Ancient Rome: Monarchy, Republic, and Empire

• Ancient Rome transitioned through three forms of government: Monarchy, Republic, and Empire.

The Roman Relationship to the Ancient Greeks

• Romans were influenced by ancient Greek culture and mythology.

Legends of the Birth of Rome

• Two main legends explain Rome's origins: Aeneas and Romulus.

Aeneas

• Aeneas was a Trojan hero who fought against the Greeks in the Trojan War.
• He embodied virtue and compassion.

Romulus

• Romulus and Remus were twin brothers born to a Latin King.
• They were kidnapped and thrown into the Tiber River, but rescued by a female wolf.
• They sought revenge on their uncle and later fought each other over where to found Rome.
• Romulus killed Remus and founded Rome on April 21, 753 BCE.
• This legend symbolizes the Roman ideal of obtaining rights through force and power.

Birth of the Monarchy

• The Romulus and Remus legend is associated with the birth of the Roman Monarchy.

Rape of Lucretia

• The son of the Etruscan King of Rome raped Lucretia, the wife of Brutus, a Roman politician.
• Lucretia committed suicide to avoid dishonor.
• This event highlights the Roman value of honor.
• Brutus, along with friends and family, fought against the Etruscan King.

Birth of the Republic

• Roman aristocrats expelled the Etruscan kings and established a republic, where the Senate ruled instead of a king.

Roman Republican Values

• Loyalty to family was essential.
• Respect for elders was prioritized.
• Honoring the gods was important.
• Devotion to political or military service was valued over self-interest.
• Public status mattered.
• Adherence to the law was crucial.
• Social hierarchy was viewed as necessary for justice, with some people considered naturally superior and fit to lead.
• Virtues for men included strength, loyalty, moral purity, wisdom, and courage in war.
• Faithfulness was key.

Class/Government

• The early monarchy involved local kings ruling Rome as it grew.
• The Republic saw aristocrats ruling in the Senate, with power gradually shared.
• The Empire was a monarchy with emperors and a vast territory.

Patrician

• Patricians were wealthy Romans with generational power and wealth in government.
• They held positions in the Senate and judiciary.
• Patricians owned significant land.

Plebeian

• Plebeians were Roman citizens not from patrician families.

Class Struggle and the Plebeians' Gains of Political Power

• Conflict of Orders: Plebeians threatened to leave Rome, leaving it vulnerable.
• The Senate created tribunes, two plebeian men who could veto Senate and consul decisions.
• A Plebeian Council was formed to represent plebeian needs.
• Marriage between patricians and plebeians was approved.
• Debt slavery was banned.
• One of the two consuls each year had to be plebeian.

Laws Plebeians Campaigned Against

• Debt slavery was a major issue.
• Intermarriage between classes was prohibited.
• Discrimination occurred in court.
• There were no written laws.
• There was a lack of representation in government.

Government System

Senate

• Senators were appointed by consuls and served for life.
• They wore special white togas.
• Senators advised the consuls.

Consuls

• Two consuls were the highest officials in Rome.
• They were elected by the Centuriate Assembly for a one-year term.
• Consuls had to serve in all lower positions first.
• They had the power to command and punish.
• Consuls commanded the army.
• They worked with the Senate to make decisions for Rome.
• Initially, both consuls were Patricians, but after 367 BCE, one consul had to be plebeian.

Plebeian Assembly

• The Plebeian Assembly represented the needs of plebeians.
• It approved marriage between patricians and plebeians.
• The Assembly banned debt slavery.
• One of the two consuls each year had to be plebeian.

The Twelve Tables

• The Twelve Tables were lists of laws that were publicly displayed.
• They were created because plebeians were concerned that legal decisions favored patricians.
• The laws were posted in the Roman Forum.
• Public laws reduced chances of corruption.

Punic Wars

• The Punic Wars began due to territorial disputes and competition between Rome and Carthage.
• The First Punic War lasted 20 years, with Rome eventually building a navy and seizing islands from Carthage.
• Carthage expanded in Spain.
• In the Second Punic War, Carthage was winning but couldn't conquer Rome.
• Romans attacked Carthage, leading to its surrender.
• In the Third Punic War, Carthage attacked Numidia, prompting Rome to defeat and destroy Carthage.
• Rome won the Punic Wars.

Hannibal

• Hannibal was a Carthaginian general who commanded forces against the Roman Republic during the Second Punic War.

Roman Expansion Due to the Punic Wars

• Rome defeated Carthage and gained islands after the First Punic War.

Consequences of the Punic Wars

• The Punic Wars marked the beginning of the Roman Empire.

Marius Gaius

• Marius Gaius was a consul and general who allowed the poor to join the army in exchange for loyalty to him.
• He won consistent victories and paid for wars himself.

Client Armies

• Client armies consisted of soldiers loyal to their general rather than the republic.
• The general paid for wars and soldiers.

Julius Caesar

• Julius Caesar was a politician and general whose rise marked the end of the Republic.
• He gained excessive power and popularity.
• Caesar married Cleopatra VII and was named dictator for life.

"Crossing the Rubicon"

• "Crossing the Rubicon" refers to Julius Caesar's act of defying the Senate's orders, initiating a civil war.

Loss of Republican Values

• The rise of powerful individuals like Caesar led to a decline in traditional Roman Republican values.

What Caesar Did as Dictator

• Caesar consolidated power by removing enemies from the Senate.
• He printed coins with his image.
• Caesar implemented fairer tax policies and extended citizenship.
• He passed laws without Senate approval.
• Caesar distributed land to the poor.

Who Liked Caesar and Who Did Not

• The poor favored Caesar.
• The Senate and wealthy elite opposed him due to his power and reforms.

The Ides of March

• Julius Caesar was assassinated by senators, including Brutus and Cassius, on the Ides of March.
• The assassination was motivated by fear of Caesar's ambition and potential monarchy.
• It led to a power struggle.

Octavian/Caesar Augustus

• Octavian, later known as Caesar Augustus, took power after Julius Caesar's death.
• He became the first Roman Emperor while maintaining the facade of a republic.

Pax Romana

• The Pax Romana was a 200-year period of peace and prosperity during Augustus' rule.
• It fostered trade and agriculture.

Art of the Republic

• Republican art was hyperrealistic.
• It emphasized duty to the state and military bravery.
• Wrinkles and oldness symbolized maturity, wisdom, experience, responsibility, and moral values.

Art of the Empire

• Imperial art depicted emperors as godly figures for propaganda purposes.