The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Roman Empire by Nelson, Eric -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Cover Copyright Contents Foreword Introduction

What You’ll Learn in This Book Addendum Acknowledgements Trademarks

Part 1 All Roads Lead to Rome

Chapter 1 Dead Culture, Dead Language, Dead Emperors: Why Bother? Some Surprising Facts About Rome and the Romans Rome Was Multicultural The First Universal Declaration of Equal Rights If Latin Is Dead, You’re a Talking Zombie Are We Marching into the Future or in Circles? So What Do You Mean by “Rome”? Rome the City Rome the State Rome the Empire Rome the Religious Center Rome the Concept Roman History in a Box The Royal Period (ca 800–509B.C.E.) The Republican Period (ca 509–27B.C.E.) The Principate of Augustus (27B.C.E.–C.E. 14) The Imperial Age (TraditionallyC.E. 14–476) The Byzantine Period (565–1453) Roman Literature in a Box Early Latin Literature (ca 300–100B.C.E.) The Golden Age (ca 100B.C.E.–Death of Augustus inC.E. 14) The Silver Age (ca 41–180) The Literature of the Late Empire (ca 180–565) Chapter 2 Rome FAQ: Hot Topics in Brief How Did They Do It? Conquering the World It’s Their Job Conquering and Cooperation Organization, Organization, Organization Rewards and Punishments Two Thumbs Up! Games and Gladiators The “Games” of Rome Contests of Animals and Humans Human Combat and Spectacle In Chains: Slaves and Slavery Kinds of Slaves Slave Status Where Did They Come From? Becoming Free Some Ironies Almost in Chains? Roman Women Kinds of Women Women’s Status Some Ironies Lives of the Rich and Famous: The Roman Emperors When Did the Emperors Reign? How Did You Get to Be Emperor? What Were Whey Like? Going Over Like a Lead Pipe: Why Did Rome Fall? It’s the Water Economies off the Scale: Size Does Matter Global Warming and Dust Bowls The Empire Vandalized: Invasions and Incursions Chapter 3 How Do We Know? Discovering the Romans Digging In: Ruins, Remains, and Archeological Sites Rome Itself Around Italy From Britain to Babylon: Remains from the Frontiers and Provinces Gifts of Vesuvius: Pompeii and Herculaneum Under Water: What Goes Down Sometimes Comes Up Words and Texts Official Documents Roman Literature I Was Here: Graffiti and Other Unofficial Remains What Other People Said Early Church Texts Chapter 4 Club Mediterrania: Rome in the Context of Other Civilizations The Near East Persia Phoenicians Civilizations on the African Continent Egypt Carthage and the Carthaginians Libya and North Africa The Greeks and Greece The Ancient Greek City-States The End of the City-State and Alexander’s Empire Magna Graecia Gauls and Other Barbarians Gauling Developments Epirus Rome Before the Romans: Ancient Italy The Etruscans Northern Italy Central Italy The Samnites and Sabines Southern Italy Location, Location, Location: The Site of the City of Rome Chapter 5 Seven Hills and One Big Sewer: Rome Becomes a City Virgin Bears Twins! Myths of Rome’s Founding The Story of Romulus The Traditional Story Generals, Slaves, and Entrepreneurs: The Various Kings of Rome Throw the Bums Out! The Roman Revolution and the Beginning of the Republic It Wasn’t Murder—It Was Sewerside! What Probably Happened Huts on the Hills Royal Growing Pains Top to Bottom Social Organization The Aristocratic Republic Trouble in River City: The Conflict of the Orders Put That in Writing! The Twelve Tables “You and Whose Army?” or, “Nothing Secedes Like Secession” “Dr. No” So . . . Wait a Minute Here

Part 2 Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day: The Roman Republic (509–27 B.C.E.)

