IMPERIAL ROME
I. TRANSFORMATION OF ROMAN REPUBLIC INTO ROMAN EMPIRE
A. BACKGROUND
1. AS ROME CONQUERED MORE PEOPLE
2. MANY PROBLEMS DEVELOPED
a. OF POLITICAL, ECONOMIC & SOCIAL NATURE
3. ULTIMATELY THESE PROBLEMS WILL LEAD TO CIVIL WAR
4. CONSEQUENCES OF CIVIL WAR
5. TRANSFORMATION OF FORM OF GOVERNMENT WILL OCCUR
a. FROM REPUBLIC TO EMPIRE HEADED BY EMPEROR
6. CHANGE WILL TAKE OVER CENTURY
B. WHAT WERE THESE VARIOUS PROBLEMS?
1ST 1. DECLINE OF ROMAN FARMER - BACKBONE OF REPUBLIC
a. TOO MANY KILLED FROM WARS
(1) 300,000 PUNIC WARS ALONE
b. RISE OF LARGE ESTATES = LATIFUNDIA
(1) WORKED W/SLAVE LABOR
2ND 2. RISE OF UNEMPLOYED
a. FREE WORKERS DISPLACED BY SLAVES
b. DRIFTED INTO ROME & OTHER CITIES
3RD 3. DECLINE OF POLITICAL MORALITY
a. RISE OF WEALTHY GROUP & LOVE FOR LUXURY
b. W/CONQUEST OF EAST, NEW IDEAS CAME INTO ROME
c. NOUVEAU RICHE CLASS DEVELOPED
(1) BUSINESSMEN GROWN WEALTHY FROM WAR
PROFITEERING
4. LEADERS EMERGED FOR BOTH SIDES
5. LEADER OF THOSE WANTING TO MAINTAIN OLD VIRTUES
a. CATO
6. LEADER OF THOSE WANTING TO CONTINUE THEIR NEW LIFE STYLE
a. SCIPIO AFRICANUS
4TH 7. GOVT DESIGNED TO RULE A CITY-STATE NOT APPROPRIATE FOR EMPIRE
a. ROMAN SYSTEM OF SENATE, ETC. ILL-EQUIPPED TO GOVERN FAR-
FLUNG EMPIRE
b. ADVANTAGE INCREASINGLY NOW TO THOSE WHO COMBINED
POLITICAL SKILL W/SUPERIOR MILITARY FORCE
(1) I.E. - POWERFUL GENERAL
8.
a. GENERAL-POLITICIANS - LATE REPUBLIC
b. MARIUS - C.155-86 B.C.
(1) 1ST OF GROUP WHO SECURED FIDELITY OF HIS LEGIONS
WITH MILITARY REFORMS
c. SULLA (138-78 B.C.)
(1) INSTITUTED MARTIAL LAW IN ROME
(2) HAD HIMSELF PROCLAIMED DICTATOR
(3) REIGN OF TERROR
(a) SENTENCED BOTH POLITICAL & PERSONAL ENEMIES
TO DEATH WITHOUT TRIAL
d. POMPEY ( 106-48 B.C.)
