Rome’s Rise to Power

Romulus and Remus

2 versions of the beginningThe Myth: Romulus and Remus are the twin sons

of a princess and the god Mars, born 800 BCE.The parents leave the babies in the woods to be

raised by a she-wolf. The boys are found by a shepherd and his wife .

Romulus kills Remus and goes on to become the founder of Rome

The History:Latins settled on Palatine – a fertile place with good

soil and climate – 1200 BCEThe Etruscans later settled there and ruled for 200

years.The Romans overthrew the Etruscans in 509BCE

and established a republic

The Expansion of the Roman Republic: Battle of Zama

Rome has conquered and controls all of Italy by 275 BCE

The city-state of Carthage rules much of Spain, North Africa, and Sicily

Rome and Carthage begin a war for more territory – Punic Wars

The Romans fought the Carthaginians for control of the Mediterranean Sea

General Hannibal – fierce warrior rides elephants into battle. He is defeated at Zama – Carthage loses all its territories to Rome

By 146 BCE Rome was the leading power of the Mediterranean Sea

The Final Years of the Roman Republic:Julius Caesar

147 BCERome is BIG – lots of poverty, unemployment, huge

gap between rich and poorSome in Rome want a powerful Senate to lead, but

Julius Caesar wants to have total power.After other Generals give power to the army or

senate, Caesar takes power and builds his own army

Caesar conquers Britain, Libya, Egypt, Cyrenaica, Syria, Numidia, Asia Minor

Caesar is very unpopular in the government because he is a dictator – killed by enemies on March 15 , 44 BCE

Beware the Ides of March

Map of the Empire

The Roman Empire:Cleopatra’s Death

Julius dies and the power goes to 3 men – Marc Antony, Lepidus, and Octavian. Cleopatra likes Marc Antony.

Antony and Cleopatra go to war with Octavian ( Caesar’s adopted son) – Octavian wins. Antony and Cleopatra commit suicide to avoid becoming prisoners.

Octavian takes the title “Augustus” honored and brings to Rome the Pax Romana – Peace and Unity for the Empire

He ends the expansion of the empire at defensible borders – English Channel, Rhine, Danube, Euphrates, Sahara Desert

The Roman Empire:Gladiator Games

Augustus’ successors accepted his foreign policies – defensible borders

Roman Empire was its largest under Trajan in 117 AD

5 Good Emperors ruled between 96-186 AD, after that civil wars began and the emperors lost control

Diocletian divides the empire in 284Barbarians began to attackInternal signs of decline included the gladiator

games

Constantine moved the capital of Rome to Constantinople and begins to move the empire toward Christianity