Chapter 6 On Golden Pond: Rome Conquers Italy and the Mediterranean You Will Be Assimilated: Rome Conquers Italy (500–270B.C.E.) Won’t You Be My Neighbor? The Latin League Carving Up the Neighborhood The Gallic Avalanche The Samnites and Central Italy Pyrrhic Losses: Conquering Magna Graecia Never Out of Africa: Rome Conquers Carthage Peacemaking and Peacekeeping: The First Punic War (264–241B.C.E.) Elephant in the Living Room: Hannibal and the Second Punic War (218–202B.C.E.) Peace Is a Desert: The Third Punic War and the Destruction of Carthage (151–146B.C.E.) Go East Young Man: Rome Conquers Greece and the East The Illyrian Wars (229–228, 220–219B.C.E.) Free to Be Roman: The Macedonian Wars Conquering the East The Wild West So Gauling: Settling Northern Italy In Spain, Again Chapter 7 Let’s Conquer . . . Ourselves! The Roman Revolution and the End of the Republic King of the Hill Business Boom Trouble at the Bottom He’s So Popular: The Gracchae Tiberius Gracchus (d. 133B.C.E.) Gaius Gracchus (d. 121B.C.E.) Marius and Sulla Marius and the Birth of the Professional Soldier The Social Wars (90–88B.C.E.) Call Me “Lucky”: The Reign of Sulla Kids These Days: Pompey and Caesar Gnaius Pompey, The Great (106–48B.C.E.) Meet the Players Julius Caesar (100–44B.C.E.) Crossing the Rubicon: The Civil War Everything Old Is New Again The Ides of March Snakes and Daggers: The Deaths of Anthony and Cleopatra The Second Triumvirate The End of the Republic Chapter 8 Rome, Rome on the Range: Romans at Home How the Romans Saw Themselves Small Farmer, Big Soldier Discipline and Practicality Dignity and Authority Public and Private Life Father Knows Best: The Pater Familias Education Women Urban and Rural Religion That “Old Time” Religion Not Everyone’s (Got) a Genius Imports and Others Slaves and Slavery Chapter 9 The Romans Among Themselves Patricians and Plebs: Social Structure and Divisions The Patricians The Plebs It’s Money That Matters: Nobiles and Equites Patrons and the Patronized (Clients) Politics and Political Structure Roman Assemblies Roman Magistrates Getting to the Top: The Cursus Honorum Law Prosecution and Defense Going to Court The Precedent Principle “Roman” Religion Collegia The Army Military Service Chapter 10 The Romans at Large Some Citizens Are More Equal Than Others Latin Rights Citizenship in Italy Citizenship and Rights Abroad Friends in High Places: Foreign Clients Follow the Money: Administration and the Perks of Conquest Bringing Home the Bacon and the Bronze Got Plastic? Public-Private Partnerships It’s Who You Know: Lobbyists at Rome Work, Work, Work Work in the City Work in the Country Corporate Farms: Latifundia Bringing Home the Prosciutto: Trade and Luxury Goods So Go Join the Army: The Growth of the Professional Soldier Chapter 11 Literature and Culture of the Republic Importing Culture: Early “Roman” Literature and History Liberals at Large: The Scipionic Circle Made in Rome: Cato and Catonism Latin Comes into Its Own: The First Century B.C.E. Marcus Tullius Cicero (Cicero) Pater Patriae Cicero’s Orations Golden Oldies Marcus Terentius Varro (Varro) Titus Lucretius Carus (Lucretius) Gaius Julius Caesar (Caesar) Gaius Sallustius Crispus (Sallust) Gaius Valerius Catullus (Catullus) The Augustan Period Publius Virgilius Maro (Virgil) Quintus Horatius Flaccus (Horace) Sextus Propertius (Propertius) Albius Tibullus (Tibullus) Titius Livius (Livy) Publius Ovidius Naso (Ovid) Chapter 12 If They Build It: Roman Engineering The Empire Wore Cement Shoes How All Roads Led to (and from) Rome How Roads Were Built When the Mountain Was High When the Valley Was Low When the River Ran Wide The Open (and Clogged) Road You Can’t Lead a City to Water, But . . . Getting Water to the City Water, Water, Everywhere I Like to Watch: Theaters and Amphitheaters Urban Planning Building for Victory Roman Camps Siege Equipment