(1) BECAME POPULAR WHEN SUPPRESSED PIRACY IN
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MEDITERRANEAN
(2) CRUSHED SLAVE REVOLT IN ITALY
9. THESE MEN RULED AS DICTATOR-GENERALS
10. ROME EMERGED FROM HER CRISIS TRANSFORMED & STRENGTHENED
11. WITH LEGITIMATE FORM OF GOVERNMENT & RULERS
12. & EMPIRE WILL ENDURE FOR ANOTHER 500 YRS
13. NEW ORDER WHICH SAVED ROME CHIEFLY HANDIWORK OF 2 MEN -
a. JULIUS CAESAR & HIS GRANDNEPHEW AUGUSTUS
C. JULIUS CAESAR 100-44 B.C.
1. MAN OF MANY TALENTS
a. SUPERB GENERAL
b. BRILLIANT & REALISTIC POLITICIAN
c. DISTINGUISHED MAN OF LETTERS
(1) GALLIC WARS
(a) CONTRIBUTED MUCH KNOWLEDGE OF AREA & CELTS
OR GAULS
2. AFTER MILITARY SERVICE IN ASIA BEGAN POLITICAL CAREER
3. W/POMPEY & CRASSUS TO FORM TRIUMVIRATE
a. TO AGITATE FOR REFORM OF GOVT
4. LEAVING ITALY IN HANDS OF HIS 2 COLLEAGUES,
5. CAESAR SPENT MOST OF 50'S CONQUERING GAUL
a. VENI, VIDI, VICI
b. AREA NOW FRANCE & BELGIUM
6. HIS CONQUEST OF THIS AREA
a. IMMENSE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
7. IN CENTURIES FOLLOWED GAUL & MANY OTHER AREAS OF EUROPE
THOROUGHLY ROMANIZED
8. & LATIN GAVE MEDIEVAL & MODERN FRANCE LATINIZED LANGUAGE
9. SPANISH, RUMANIAN OTHER ROMANCE LANGUAGES TOO
10. ROMANS ESTABLISHED CITIES AS ADMINISTRATIVE & MILITARY
PLACES
11. THESE CITIES CONTINUE TODAY
12. PARIS, RHEIMS, LYONS, BORDEAUX, COLOGNE, TRIER, VIENNA, MILAN,
BUDAPEST, SEVILLE, LISBON
13. THIS CONQUEST ALSO PROVIDED WESTERN EUROPE W/ENDURING
GRECO=ROMAN CULTURAL HERITAGE
a. LITERATURE, LAW, LANGUAGE
14. CONSEQUENCES OF VICTORIES FOR CAESAR
a. SUCCESSES AGAINST GAULS ENHANCED HIS PRESTIGE
b. BECAME MILITARY HERO & CHAMPION OF PEOPLE
c. BUT FEAR OF CAESAR'S POWER LED TO HIS BEING DECLARED
PUBLIC ENEMY
(1) ORDERED TO DISBAND HIS ARMY
(2) HIS CAREER AT STAKE
d. CROSSING OF RUBICON
(1) BROUGHT HIS ARMY ILLEGALLY INTO ITALY
(2) ACT OF TREASON
(3) TODAY - MEANS NO TURNING BACK ONCE MAKE A
FATEFUL DECISION
15. ONCE CAESAR HEAD OF ROME
16. HE REALIZED OLD ORDER DEAD & NEW ONE HAD TO BE BUILT
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17. CAESAR'S POWER
a. ALL APPEARANCE HAD BECOME KING OF ROME
b. NO RULER BEFORE HIM HAD HELD SUCH SWEEPING CONTROL
OVER EVERY BRANCH OF ROMAN STATE
c. TO ENSURE AGAINST FUTURE OPPOSITION,
d. SENATE PASSED MEASURE GIVING APPROVAL TO ALL HIS FUTURE
ACTS
e. ACCEPTED TITLE IMPERATOR OR EMPEROR
(1) CONFERRED BY SENATE
f. PLUS EPITHET PATER PATRIAE = FATHER OF HIS COUNTRY
g. BUT HIS DISREGARD FOR REPUBLICAN INSTITUTIONS TOO
CAVALIER
h. GROUP OF CONSPIRATORS MOTIVATED
(1) BY ENVY OR REVENGE OR SINCERE ALARM AT HIS
PERSONAL POWER
i. CAESAR ASSASSINATED 44 B.C.
