ROMAN

CIVILIZATION
GEOGRAPHY AND THE ROMAN
CIVILIZATION

The mountains in the Italian Peninsula were not as steep as those in Greece. Travel and trade in
ancient Italy were more favorable. There were also more Lands to cultivate to meet the needs of the
Romans.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ANCIENT ROME
01 ETRUSCAN RULE, THE REOUBLIC OF ROME,
GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE, ROMAN ARMY, RIGHTS OF
THE PLEBEIAN

EXPANSION OF ROMAN
POWER
02 PUNIC WARS, DECLINE OF THE REPUBLIC, THE REFORMISTS, FALL OF THE
REPUBLIC, THE FRIST TRIUMPVIRATE, SECOND TRIUMPVIRATE, CEASAR’S
LEADERSHIP

THE ROMAN
EMPIRE
03 PAX ROMANA AND ROMAN CULTURE, COMMUNICATION AND
TRANPORTATION, RIGHTS OF WOMEN, EDUCATION,
LITERATURE, BELIEFS, RECREATION, ARCHITECTURE,
DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE
 ANCIENT ROME

Between 1000 and 500 B.C.E., ancient communities were established in the
Italian Peninsula by three groups of people: the Latins, the Greeks, and the
Etruscans.
 LATINS

GREEKS
ETRUSCANS
Palatine Hill.
 THE REPUBLIC
Ancient Roman society was divided into three
classes: patricians and plebeians. The patricians
consisted of nobles and owners of huge lands. The
OF ROME
plebeians consisted of families who were the last to
reside in Rome and common laborers, farmers, and
traders.
 Government
Structure

The consuls governed every aspect of

the Roman society. They had limited powers.
They only served for a year. They could not
serve a second term within ten years. A consul
had the power to reject, or veto, the decisions
of his co-consul.
 Roman Army

All Roman citizens who owned

land were obligated to serve in the
army.
Large army groups were called
legions. A legion usually consisted of
6000 legionaries or Roman soldiers.
The legion was divided into smaller
units called centuries. A century
comprised of 60 to 120 legionaries.
 ROMAN
VALUES
Every Roman citizen believed that "qualities of life" were what one
should achieve in a lifetime. They were thought to give moral strength
in order to conquer and civilize the world. These virtues are actually
still in use today and pose as goals we can compare ourselves to in
order to change for the better.
Some examples of these virtues are Clementia, Comitas,
and Veritas. Clementia is the personification of Mercy,
mildness and gentleness, Comitas, the humor and
friendliness in life, and Veritas being truthfulness to use
honesty with others. Along side the virtues is religion.
THE ROMAN EMPIRE - Under Augustus Caesar, Rome achieved peace and
prosperity. This period was known as Pax Romana or “Roman Peace" which lasted for 200 years.

PAX ROMANA AND ROMAN COMMUNICATION AND

CULTURE TRANSPORTATION

Traveling both by land and sea

became safe and easy due to the
The Pax Romana saw economic
improved systems of
prosperity and progressive trade in
transportation and
the empire as well as improvement in
communication in the empire.
the standards of living of the common
people.

RIGHTS OF WOMEN EDUCATION

Women enjoyed more freedom in Rich Romans received private

Roman society during the Pax
Romana. They were able to own
properties and work. But the
right to vote was never granted to
them
education. They studied Geometry,
astronomy philosophy, and oration.
Commoners were taught writing, and
reading.
 The Influence of The Roman Empire
Many aspects of today's society have been affected by ancient Rome .
Creation of law, development of democratic government practices,
influences in language, literature, art, infrastructure, and city-planning
are all areas where the influences of Roman ideas can be seen.
Additionally, Roman influences have had considerable importance in
the spread of Christianity. The idea of “innocent until proven
guilty,” which underlies the ancient Roman ideas.
 Rights of the
Plebeian
Because of their limited rights to participate in the government, the plebeians
protested in 494 B.C.E. They refused to pay taxes and join the army. They also
threatened to leave Rome and build a city independent from the Republic.
To abate the anger of the plebeians, an assembly was formed in 494 B.C.E. It was
made up of ten members, called tribunes, which had the power to make laws for the
plebeians. As time passed, they also gained the power to make laws for the Republic.
DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN
EMPIRE
The emperors who succeeded Marcus Aurelius were extravagant and weak leaders. Civil wars,
which often occurred during the succession of the next emperor, affected not only Roman politics but its
economy as well.

The frequent attacks of the Germanic tribes on Roman boundaries also took a toll on the empire.
To protect the empire, the government spent huge sums of money. This caused the spread of poverty
and hunger. But for a short period of time, the Roman Empire was revived under the rule of Diocletian
and Constantine.
INVASION OF THE BARBARIANS

THE ROMAN EMPIRE COMPLETELY DECLINED WHEN THE GERMANIC TRIBES

ATTACKED FROM THE NORTHERN PART OF THE EMPIRE IN 300 C.E. ALTHOUGH THEY
BELONGED TO DIFFERENT GROUPS, THEY SHARED THE SAME GERMANIC LANGUAGE.
THE ROMANS CALLED THEM “BARBARIANS” WHICH MEANS UNCIVILIZED.
The problems that led to the fall of the Roman Republic. The Roman
Republic was in trouble and had a lot of conflict/issues. It had three major
problems. First the Republic needed money to run, second there was a lot
of graft and corruption amongst elected officials, and finally crime was
running wild throughout Rome.

The conflict between Rome and Carthage
for the control of Sicily and the west
Mediterranean resulted to the First Punic
War in 264 B.C.E. The war lasted for 23
years. In 241 B.C.E., Rome defeated
Carthage and took Sicily as the Republic's
first province outside the peninsula.
FIRST PUNIC WARS
264 – 241
B.C.E
PUNIC WARS
In his desire to revenge the defeat of Carthage from
Rome, a Carthaginian general by the name of
Hannibal led an army of 59 000 soldiers and 60
elephants in attacking Rome. To deceive the enemy,
Hannibal traversed the longer route from Spain,
France, and across the Alps to conquer northern
Italy. This marked the beginning of the Second Punic
War in 219 B.C.E. The Carthaginians achieved their
greatest triumph in Cannae in 216 B.C.E.
SECOND PUNIC WARS
219 – 202
B.C.E.
Fifty-three years after the destruction of Rome,
the memory of its defeat against the Carthaginians
remained vivid in the minds of the Romans. In 143
B.C.E., the Romans attacked Carthage. The start
of
Third Punic War was caused by the incitement of
an influential SENATOR
for named Cato to “destroy Carthage.” The
Romans burned the Simon and sold its 5000
inhabitants to slavery. They also turned Carthage
into a Roman province.
THIRD PUNIC WAR
143 B.C.E
QUIZ: IDENTIFICATION

________ 1. What social class is considered as the artisans, farmers,

workers in general?
________2. The roman soldiers were called as?
________3. The type of government which is ruled by a kings and nobles.
________4. Who invaded the Romans?
________5. Give 2 contributions of the roman empire.