Rome

Etruscans

750 BCE

Etruscans found Rome a village and turned it into a city. Roman Republic- 509 BC overthrew Etruscans

Republic

509 BCE

Set up a Republic, the leader is not a monarch and some citizens can vote for representatives.

Patricians and Plebs

225 BCE

Patricians - wealthy landowners, Rome’s ruling class; small
Plebeians - less wealthy artisans, craftspeople, small farmers, merchants; large Plebeians were the backbone of the army and needed for Rome’s success.

Republic to an Empire

133 BCE

Small rich ruled and the majority, small farmer was suffering. Small farmers either lost land due to burned lands during the war, not being around due to in the war, or just unable to compete.

Marius

107 BCE

107 BC new general, Marius, started to recruit his army in a new way- promising land. Council of Plebs tried to give the power to Marius. By 82 BC, Sulla wins and seizes Rome- kills all opposition, restores power to the Senate, and removes power of the Council of Plebs.

Triumvirate

60 BCE

Crassus,Pompey,Julius Caesar crazy rich and powerful- dominated politics. 60 BC- 3 joined to form a Triumvirate Pompey commanded Spain, Crassus commanded Syria, Caesar commanded Spain and Gaul.

2nd Triumvirate

30 BCE

Octavian, Anthony, Lepidus. Octavian had the West and Antony the East, and Lepidus Commander of the cavalry. Antony gets crushed- Antony and Cleopatra flee to Egypt and a year later commit suicide- Antony by sword.

Religion in the Roman Empire

6

Augustus brought back traditional festivals and ceremonies to revive Roman state religion. Worshipped many gods Juno, Jupiter, Minerva, Mars Roman and other civilizations.

Rise of Christianity

70

A few decades before the revolt a new Jewish prophet named Jesus traveled and preached throughout Judea and Galilee. Jesus believed his mission was not to change previous Judaism but to fulfill the prophecy of salvation.

Emperors and Early Empire

120

New system allowed to select successor to thrown through adopted or natural family. Tiberius,Caligula,Claudius,Nero. Each took more and more power from the Senate.

Empire Expands

175

Trajan expands the empire into Dacia modern day Romania, Mesopotamia, and the Sinai Peninsula. successors realized it was too large to be easily governed. By 200 AD, it was difficult to defend the empire.

Roman Culture and Society

190

Very Greeklike structures. Used more of the arch, domes, and vaults. Pantheon, aqueducts, Colosseum, triumphal arches, roads were most famous Roman architecture. Roman style architecture is very popular today.

Slavery and the Slave Revolt

230

Slavery was very common. Early had only one or two slaves to work on the farm. Greek slaves were in high demand for teaching, music, doctors, artists, shopkeepers. Most slaves just used as laborers in construction of roads, aqueducts, and other structures or household slaves. Most famous slave revolt is Spartacus.

Conditions in Rome

240

Overcrowded and noisy daytime was so crowded, carts or wagons not allowed. Night was so noisy you couldn’t sleep
though police force, still dangerous to go out at night.

The Fall of Rome

509

West began to get pressures from migrating Germanic tribes. Visigoths pushed by the Huns West and South crossed the Danube into Roman territory and settled as allies but eventually revolted. By 476, Romulus Augustulus was deposed by Germanic tribes- last Roman emperor.