(1) BRUTUS - ET TU BRUTUS
18. 14 MORE YRS CIVIL STRIFE FOLLOWED
19. IN COMPLEX MANEUVERS OF CIVIL WAR
20. SOME OF MOST FAMOUS FIGURES IN ANCIENT HX PLAYED OUT THEIR
ROLES
a. MARK ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, CICERO
(1) ALL TOOK OWN LIVES EXCEPT CICERO WHO WAS
MURDERED FOR HIS HOSTILITY TO ANTONY
D. OCTAVIAN - AUGUSTUS 44 B.C. - AD 14
1. SURFACED AS ULTIMATE VICTOR OF CIVIL WAR
2. BUT 17 YRS OF MILITARY FORCE NECESSARY FOR SUCCESS
3. YOUNG OCTAVIAN'S INITIAL PROGRAM SIMPLY VENGEANCE FOR HIS
GREAT-UNCLE JULIUS CAESAR
4. HE SHIFTED HIS STANCE TO APPEAR TO SUPPORT OLD ROMAN WAYS
5. EVENTUALLY OCTAVIAN TURNED AGAINST HIS PARTNER ANTONY
6. & IN PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN ASSAILED HIS OPPONENT AS FALLING
AWAY FROM THINGS ROMAN
a. FOR FLESHPOTS OF ORIENT
(1) EMBODIED IN CLEOPATRA
7. HIS GENERAL AGRIPPA SKILLFULLY MANEUVERED FORCES OF ANTONY
& CLEOPATRA INTO HOPELESS POSITION
8. & EASILY DEFEATED THEIR NAVY AT ACTIUM
9. IN 27 B.C. IN CAREFULLY STAGED MEETING
10. OCTAVIAN ENTERED SENATE & ANNOUNCED
a. THE REPUBLIC HAS BEEN RESTORED
11. THEN IN A SHOW OF HUMILITY HE OFFERED TO RESIGN
12. INSTEAD OF ACCEPTING HIS OFFER,
13. SENATE, KNOWING IT COULD NOT REALLY OPPOSE HIM
14. MADE HIM PRINCEPS OR FIRST CITIZEN
15. & BESTOWED UPON HIM VARIOUS OFFICES OF STATE
16. OCTAVIAN HIMSELF TOOK TITLE AUGUSTUS
17. THUS ROMAN EMPIRE FORMALLY ESTABLISHED
18. HIS REIGN INAUGURATED ERA PAX ROMANA
E. PAX ROMANA
1. PAX ROMANA EXTENDED FROM SCOTLAND TO VAST SAHARA DESERT
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2. FROM PORTUGAL TO BORDERS OF PERSIA
