1h Roman Empire

David Wang ROMAN EMPIRE Origins - started in Italy - Italy and Sicily helped link Europe and N Africa - Mild Mediterranean climate allowed a long growing season with a large crop variety - One hill in Rome occupied by 1000BCE - Agriculture was the main economic activity and was the basis for wealth Early Leaders - Heads of wealthy families were members of the senate (council of elders) - Legend says there were 7 kings between 753BCE-507BCE - Romulus was the first and said to have been raised by a she wolf - In 507BCE the senatorial class led a revolt and created a republic Roman Republic 507BCE-31BCE - not a democracy - the wealthy had most of the power - roman senate had the real power - every member of the family was under the absolute authority of the oldest living male Expansion - began slowly - picked up and peaked in the 3rd and 2nd century BCE - key to roman success was willingness to grant privileges of Roman citizenship - fought 2 major wars against the Carthaginians descendants of the Phoenicians Military Dictatorship - Julius Caesar’s grandnephew and heir Octavian eliminated his rivals by 31 BCE and refashioned the roman government - New emperors were chose by he armies - Revenues from provinces were transferred to Rome - Romanization was the biggest result - Spread Latin and the roman way of life Christianity - present day Israel was placed under Roman rule in 6CE - lots of tension because the Jews believed in one god - Jesus was preaching during this time and was put to death by Roman government Pontius Pilate - Jesus’ Apostles carried on his word - For the next 2 centuries the Christian population grew even though they were persecuted by the Romans - By the late 3rd Century Christianity was a sizable minority Constantine - between 235-284CE the Empire was filled with political and military emergencies - by 324CE Constantine had reunited the entire empire - During a key battle in 312CE he claimed to see a cross in the sky and converted to Christianity - Transferred the capital to Byzantium renamed it Constantinople Technology - Aqueducts - Concrete - Arch – allowed the even distribution of weight - Army had the best engineers o Built bridges, siege, and ballistic weapons o During peace time the soldiers were put to work on construction projects