THE ROMANS

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THE ROMANS
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MASTERS OF THE MEDITERREANEAN
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GEOGRAPHY

• Italy Center of Mediterranean world
• Rome is centrally located on the Italian
  Peninsula
• Trade routes pass through Rome
• Location made it easy to launch military
  operations east or west

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Rome
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• 600 BC
• Rome is ruled by a series of kings
• 509 BC
• Aristocrats overthrow a harsh king set up a
  new govt

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REPUBLIC

• Power rests with citizens (Roman men) who have
  the right to elect leaders that will make govt
  decisions (an indirect democracy)

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PATRICIANS2 groups struggle for power

• Patricians- wealthy aristocratic land owners,
  inherit power and social status

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PLEBEIANS

• Common farmers, artisans and merchants
• Could vote, but not hold office
• Strict social order holds them down
• No upward mobility
• Serve in army (causes resentment)
• In time, Plebeians put pressure on Patricians to
  gain power

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Plebeians demand rights
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THE TWELVE TABLES

• Plebeians force creation of a written law code
• 451 BC- 10 officials write down Roman laws
• The laws are carved on 12 tables (tablets) and
  publicly displayed
• Establishes the idea that all free citizens have
  rights and protection under the law and laws
  would be fairly administered

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Twelve Tables
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REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENTTwo separate branches

• The Executive Branch
• 2 Consuls command army and direct govt
• 1 year term
• Choose Senators
• In emergency choose a dictator to make quick
  decisions (6 months)
• Praeters decide on civil law as applied to Roman
  citizens

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LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

• The Senate
• 300 Patricians
• Financial policy
• Advise Consuls
• Lifetime term
• Approve or disapprove laws passed by Assembly
• Controlled foreign relations

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ASSEMBLY

• Plebeians
• Vote on laws suggested by govt officials
• Could declare war or make peace treaties
• Elected the two Consuls
• Elected govt officials

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ROMAN LAW

• Law of Nations creates a system of laws that
  could be applied throughout the Empire based on
  reason and justice
• Applies to all people regardless of nationality
• Major step towards the development of Western law

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ROMAN JUSTICE

• Innocent until proven guilty
• May defend yourself before a judge
• Judges weigh evidence brought before them

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THE ROMAN EMPIRE1st century AD

• Augustus leads Rome into a period of peace AD 14
  - AD 180
• Pax Romana (Roman peace) a time of peace,
  prosperity flourishing trade throughout the
  Roman Empire

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Pax Romana

• This 200 year period of peace and stability
  allowed the Roman Empire to achieve new heights
  in technology, agriculture, science, and the
  arts. The Roman Empire was a very civilized place
  during this time, and life was generally
  comfortable, and good.

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JUSTINIANS CODE

• 528 AD- Emperor Justinian orders the compilation
  of all Roman laws
• The Code- 5,000 Roman laws
• The Digest- summary of legal opinions
• The Institutes- textbook for law students
• The Novellae- all laws passed after 534 AD
• Becomes the leading guide on legal matters in
  Western Europe

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Justinian and his Code
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Trevi Fountain