3. FLOWERING OF ROMAN LITERATURE, ETC.
4. APPROXIMATELY 200 YEARS OF ROMAN PEACE THROUGHOUT EMPIRE
5. IF AREA WANTED TO REBEL NO MILITARY POWER COULD SERIOUSLY
CHALLENGE ROME
6. MAJOR CENTERS BESIDES ROME SUCH AS
a. ALEXANDRIA, ANTIOCH, CARTHAGE
b. BECAME GREAT METROPOLISES
7. DURING EMPIRE ANCIENT MEDITERRANEAN WORLD REACHED ITS PEAK
OF ITS PROSPERITY
8. VERY MUCH MULTICULTURED WORLD
9. BUT KEEP IN MIND GREAT DIFFERENCES IN TREATMENT OF SPECIFIC
PROVINCES
II. ROMAN EMPIRE
A. 1ST CENTURY AD EMPERORS
1. WHEN AUGUSTUS DIED NO CONSTITUTIONAL FORMULA FOR
SUCCESSOR
2. DIFFICULTY PLAGUE ROMAN EMPIRE TO END
3. BUT AUGUSTUS SOLVED IT BY DESIGNATING HIS STEPSON TIBERIUS AS
HIS SUCCESSOR
4. AFTER TIBERIUS CAME CRAZY CALIGULA
5. ROME WENT THROUGH SERIES OF GOOD & BAD EMPERORS
6. MAN COULD INHERIT W/DEEPLY FLAWED PERSONALITY PROBLEMS
7. ALL RULERS OF THIS 1ST CENTURY FLATTERED DURING THEIR LIFETIME
8. & DAMNED AS TYRANNICAL OR MAD ONCE DEAD
9. OUT OF FIRST 12 CAESARS 7 MET VIOLENT ENDS
10. ROME' POLITICAL SYSTEM HAD DETERIORATED
11. MURDER AS ONLY CHECK ON CHARACTER OF ITS RULERS
B. ERA KNOWN AS "5 GOOD EMPERORS" 96-180 A.D.
1. 2ND CENTURY DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT IN QUALITY OF IMPERIAL
LEADERSHIP
2. ROME'S RULERS BETWEEN A.D. 96 & 180 CALLED 5 GOOD EMPERORS
a. NERVA
b. TRAJAN
c. HADRIAN
d. ANTONINUS
e. MARCUS AURELIUS
3. THESE RULERS COMPETENT HARD-WORKING SERVANTS OF STATE
4. BY NOW OLD ARISTOCRATIC FAMILIES LARGELY DIED OUT
5. & REPLACED BY NEW ARISTOCRACY DRAWN FROM LEADERS OF
WHOLE EMPIRE
6. IN TURN RULERS LIKE MARCUS AURELIUS COULD BOAST OF HAVING
BEEN TAUGHT
a. STATE HAD ONE LAW FOR ALL
b. BASED UPON INDIVIDUAL EQUALITY
c. FREEDOM OF SPEECH
d. FREEDOM OF INDIVIDUAL
7. ALMOST CONCEPT OF DEMOCRACY
8. BUT IN TANDEM WITH THIS NEW DEMOCRACY
a. INCREASED EXPANSION OF BUREAUCRACY
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9. & HAS MORE & MORE OFFICIALS HAD TO BE PAID
10. IMPERIAL COURT GREW EVER MORE ELABORATE & EXPANSIVE
11. ROMAN EMPIRE BECOME HUGE GOVERNMENTAL STATE
12. SO LONG AS EMPIRE PROSPEROUS COSTS OF GOVT BEARABLE
13. BUT TIME BECOMING EVIDENT CITIES STARTED TO HAVE TROUBLE
BALANCING THEIR BUDGETS
14. PROBLEM WHICH LED IMPERIAL GOVT TO INTERFERE MORE & MORE IN
LOCAL AUTONOMY
15. TAXES HAD TO INCREASE TO MEET EXPENSES OF ARMY &
BUREAUCRACY
C. EMPEROR HADRIAN 117-138
1. OF ALL EMPERORS IN 2ND CENTURY
2. HADRIAN MOST REMARKABLE & PROBABLY BEST RULER
3. HE TRAVELED MORE WIDELY OVER EMPIRE THAN ANY RULER SINCE
AUGUSTUS
4. BUT SHIFT IN DEFENSE & OFFENSE OCCURRED DURING HIS REIGN
5. CIVILIZED ROMAN WORLD CRYSTALLIZING ITS LIMITS
6. BY LATE 2ND C INCREASING HOSTILE THREATS EVIDENT ON SEVERAL
FRONTIERS
7. & UNDER MARCUS AURELIUS EMPEROR WILL SPEND MORE TIME
FIGHTING THAN RULING
D. HADRIAN'S WALL
1. MEANWHILE AS PART OF THIS DEFENSIVE POSTURE
2. HADRIAN WILL BUILD WALL IN NORTHERN ENGLAND
3. TO KEEP PICTS & OTHER TRIBES OUT OR SEPARATED
4. LOCATED AT NARROWEST POINT NORTHERN ENGLAND
5. ABOUT 80 MILES ACROSS
E. ROMAN RULE OF BRITAIN
1. ROMAN RULE OF BRITAIN GOOD EXAMPLE OF WAY ROME CONTROLLED
PARTICULAR AREA
2. ENGLAND DIVIDED INTO 2 DISTRICTS
a. NORTH
(1) MADE MILITARY DISTRICT
(2) STATIONED 3 LEGIONS ON GUARD
(3) AGAINST UPRISINGS & INVASIONS
(4) 1 AT CHESTER TO GUARD WALES
