The Roman Empire

Creation of Empire

Julius Caesar

• Factions develop in Rome

• Caesar is Consul and leads an army into Gaul

Caesar defeats Gaul• Troops swear loyalty to the great leader

• Pompey gains power and orders Caesar to disband and return to Rome

King?• Caesar breaks Roman law and marches

an army across the Rubicon River

• Defeats Pompey

• 44 BCE – named dictator for life

Caesar’s Reign

• Citizenship to the conquered

• Places allies in the Senate

• Creates public jobs for the poor

• Ruled as a tyrant!– Marcus Brutus and Gaius Cassius assassinate

him outside of the Senate (Tarquin)

A Vast and Powerful Empire

• Augustus is respected for the following:– Expanded to empire– Defeating many tribes and rivals– Starting amazing building projects

• He also created:– Grain allowances– Postal Service

PAX ROMANA• 3 Million square miles

• 60-80 million Romans

• 90% of economy is based on agriculture

• People and ideas move along trade routes cultural diffusion!

PAX ROMANA

• Coliseum (Bread and Circus)

• Forum

ROMAN ACHEIVEMENTS

• Read your topic and record information into the graphic organizer

• 2 duos partner and discuss (adjust/amend information)

• Create a poster that contains the following:

1.What was it like before/problems

2.What is it? What did it do? Why was it helpful/important?

3.What in America is this similar to?

The Fall of Rome

• Pax Romana ends with Marcus Aurelius (AD 161-180)

• Attacks by rival tribes

• No new resources

• Inflation increases due to high taxes

• Civil War, bankruptcy, divisions

Diocletian

• Doubles the army’s size

• Divides the empire into East and West

Constantine

• Moves Eastern capital to Constantinople (Byzantium)– Weakens the empire

• Legalizes Christianity– Weakens the customs of

Rome, division

The Fall of the West

• Germanic invaders

• Barbarians (Goths, Visigoths, Vandals)– 410 AD (Goths sack Rome)

• Attila the Hun and the Mongolian raiders– Conquer the empire (444 & 452)

Reasons for FallPolitical Social Economic Military

Government is a burden

Lack of interest and confidence

Poor harvests Low funding for military

Military overtone Disloyalty & corruption

Threats to trade Barbarians

Civil War Rich vs. Poor No war plunder Lack of pride

Division of empire

Food shortages Inflation Less recruits

Moving the capital

Disease High tax burden

Rich vs. Poor

Primary Sources

• Primary Sources– Produced by eyewitnesses to events– Examples: Diaries, Letters, Interviews,

Autobiographies, Artifacts, & Paintings

• Convey personal experiences: Often give an emotion & opinion

Secondary Sources• Use information gathered from

others

• Examples: Textbooks & Biographies

• Help to understand events in a larger context

Analyzing Sources

• Determine the reliability– P: Author & when written (right after the

event or much later)– S: Good documentation (sources cited)

• Evaluate for bias– Example: