Roman Empire

(Part II)

 I.  Institutions of Empire

A.  Military Power

1.  organization & technology

2.  military camps

3.  generals

B.  Citizenship & Law

1.  citizenship for provincials

2.  jus gentium

C.  Economics

1. provisioning Rome

2.  luxury trade

3.  safe roads & sea routes

D.  Class

1.  urban splendor & squalor

a) rich with latifundia

b) poor veteran soldiers

-- "bread and circuses"

-- gladiatorial contests

2.  Gracchi brothers reform efforts

a) Tiberius (d. 133 B.C.E.)

b) Gaius (d. 121 B.C.E.)

E.  Culture

1.  paterfamilias

2.  absorbed Greek culture

3.  Latin = language of administration

4.  construction projects

F.  Religion & Philosophy

1.  emperor-god

a) sacrifices & holidays

b) clash with Jews & early Christians

2.  Stoicism

3.  Christianity

a) early persecution (i.e. Nero)

b) Constantine converted (324 C.E.)

II.  Decline & Fall

A.  "Barbarian" problems (Celts, Goths, Huns)

B.  Diocletian (r. 284 - 305 C.E.) divides the empire

1.  West = Rome falls in 476 C.E.

2.  East = Byzantine Empire until 1453 C.E.

C. Why?

1.  structural problems

2.  poor leadership

3.  infiltration of Germanic peoples

4.  rise of Christianity