(5) 1 AT CARLISLE TO GUARD SCOTLAND
(6) 1 AT YORK TO BE RESERVE
(7) IN NORTH, ROMAN CIVILIZATION MADE LITTLE IMPACT
b. SOUTHERN ENGLAND
(1) FORT ESTABLISHED THROUGHOUT ENGLAND & SOUTHERN
WALES
(2) CAERLEON
(a) GOOD EXAMPLE OF ROMAN FORT
3. ROMAN INSTITUTIONS GRADUALLY IMPOSED ON CELTIC TRIBES
a. ROMAN LAW COURTS IMPOSED ROMAN LAW
b. TOWNS & CITIES GREW
4. IN THIS SOUTHERN AREA FARMING BECAME BASIC ECONOMIC
ACTIVITY
5. SMALL FAMILY FARMS DOTTED LANDSCAPE
6. INTERSPERSED WITH VILLAS
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a. RANGING FROM LARGE TO SMALL
7. LONDON
a. FOREMOST CITY OF ROMAN BRITAIN
b. SIGNIFICANT CENTER OF TRADE
c. BUILT ON THAMES RIVER AT CRUCIAL POINT WHERE RIVER
BROAD ENOUGH FOR OCEAN-GOING SHIPS
d. & NARROW ENOUGH TO BE BRIDGED
e. RADIATING OUT FROM CITY ROME ROAD NETWORK
f. 5000 MILES OF PAVED ROADS
F. SUCCESSORS TO "5 GOOD EMPERORS"
1. AFTER DEATH OF MARCUS AURELIUS
2. DECLINE IN CALIBER OF RULERS
3. DIO CASSIUS, 3RD C A.D. HISTORIAN WROTE OF ROMAN EMPIRE AFTER
DEATH OF MARCUS AURELIUS
a. DECLINE FROM A KINGDOM OF GOLD INTO ONE OF IRON & RUST
4. M. AURELIUS OWN SON, COMMODUS
a. VILE PERSON
b. FRIGHTFUL REIGN CAME TO END WHEN HEAD OF EMPERORS OWN
PRAETORIAN GUARD HAD HIM STRANGLED
5. 3RD C. A.D. ESPECIALLY DECADENT
a. PERIOD OF HISTORY KNOWN AS "BARRACK EMPERORS"
(1) PRAETORIAN GUARD OR ARMY NAMED EMPERORS
(2) AT TIMES TO HIGHEST BIDDER
6. EXPENSE OF MILITARY CAMPAIGNS - MAJOR PROBLEM PLAGUING ROME
G. MILITARY BUDGET
1. BY 2ND C. A.D. HALF OF ANNUAL EXPENSES WENT TO MILITARY
BUDGET
2. FRONTIER PROVINCES PAID NO MORE THAN 20% OR LESS OF THEIR
DEFENSE
3. DURING REPUBLIC WAR MORE THAN PAID FOR ITSELF
4. AS RICHEST AREAS OF MEDITERRANEAN CONQUERED
5. BUT IN IMPERIAL TIMES PLACES SUCH AS BRITAIN, RHINELAND -
a. DID NOT PAY FOR THEIR CONQUEST OR DEFENSE
6. BY END OF EMPIRE MORE THAN HALF OF ROMAN FIELD ARMY
BARBARIANS
H. PARTIALLY COMEBACK UNDER DIOCLETIAN & CONSTANTINE
1. DIOCLETIAN WILL REORGANIZE TAX SYSTEM OF EMPIRE TO SUPPORT
GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE
2. EDICT AFTER EDICT SOUGHT TO STRUCTURE SOCIETY SO AS TO HALT
CHANGE
3. BUT CHANGE DID COME ABOUT
4. 1 OF GREATEST AREAS OF CHANGE - WHO FARMED LAND
5. BY MIDDLE OF 4TH CENTURY FREE MOVEMENT OF TENANT FARMERS
LEGALLY IMPOSSIBLE
6. THIS MEASURE REQUIRED SO LANDOWNERS COULD MEET THEIR TAXES
7. & CALLS FOR RECRUITS TO PROTECT EMPIRE
8. ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT CHANGE WAS GROWING INDEPENDENCE OF
GREAT LANDLORDS IN COUNTRYSIDE
9. WHO LIVED ON THEIR ESTATES IN LUXURIOUS VILLAS
10. & SPENDING LOTS OF TIME HUNTING
11. AS MORE FIGHTING PEASANTS TURNED TO PROTECTION OF THESE
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POWERFUL MEN
12. THIS DEVELOPMENT IS EARLY ANTECEDENTS OF MANORIALISM OF
MIDDLE AGES
13. LONG BEFORE BARBARIANS CAME
14. ROMAN EMPIRE ITSELF SINKING INTO BARBARISM
15. DIOCLETIAN 'S REFORMS WILL TEMPORARY REVIVE ROMAN EMPIRE
16. & ALLOWED IT TO MAINTAIN UNITY OF MEDITERRANEAN WORLD INTO
4TH C.
17. WITH POSITIVE RESULTS IN 2 NB AREAS
a. RISE OF CHRISTIANITY & ITS BECOMING STATE RELIGION
b. PARTIAL CIVILIZING OF GERMANS
(1) WHO EVENTUALLY WILL INVADE WESTERN PROVINCES
18. BUT OVERALL ROMAN EMPIRE IN WEST ON A DOWNWARD SPIRAL THAT
COULD NOT BE STOPPED