All Roads Lead to Rome

RomeThe Republic of RomeAncient History 10

The Republic of Rome:

They worlded the western world. The Roman Empire Hollywood has recreated it. Lust for life. Italy – region along the TiberRiver.

Twin Sons – in a fit of rage the father tossed them into the river. A she wolf rescued them to health. By 753 BC the twins were grown men and set the foundation for the city of Rome. Petty family quarrel one twin killed the other. Settled on one of the 7 hills.

Palentine – overlooking TiberRiver. River and Hills around it. River controlled the trade. Hills provided a fortification. Put their communities on the top of a hill.

Italy was a region of great cultural diversity. They became one meld of people – The Romans.

Early Romans lived into small communities that grew into city states. Grass huts and ruled by kings of the wealthiest families. A following tribe of people – became the ruling monarchy. These were the autrscans. Elaborate burial tombs. Believed eternal life after death. They were brutal rulers. In 509 BC Roman aristocrats overthrew them and started the Roman republic. Gone were the days of tyranny.
RomanRepublic Government

2 councils shared the responsibility. New council were elected by the senate.

Plebeians - the workers
Patricians – held elite power
Overthrow of the king, they established a republic. Difference was there were now 2 consuls.

Plebeians complained that there was not that much difference. They could vote but couldn’t run for office.

12 tables set up to protect the rights of the citizens.

Roman Empire Expands:
Roman system is not early on to make them citizens. Take over the city-states and all this wealth ends up
Greece/Spain/Middle East – called provinces. Those people were allowed to become the Roman citizens.
Decorate the forum – by 100 BC – orators made public meetings, citizens prayed in the temples that were there. It bloosmed – true symbol of Rome’s power and wealth.
Rome was a vertical city. They invented the skyscraper.
Rome needed man power. Many were auctioned off as slaves. Philosophers/dancers/teachers – many were forced into brutal manual labour
Quarries- from the ancient world. Each hand was from a slave. They had to work to death. This was all slave labour. Classical Rome – made by slaves (have to remember this).
Rebellion: Spartacus – forced to fight as a gladiator – public amusement. Slaves had to fight each other. For 2 years they held off the roman army. Spartacus slave revolt – important the way people think of slaves. It reminded the Romans that the slaves wanted to murder them in their beds. Embarrassment – slave army beating the roman army.
Hunt down the rebels begins. Pompey the great age of 25. He was not a man of patience of the senate. He had to have friends make cheat books on the senate. He hunted down Spartacus – most of the slaves were captured and crucified. Appean way – Rome’s major through fare. People would live in this agony – die of suffocation b/c the body wasn’t strong enough to breath.
Last slave war of the ancient Rome world. Gave them enormous role over the Roman Empire.
1st century of BC. History’s greatest leader – in love no one matched him, and in war no one matched him. Julius Caesar. Dictator of medt world. His parents were discipliners. Whipped into manhood by his parents. Nerves of steel. His physical vanity. At 18 he was in the army and got to commander. He wanted to make his mark on Rome and the world. He was driven by ambition. His quest of power. Alexander the great had conquered the world by the time he was 30. I am only 25 and I haven’t conquered anything. He wanted to stand above alex. The great in history. He demanded unwaveringloyalty by his soldiers. 61 BC wanted to capture Spain. He was a threat to senate in Rome. He was elected as a co-consul but he wanted more control over the senate (they considered him a power hungry war lord). 3 way leadership – Pompey, Crassus - the first triumvirate – Pompey, Crassus and Julius Caesar. He was shroud in the political field. He went into the slum – political tool to use against conservative senators. His own self interests and not the interests of the republic.
He was always sure and certain that the roman people were on his side. City of Rome was always backing him. The 3 rulers split empire equally. Crassus and Pompey went after 1 year. Caesar – bribed senate for an army to capture GAUL (Now France). Caesar won it and plundered them from their riches. He was responsible of over the death of 1 million. He was one of the great men of history but one of great killers of history as well.
He had the army of wealth.
Crassus was killed fighting the parthenians. His head used in a play by the parthenian king.
Hostile to Caesar. Pompey supported his opponents. They were very envious of Caesar.
Took control of Italy. Pompey’s men deserted Pompey – scared of Caesar. And he was victorious.
Pompey survived and fled to Egypt with Caesar in pursuit. 10 year old king – good will gesture – pompey’s head was given to him when he arrived in Egypt.
Caesar would stabilize the country. He was more interested allied with King. T. sister – Cleopatra. 51BC – middle of a family feud. Egyptian king had given the throne to 10 year old. Cleopatra was witty and educated and felt comfie in the power of men. The King had her exiled from the city. When she heard Caesar was in town – she smuggled herself in an oriental carpet – he was impressed by the 18 year old queen. Cleopatra and Caesar – weeks going on romance down the Nile. She became pregnant. He had to leave 47BC in Asia minor. Vinnee, Vinnne, Viche. I came, I saw, I conquered.
Caesarian – 54 year old Caesar was made. Cleopatra was looked upon as a threat – she was renowned for her sexual practices. She was bad news! This was not the first time he had taken up a mistress. Calpurnia was another one of his wife.
He was a great politician/administrator/womanizer – his reputation for a lady’s man – his last years – Caesar given the privilege – any sexual relationship with any woman he chose. He would have been a sexy man. Men lock up your wives, b/c Caesar is on his way!
More then his love for woman- loved to show off his power. Cancellation of farmer’s debt. 365 days. Month of July – came from his first name Julius.
45 BC – they voted him dictator for life. He was a big threat to the senators – they thought that he had too much power.
He might look down on institute like the senate. Caesar reckless use of power.
Brutus plotted his demise. His wife Calpurnia- dream she had about him being assassinated. Ides of march 44BC – Senate chambers – didn’t know – assassins attacked with daggers – Caesar covered his face with his clothes so no one would see him die.
Liberty said the assassins Mark Anthony – made a plea- give him a public burial – speech – crowd - Caesar, took it down toe the other end of the forum and cremated it right on the spot. Monument was raised. Remains of the alter (to this day – they place flowers on the grave to this day). Monarchists – Caesar the dictator.
In death he became a roman icon. He was almost declared a god.
Symbolizes new political state. He becomes something that is very threatening. Julius Caesar was assassinated – hung over emperors over the next century. He left them in fighting in the senate. How to handle the population.

The republic needs a new leader:

44 BC Caesar is killed. Who would be successor? Caesarean? Mark Anthony? Caesar had his way – will – adopted his sister’s grandson and heir to the state and to Rome.
Took courage to claim this. He did come. Playing against the conservatives and Mark Anthony. Octavious – Octavian – spoiled adolosclent – immediate opposition from M. Anthony who had a reckless side. He was wild living – orgies, sexual activities with both men and women.
Octavian uses M.Anthony behaviour to his advantage. He creates Romes’ second triumvirate, Marcus Lepidus, Marc Anthony and Octavian to divide up the empire. Octavaian – provinces to the west, and M. Anthony provinces to the east. Marc Anthony gets a alliance with Cleopatra –S. turkey – more experienced now. She sailed up to meet him in a great spectacle. Music of the flute.
She falls in love with Marc Anthony.
Octavian smear campaign – war on Anthony and Cleopatra. 31BC on the medt sea – two lovers escaped unharmed and went back to Egypt.
Anthony – suicide. Cleopatra decides to suicide as well. Snake bite. In order to preserve their reputations. Most noble exit that they possibly can. With them dead, Octavian has Caesarean killed.

Video 1Ms. Ripley