New Project

Conflict of the Orders 
- the conflict between patricians and plebeians
- lasting from 494 BC to 287 BC
- plebeians sought political equality with the patricians
- played the major role in the development of the Constitution of the Roman Republic
- result: the creation of plebeian tribune (first acquisition of real power by the plebeians)

494 BCE: traditional date of the First Secession of the Plebs, during which they established their own assembly (the Concilium Plebis) and elected their own magistrates, the Tribunes and the Plebeian Aediles.

450 BCE: traditional date of the Law of the Twelve Tables, the first codification of Roman law 

445 BCE: patricians and plebeians were permitted to intermarry 

367 BCE: plebeians became eligible for the consulship

342 BCE: law passed making it mandatory that one of the two Consuls must be a plebeian

339 BCE: law passed making it mandatory that one of the two Censors must be a plebeian

300 BCE: half of the priesthoods (which were also state offices) must be plebeian

287 BCE: Third Secession, won the concession that all plebiscites, measures passed in the Concilium Plebis, had the force of laws for the whole Roman state

Civil War
- slaves were forced to work on estates
- small farmers found it difficult to compete with the large estates run by the labor of enslaved people
- Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus help Rome's poor
limiting the size of the estates
giving the land to the poor
"The savage beasts have their...dens,...but the men who bear arms and expose their lives for the safety of their country, enjoy...nothing more in it but the air and light... and wander from place to place with their wives and children."
violent deaths (senators felt threatened by their ideas)

The Roman Empire

Territory became larger → republican for of government grew unstable
Eventually mighty dictator-ruled empire

The Republic Collapse
Serious problems with developing:
- growing discontent of lower classes
- breakdown of military order
→ shakeup of republic
→ emergence of new political system

Economic Turmoil
The gap between rich and poor wider
Rich → lived in estate; Poor → forced work here (enslaved people 1/3 population)
Small farmers could not compete with estate
Farmers: former soldiers, sold land to rich and were homeless/jobless
→ worked in countryside as seasonal migrant laborers
Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus attempted to help poor (tribunes)
Reforms: limiting the size of estates; giving land to the poor
→ made enemies of senators
→ both met violent deaths
Civil War followed their deaths

Military Upheaval
The breakdown of the once-loyal military
General began seizing greater power for themselves
Recruited soldiers from landless poor by promising then land
Soldiers fought for pay and were loyal to their own generals replaced who were loyal to the republic

Julius Caesar Takes Control
Elected counsel with the help of Crassus and Pomory
Then dominated Rome as a triumvirate (a group of three rulers) for next ten years
Caesar only served 1 year as counsel, then appointed himself governor of Gaul
During 58-50 BC, Caesar conquered all of Gaul and won his men's loyalty in the war
Pompey → became his political rival
In 50 BC the senate ordered Caesar to disband his legions and return home, at Pompey's urgings
Caesar defied and marched his army toward Rome, Pompey fled
Defeated Pompey's armies in Greece, Asia, Spain and Egypt
In 46 BC senate appointed him dictator, in 44 BC named for life

Caesar's Reforms
- granted Roman citizenship to many people in the provinces
- expanded the senate, adding friends and supporters
- helped the poor by creating jobs
- started colonies where people without land could own property
- increased pay for soldiers
Senators and nobles feared losing their influence
On March 15,  44 BC, stabbed Caesar to death in the senate chamber
→ led by Marcus Brutus and Gaius Cassius

Beginning of the Empire
Civil war broke out again and destroyed Roman Republic
Octavian, Mark Antony and Lepidus took control of Rome and ruled for ten years as the Second Triumvirate
Alliance ended → Octavian forced Lepidus to retire and became rivals with Antony
Antony fell in love with Queen Cleopatra of Egypt
Octavian accused him of plotting to rule Rome from Egypt → another civil war erupted
Defeated them at the naval battle of Actium in 31 BC → suicided
Octavian → Augustus, imperator (unchallenged ruler of Rome)

Terms

Civil War: a conflict between groups (lower-class and upper-class) within the same country, followed the deaths of Tiberius and Gaius (two brothers who proposed reforms that limited the size of estates and gave land to the poor in order to help them, and made senators feel threatened )

Julius Caesar: a strong leader and a genius at military strategy, won his men's loyalty and devotion in the war. The dictator of Rome, died by the assassination.

