Hell_Rom_civ.html

SUMMARY OF THE HELLENISTIC AND ROMAN CIVILIZATIONS

MAPS (SOME INTERACTIVE)

SCHEDULE 3308

Origins of Rome: The Indoeuropean migrants settled in what later would be the Roman territory. Probably during the 8th century two other nations of immigrants came in: the Greeks and the Etruscans (perhaps from Asia Minor). By the 6th century the Etruscans had established a great federation of cities over most of North and central Italy. They had an alphabet, artisan skills, artistic talent, and an anthropomorphic religion.

The founders of Rome were Italic peoples who lived in the area south of the Tiber. The conventional date for the foundation is 753 BCE. By the 6th century Rome dominanted most of the surrounding area, but then the Etruscans took over.

The Roman tradition of their early kings is mostly mythical, even though it is narrated in the first book of Livy's Histories. The story includes three Etruscan kings, whose outrageous actions brought about the demise of the monarchy, around 500 BCE.

Before the end of the monarchy the Roman population had come to be divided into two great classes, patricians and plebeians (common people, small farmers, craftsmen, tradesmen).

The plebeians rebelled soon after the beginning of the 5th century BCE. The revolution that overthrew the monarchy was conservative. It substituted two elected officials, the consuls, for the king, and exalted the position of the senate (= the elders). Their first victory was the election of tribunes about 404 BCE.

This chart summarizes the events and political development after the defeat of Athens, at the end of the fifth century. See Chart of Greek Civilization and the Synopsis of Roman History

TIME GREECE ROME

FOURTH
CENTURY
BCE Sparta asserts its power over all of Greece and dominates it for over 30 years. With Spartan support, oligarchies replace democracies in other city-states. The history of the Roman Republic in its first two centuries was one of constant war, first defensive, then of conquest. Rome conquered all the Etruscan territories and took over all the Greek cities in the South of the Italic peninsula.
By the middle of the 4th century the first plebeian consul was elected.

. In 371 a period of oppressive Theban supremacy begins, which lasts nine years. .

. 383: Philip of Macedon conquers all of Greece except Sparta. He is murdered in 336 .

. Philip's son, Alexander the Great, establishes in twelve years an empire extending from the Indus river to the Nile. in Egypt. Click here for map #1.^[1] Alexander dies in Babylon, still a young man, in 323. He becomes a hero and receives worship. This marks conventionally the beginnin of the "Hellenistic period" of the Greek civilization. .

. Crosscultural consequences of Alexander's conquests: Hellenic and Eastern cultures interpenetrate so as to produce a new civilization: the Hellenistic. Click here for map #2 AROUND THIS TIME ROME WAS ALREADY A DOMINANT FORCE ON THE ITALIC PENNINSULA. Its power will increase during five centuries.

THIRD and
SECOND CENTURIES
BCE . After the middle of the 3rd century, Rome was involved in a series of wars with other great nations. The first and most important were the wars with Carthage (Punic wars). Eventually the Romans destroyed Carthage.
They conquered Greece (fall of Corinth 164 BCE) and Asia Minor and established a protectorate over Egypt.
Before the end of the 2nd century BCE, virtually the entire Meidterranean area was under Roman control. Click here for map #3^[1]

FIRST CENTURY
BCE The "Hellenistic period" of Greece (do not confuse with "Hellenic" = Greek) is considered to have lasted until 30 BCE. By the end of the 1st century BCE Rome had imposed its rule over the entire Hellenistic world as well as over most of modern-day Western Europe. The conquest of the Hellenistic East led to the introduction of Greek ideas and customs into Rome.
An effect of the Punic Wars was a great social and economic revolution. The period from the end of the Punic Wars in 146 BCE to about 30 BCE is one of the most turbulent in the history of Rome. It includes the insurrection of slaves.
Aristocratic control and civic conflict led to dictatorships and finally to the rise of the first emperor, Octavian (adoptive son of Caesar) who with the name Augustus ruled as emperor until 14 AD.

[1] This map requires shockwave to view the itinerary of Alexander.

LAST UPDATED: 1/30/01

TIME	GREECE	ROME
FOURTH CENTURY BCE	Sparta asserts its power over all of Greece and dominates it for over 30 years. With Spartan support, oligarchies replace democracies in other city-states.	The history of the Roman Republic in its first two centuries was one of constant war, first defensive, then of conquest. Rome conquered all the Etruscan territories and took over all the Greek cities in the South of the Italic peninsula. By the middle of the 4th century the first plebeian consul was elected.
.	In 371 a period of oppressive Theban supremacy begins, which lasts nine years.	.
.	383: Philip of Macedon conquers all of Greece except Sparta. He is murdered in 336	.
.	Philip's son, Alexander the Great, establishes in twelve years an empire extending from the Indus river to the Nile. in Egypt. Click here for map #1.^[1] Alexander dies in Babylon, still a young man, in 323. He becomes a hero and receives worship. This marks conventionally the beginnin of the "Hellenistic period" of the Greek civilization.	.
.	Crosscultural consequences of Alexander's conquests: Hellenic and Eastern cultures interpenetrate so as to produce a new civilization: the Hellenistic. Click here for map #2	AROUND THIS TIME ROME WAS ALREADY A DOMINANT FORCE ON THE ITALIC PENNINSULA. Its power will increase during five centuries.
THIRD and SECOND CENTURIES BCE	.	After the middle of the 3rd century, Rome was involved in a series of wars with other great nations. The first and most important were the wars with Carthage (Punic wars). Eventually the Romans destroyed Carthage. They conquered Greece (fall of Corinth 164 BCE) and Asia Minor and established a protectorate over Egypt. Before the end of the 2nd century BCE, virtually the entire Meidterranean area was under Roman control. Click here for map #3^[1]
FIRST CENTURY BCE	The "Hellenistic period" of Greece (do not confuse with "Hellenic" = Greek) is considered to have lasted until 30 BCE.	By the end of the 1st century BCE Rome had imposed its rule over the entire Hellenistic world as well as over most of modern-day Western Europe. The conquest of the Hellenistic East led to the introduction of Greek ideas and customs into Rome. An effect of the Punic Wars was a great social and economic revolution. The period from the end of the Punic Wars in 146 BCE to about 30 BCE is one of the most turbulent in the history of Rome. It includes the insurrection of slaves. Aristocratic control and civic conflict led to dictatorships and finally to the rise of the first emperor, Octavian (adoptive son of Caesar) who with the name Augustus ruled as emperor until 14 AD.