreme and
arbitrary punishment from their owners while the
death penalty for free Romans was rarely invoked
(and humanely executed), slaves were routinely
crucified. In the previous century, two slave
revolts, both on Sicily, had been put down at the
cost of tens of thousands of lives.

1. Slaves began doing the work and the Romans became
   dependant on them and curtailed their ability to
   become citizens. The slaves often revolted
   caused continued stress on the economic and
   political systems.

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The End of the RepublicDevelopment of the
Professional Army
The Gracchus' reforms were motivated by their
observation that military service had ruined many
small farmers
Marius Creates a professional army
People drawn largely from the poor from the
cities, being a soldier was a profession, a
career, rather than a duty performed to
Rome.State begins to pay for weapons, healthcare
etc. for soldiers.
Does this change the goals of the state?
However questionable their political tactics at
times were, the brothers Gracchus were to show up
a fundamental flaw in the way Roman society was
conducting itself. Running an army with less and
less conscripts to oversee an expanding empire
was not sustainable. And the creation of ever
greater numbers of urban poor was a threat to the
stability of Rome itself.
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Roman Architectual Highlights

• Most important creations arch, baked brick,
  acqueducts, and use of cement (if a society can
  only introduce one invention, it could do no
  better than this.) City planning--water, lead
  pipes, sewage, fire protection, Water mills (late
  in Empire)
• Republican period - built temples and basilicas
  and improved aqueducts, roads, and sewers
• Forums, temples, bath buildings, amphitheaters,
  and apartment blocks were built
• Romans constructed Circus Maximus and Colosseum
• Pantheon temple for all gods and goddesses - has
  a skylight and dome--gt oldest continually used
  building in the world
• Used concrete and various kinds of stone to build
• Adapted Etruscan arch and dome

• Aqueduct
• An engineering structure designed to bring huge
  quantities of pure water into the city. The
  u-shaped stone channel that carries the water is
  at the top of the arcuated structure that is used
  to span valleys between the source and the city.

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Summary of Events

• First invasions, 3rd century A.D.
• Christianity legal early 4th century, state
  religion late 4th cent.
• Empire split 4th century - Eastern half endures
  as Byzantine Empire to 1453
• Last emperor (by then only a puppet) deposed 476
  A.D.
• One late Emperor, Majorian (457-461) attempted to
  reverse trends but failed

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Roman Empire Splits, 395 A.D.
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Fall of Rome
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Fall of Rome
30
Fall of Rome
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Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire,

• Immoderate greatness--growth of bureaucracy and
  military
• Wealth and luxury
• Barbarian invasions (cause or symptom?)
• Spread of Christianity
• Not once did the local populace ever rise up to
  oppose the barbarian invaders. Lack of
  innovation. Best indicator, the total lack of
  interest in geography.
• Slavery. The attitude that any services could be
  bought, and therefore Romans need not bother with
  practical matters.
• Religious cultism and mysticism
• Lead poisoning? (not from lead pipe but from
  lead-based ceramic glazes)

http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decline_and_Fall_of_t
he_Roman_Empire