Triumvirate: a group of three rulers that dominated Rome (Julius Caesar, Crassus and Pompey)

Augustus: Octavian, the grandnephew and adopted son of Caesar, who joined with Mark Antony and Lepidus to take control of Rome and ruled for ten years as the Second Triumvirate. Eventually became the unchallenged ruler of Rome after defeating the combine forces of Antony and Cleopatra at the naval battle of Actium in 31 BC.

Pax Romana: Roman peace, the period of peace and prosperity. Rome was at the peak of its power from the beginning of Augustus's rule in 27 BC to AD 180 (totally 207 years). During this time, the Roman Empire included more than 2 million square miles. Its population numbered between 60 and 80 million people. About 1 million people lived in the city of Rome itself.

Rome

Democracy: make decisions by people

Republic: vote for leaders to represent us

Vote for president every 4 years

Vote for senators every 6 years (2 per state, 100 total)

Vote for representatives every 2 years (depend on population, smallest is 2, 438 total)

Patricians: rich and landowner

Plebeians: working class, majority of population

Tribune: elected officials who try to make life better for plebeians (representatives)

Consul (president): one can reject another, one person did not get too much power

Never let one person get too much power again (Tarquin the Proud)

Senate: rich

check balance

Dictator: Julius Caesar - good guy, do not mind having too much power

Legion: army (infantry: century - 80 people)

Punic Wars: Carthage (down to Africa, powerful) three different wars

Rome (huge empire)

Hannibal: pretty young, fight the Rome

Democracy: elect leaders

Aristocracy: riches also have power

Monarchy: have a really powerful person

Chicago

Today Mr. Schick got a phone call at the beginning of the class, and then he said he had to leave for a while and asked us to keep quite. I still remembered what happened last semester, but this time I thought we did listen to him and do well. After a while, a man with sunglasses came in. He said he was Mr. Schick's friend Chicago and would sing a song for us later. All of us knew he was Mr. Schick of course, but we did not expose him because it was so funny that pretended to be someone else. And then Chicago showed us the song Rome. I must say that Chicago was really cool and talented, and the song was amazing!!! Then Chicago took off his sunglasses and became Mr. Schick again and showed us some plays of Hamilton which were also pretty cool. We watched these plays until the class finished.
I think these have already been enough for 150 words. By the way I realized that I wrote wrong person for the short answer "how Alexander was influenced by his two role model" on the test. I regret doing that because I thought it might be Achilles not Aristotle while I was taking the test but then I just gave up this idea since I was not sure and more importantly I did not know how to spell his name..... Hope Mr. Schick could give me few points for nearly hundred words I wrote down (though the content probably is not right).

Terms

1) patrician: the wealthy landowners who held most of the power
2) plebeian: the common farmers, artisans, and merchants who made up the majority of the population
3) tribune: representatives elected by plebeians and protected the right of them from unfair acts of patrician officials
4) consul: two Roman officials worked like kings, they commanded the army and directed the government
5) senate: the aristocratic branch of Rome's government
- had both legislative and administrative functions
- 300 members were chosen from upper class
- later plebeians were allowed in senate
6) dictator: a leader who had absolute power to make laws and command the army

- could be appointed in times of crisis

- lasted only 6 months

- chosen by consuls and then elected by senate

7) legion: a large military units that Roman soldiers were organized into

- made up of 5000 heavily armed foot soldiers (infantry) 
- a group of soldiers on horseback (cavalry) supported each legion

- divided into smaller groups of 80 men (century)

8) Punic Wars: three wars between Rome and Carthage, Carthage finally lost the wars and became one of the Roman provinces
9) Hannibal: Carthaginian general, who was a brilliant military strategist and inflicted enormous losses on the Romans in the second Punic War

The Roman Republic

Greece → decline; Rome → develop 

Small settlement → mighty civilization (conquered Mediterranean world)

One of the most famous and influential empires in history

The Origins of Rome

Legend: 

- founded in 753 BC by Romulus and Remus

- twin sons of god Mars and Latin princess but were abandoned and raised by she-wolf

Reality:

- found by men

- chose spot because of strategic location and fertile soil

Rome's Geography

Built on seven rolling hills at a curve on the Tiber River

Midway between the Alps and Italy's southern tip

Near the midpoint of Mediterranean Sea

Near enough for convenience (sea-borne commerce) but not so near as to bring danger from foreign fleets

The First Romans

The earliest settlers on the Italian peninsula arrived in prehistoric times

Latins, Greeks and Etruscans battled for control (100-500 BC)

Latins: built settlement at Rome (Palatine Hill) ← first Romans

Greeks: established colonies along southern Italy and Sicily (750-600 BC)

