7th Lesson 1 Sect. 1 (REAL)

Overview of Rome's Transition from Republic to Empire

• Growth from a republic to an empire occurred over 500 years, divided into four major periods.
• Transition marked by territorial expansion and shifts in governance and power.

First Period of Expansion (509 - 264 B.C.E.)

• Began in 509 B.C.E. with the expulsion of the last Etruscan king, establishing the Roman Republic.
• Aim: protect borders and acquire land, leading to numerous military conflicts.
• Conquered Latin neighbors in central Italy and defeated Etruscans, ultimately forming alliances with former enemies.
• By 264 B.C.E., Rome and its allies dominated the entire Italian peninsula.

Second Period of Expansion (264 - 146 B.C.E.)

• Rome's growth posed a threat to the Persian Empire and Carthage, a major power in North Africa.
• Fought three significant wars against Carthage known as the Punic Wars.
• Outcomes: Gained control over North Africa, much of Spain, and Sicily.
• Conquest of Macedonia and Greece expanded Rome's influence further.

Third Period of Expansion (145 - 44 B.C.E.)

• Rome became the dominant power in the Mediterranean.
• Territories acquired included Asia Minor, Syria, and Egypt in the east, and Gaul (modern-day France) in the west, led by Julius Caesar.
• The Mediterranean was referred to as "our sea" by Romans, symbolizing their control.
• Increasing civil wars destabilized the republic; generals like Caesar began wielding dictatorial power.
• Julius Caesar declared dictator for life until his assassination in 44 B.C.E., aimed at preserving Senate power but leading to further civil unrest.
• Octavian, Caesar's grandnephew, ultimately seized control and was named Augustus, marking the transformation from republic to empire.

Fourth Period of Expansion (27 B.C.E. - 14 C.E.)

• Initiated with Augustus as the first emperor, focusing on territorial expansion and defense.
• Augustus expanded the empire's borders strategically to natural features for easier defense.
• Subsequent emperors continued to grow the empire, reaching its peak from Britain in the northwest to the Black Sea in the east.
• Each expansion phase came with considerable costs and sacrifices, indicating complex societal perceptions of these events.