The Rome test

So today we had our Rome test and for the first time in history of my class it was a open blog test. I didn't have all the answers but I did have at least 90% of them and I now know that I should add and small details and info I get. We didn't start our new unit, we'll probably do that tomorrow but this is all I have for blog today.

The emperors of Rome

So today we took the final notes for out test tomorrow

• The senators saw caesar rise to power a threat to political viability
• They lured him into the senate and stabbed him 23 times 
• Octavian was named heir to the throne
• Octavian takes over at 18, own triumvirate, grandnephew of caesar, Mark Antony general, Lepidus powerful politician
• second triumvirate
• Octavian forces the weak Lepidus to retire
• He and Mark antsy become rivals
• Mark Antony partner up with Cleopatra 
• militarily
• personally
• politically
• economically
• Octavian defeats them at the battle of Actium
• Octavian is the unchallenged ruler of Rome
• given the honorific " Augustus" 
• also given the title "imperator"
• where we get the word emperor
• Rome is now a empire no longer a republic
• 4o years of ruling as emperor (27b.c.-14 a.d.)
• began a stable era of peace and prosperity known as the Pax Romana 
• lasted 207 years long (27 B.C.-180 A.D.)
• expanded the Roman Empire further into Africa 
• sets up a civil service to run the govt./empire
• built network of roads
• collecting taxes
• established postal service
• administer grain supply
• built awesome public facilities
• built aqueducts 
• set up a police dept.
• running a fire fighting organization
• finally died of natural causes
• after Augustus death, power was passed down to emperors
• some good, bad, and insane

• Tiberius
• ruled (A.D. 14-A.D. 37)
• excellent general, reluctant emperor
• after death of his son, he exiled himself from Rome and left his prefects in charge
• died at age 77
• Caligula
• ruled A.D 37- A.D. 41 (only 4 years)
• won a power struggle
• known for his cruelty, extravagance and persists- insane tyrant 
• assassinated by a group of praetorian guards, senator, imperial court
• tried to reestablish republic
• Claudius
• AD 41-54
• suffered many infirmities: a limp, stammering, shaking, slobbering, possibly because of cerebral palsy 
• took over because he was the last adult male in family
• ruled well- built roads, aqueducts, canals, started the conquest of Britain
• died by poisoning- last wife plan (wanted her son Nero to rise to power)
• Nero
• Ruled 54-68
• emphasized the arts
• huge fire in 64 (although he didn't fiddle)
• wanted to rebuild Rome to be more majestic 
• he hugely overspent, raided temples
• Historians do not like him

wars of punic and Julius caesar

So today we went over the rest of our notes before our test Thursday

• First punic war (264-146) B.C.
• three wars
• Rome vs Carthage

• First punic war (264-241)
• naval battles for control of Sicily 
• Rome wins

• Second punic war
• 29 year old general Hannibal almost does the impossible taking Rome
• attack from the north after crossing the alps and Spain 
• lays siege for 15 years but lose
• Rome wins (218-201)

• Third punic war (149-146)
• Rome wanted to finally remove the threat of Carthage
• scipio,Tiberius, gracchus and others mercilessly attacked the city
• Carthage was burned for 17 days everything was destroyed
• When the war ended 50,000 Carthage, and 150,000 greek slaves poured into Rome
• By the end of the 2nd century B.C. over 1 million slaves in Italy
• Small farmers lost their farms to aristocrats because they coolant pay their debt
• slaves did the farm work for the rich
• Big farms became estates called latifundia

• Poet Juvenal said Rome " anxiously hopes for 2 things bread and entertainment
• Bread ( free grain from the states), entertainment ( colosseum )
• Tiberius Gracchus recognized the advantages of courting the plebians
• Military generals worked that angle- lead an army that conquers a land, give them a share in the spoils
• soldiers loyalty was to their military leaders not necessarily to Rome or the republic
• Julius caesar (100-44) B.C.
• highly successful general
• conquered the huge territory of gaul
• Made common folks happy
• made friends in high places
• Pompey (general who conquered syria, Palestine)  
• Crassus (richest man in rome and one of the richest men in the worlds history) 
• The 3 men formed the triumvirate
• " Rule of men"
• Crossing the rubicon 
• once you have made a decision you can never go back
• serves as consul 
• appoints himself governor of gaul
• his armies clash with pompous in Greece, Asia , Spain, and Egypt 
• in 44 B.C.
• he is named dictator first six months, then for life
• grants citizenship to people in provinces 
• expands senate, adds his friends
• create jobs for the poor 
• increase pay for soldiers
• started colonies where those without land could own property.

Sic Semper Tyrannis

Rome legal code

Today we talked about the roman legal code which is very similar to our constitution and bill of rights

• Rome had the twelve tables
• They were publicly displayed
• gave rights to the plebeians, not just the aristocrats
• only protected free born male citizens

U.S.A

• bill of rights
• first ten commandments

As you can see we didn't take a lot of notes today because we mostly did discussions. I will probably have a lot of notes tomorrow though

Rome Government

So today we talked about the government Rome had and its similarities to the United States government

• not exactly the same
• executive
• legislative
• judicial
• both have a legal code

Executive, Rome

• 2 consuls
• 1 year terms
• each has the power to veto
• controls military
• appoints dictator for a 6 month term

Executive, U.S.A

• President (plus VP)
• 4 year terms
• veto proposed laws
• commander in chief of the military

Legislative, Rome

• senate has 300 people aristocrats, life terms
• Assemblies (either centuriate or tribal 193 members, later 373), life terms

Legislative, U.S.A

• senate 100 members, 2 each state, 6 year terms
• House of representatives, 435 members ( 55 from California, Maryland had 8, Ak, De, Mt, Nd, Sd, Vt, Wy have 1), two year terms

Judicial, Rome

• Praetors
• chosen by the centuriate assembly
• 1 year terms

Judicial, U.S.A

• Supreme Court
• nine members
• lifetime terms
• appointed by the president, confirmed by the senate.

So as you can see our government is very closely related to Rome which may be why we have lasted so long.

Powerpoint part1

In class today we took more notes

• In Rome citizenship with voting rights was granted only to free born male citizens 
• Patricians were wealthy landowners who helming the most power
• Plebeians were the common farmers artisans, and merchants who made up the majority of the population
• Tribunes protected the rights of plebeians from unfair acts of patricians 
• In 451 B.C. a group of 10 officials began writing down Rome's laws, these are known as the twelve tables
• Republic
• Rule is replaced by two consuls 
• consuls were elected officials 
• term was one year
• always aristocrats( patriarchs )
• Patriarchs traced their decent from a common ancestor 
• they were in charge of dealing justice, making laws, commanding army
• One consul could veto the other decision reducing the power of the other
• SPQR designates any decree or decision made by" the roman senate and people
• Roman legion had 5,000 heavily armed foot soldiers 
• By 4th century B.C. Rome dominated central Italy.

test corrections

So today we went over our test and found out that we will be getting some points back because of a few weird worded questions which should boost my grade up to a 90 or high B but other than that we didn't do anything else and since we had half a day we didn't have a lot of time.