↑ commercially active, brought Italy closer with Greek civilization

Etruscans: northern Italy; skilled metalworkers and engineers

↑ influenced Rome: writing, alphabet and architecture (arch)

The Early Republic

Around 600 BC an Etruscan became king of Rome → became a big city

Forum: the heart of Roman political life

The last king of Rome: Tarquin the Proud (509 BC) a harsh tyrant

↑ Romans would never be ruled by a king

Established a republic (res publica: public affairs)

A republic is a form of government in which power rests with citizens who have the right to vote for their leaders (free-born male citizens)

Patricians and Plebeians

In the early republic different groups struggled for power

Patricians: the wealthy landowners who held most of the power

↑ inherited power and social status, 

"their ancestry gave them the authority to make laws for Rome"

Plebeians: the common people that made up the majority of the population

↑ citizens with right to vote 

but were barred by law from holding important government positions

Tribunes: representatives elected by plebeians

↑ protected the rights of plebeians

Twelve Tables

Important victory for plebeians: force the creation of a written law code

↑ patricians interpreted the law to suit themselves

In 451 BC 10 officials began to write and carved them on twelve tablets and hung in the Forum

Basis for later Roman law

Twelve Tables: idea that all free citizens had a right to the protection of the law

Government Under the Republic

In the first century BC Roman writers boasted Rome had achieved a balanced government

↑ took the best features of monarchy, aristocracy and democracy

Consuls: two officials of Rome (like kings)

Limited: 

- term was only 1 year long

- cannot be elected again for ten years

- one consul could always veto the other's decisions

Senate: the aristocratic bench of Rome's government

- had both legislative and administrative functions

- 300 members were chosen from upper class

Later plebeians were allowed in senate

Assemblies: democratic side of the government

- example: the Tribal Assembly

- elected the tribunes and made laws for common people later for republic itself

Dictator: a leader who had absolute power to make laws and command the army

- could be appointed in times of crisis

- lasted only 6 months

- chosen by consuls and then elected by senate

The Roman Army

All citizens who owned land were required to serve in army

Seekers of certain public offices had to perform 10 years

Legions: a large military units that Roman soldiers were organized into

- made up of 5000 infantry and a group of cavalry

- divided into smaller groups of 80 men (century)

The military organization and fighting skill of Roman army were key factors in Rome's rise to greatness

Rome Spreads Its Power

For hundreds of years after the founding of the republic, Rome sought to expand its territories through trade and conquest

Rome Conquers Italy

Power grew as legions battled for control of the Italian peninsula 

By the fourth century BC Romans dominated central Italy

Eventually defeated Etruscans and Greeks (265 BC)

Had different laws for different parts of its conquered territory

Latins: full citizens of Rome

Farther: enjoyed all rights except vote

Others: allies of Rome (did not interfere as long as supplied troop and did not make treaties of friendship with other state)

Lenient policy toward defeated enemies helped build long-lasting empire

Rome's Commercial Network

Location → easy access to the riches of the lands ringing the Mediterranean Sea

Merchants traded Roman wine and olive oil for foods, raw materials and manufactured goods from other lands

Other cities interfered with Roman access to the Mediterranean (Carthage)

War with Carthage

In 264 BC Rome and Carthage went to war (began with Punic Wars)

Between 264 and 146 BC Rome and Carthage fought 3 wars

First: 

- for control of Sicily and western Mediterranean

- lasted 23 years (264-241 BC)

- ended in the defeat of Carthage

Second (Punic War)

- began in 218 BC

- mastermind was a 29-year-old Carthaginian general named Hannibal

- brilliant military strategist who wanted to avenge defeat

- 50000 infantry, 9000 cavalry and 60 elephants

- wanted surprise the Roman

- Spain → France → Alps (lost more than half of his army)

- won his greatest victory at Cannae in 216 BC (Romans lost a lot)

- Roman finally regrouped and with the aid of allies stood firm

Rome Triumphs

Scipio: Roman military leader who devised a plan to attack Carthage

- forced Hannibal to return to defend native city

In 202 BC Romans finally defeated Hannibal at Zama near Carthage

Third Punic War (149-146 BC):

- Rome laid siege to Carthage

- In 146 BC the city was set afire and 50000 inhabitants sold into slavery

- became a Roman province

Victories in Punic Wars gave Rome dominance over the western Mediterranean

Then went on to conquer eastern

About 70 BC stretched from Anatolia to Spain