Part 3 Empire Without End: Roman Imperial History

Chapter 13Easing into Empire Okay, Now What? Octavian = Augustus The Principate: It’s the Same, Only Different The Augustan Ages From Actium Until 27B.C.E. 27–19B.C.E. 19B.C.E.–C.E. 14 Augustus’s Powers Rome Under Augustus Getting Back to Roman Values In the City On the Borders The Era of Big Government Not Too Successful with Succession Trying to Get Agrippa on It Turning to Tiberius Intriguing or Intrigue? Chapter 14 All in the Family: The Julio-Claudian Emperors Tiberius (C.E. 14–37) Germanicus and Agrippina Despot or Dilbert? Sejanus Stay Away . . . and Stay Dead Gaius (Caligula) (C.E. 37–41) Something Lost in the Recovery Schizophrenic Adventures Enough Is Enough Claudius (C.E. 41–54) Will the Real Claudius Please Stand Up? Freedmen and Administration Watch Out for the Wives Nero (C.E. 54–68) Good Beginnings and Mommy Dearest I Gotta Be Me Burn, Baby, Burn Nero on the Tracks Chapter 15 The (Mostly) Good Emperors: The Flavians to Marcus Aurelius The Year of Living Dangerously Galba (68–69) Otho (69) Vitellius (69) Working Stiffs to Lord and God: The Flavian Dynasty Vespasian (69–79) Titus (79–81) Domitian (81–96) Adopting a Better Succession Policy: The Five Good Emperors Nerva (96–98) Trajan (98–117) Hadrian (117–138) Antoninus Pius (138–161) Marcus Aurelius (161–180) Chapter 16 The (Mostly) Not-So-Good Emperors: Commodus to Aurelian A “Good” Hangover: Commodus to the Severi Succession in the Commodus, Again Commodus (180–192) Pertinax (193) Didius Julianus (March 28–June 1, 193), Come on Down! The Severi Septimius Severus (193–211) Caracalla (211–217) and Geta (211) Macrinus (217–218) Elagabalus (Hierogabalus) (218–222) Alexander Severus (221–235) Another Day, Another Emperor (235–284) The Gallic Empire The Palmyrene Empire The Illyrian Emperors Chapter 17 Divide and (Re)Conquer: Diocletian to Constantine Diocletian (284–305) The Dominate Maximian Empire in Four-Wheel Drive: The Tetrarchy Emperor, Reformer, and CEO Too Many Augusti and Not Enough Caesars Maxentius and Constantine Shakedown The Mulvian Bridge and Maximinus Daza Showdown Constantine the Great (324–337) Moving the Center of the Empire The Christian Empire Love and Loss Chapter 18 Barbarians at the Gates: The Fall of the Western Empire “My Three Sons” Can’t Rewind: Julian the Apostate (361–363) Roman Gothic: Theodosius to Alaric and the Sack of Rome Theodosius the Great (379–395) The Boy Emperors Women of Influence Stilicho and Alaric Barbarians in the Gates: Alaric and the Sack of Rome The End Is Near Know Your Barbarians Aetius and the End of the Theodosians The Western “Fall” Rimicer (455–472) Okay, This Is Almost It I Said, “Almost”

Part 4 Roman Imperial Life and Culture

Chapter 19Roman Mass Culture of the Imperial Period The Fabric of Empire East Is East and West Is West Major Cities and Capitals Civis Romanus Sum:The Roman Citizen of the World Have a Little Class The Rich Get Richer The Poor Get Poorer The Middle Gets Squeezed Women Slaves and Freedmen The Army Life Ring Around the Latin Empire Northern Africa Spain Gaul Britain The Germanys Along the Danube Chapter 20(Un)Protected Sects: Religions, Tolerance, and Persecutions Family, Public, and Personal Religious Practice One Nation Under God(s) Following One’s Bliss Protected Sects: Religious Philosophy and Mystery Religions Think It Through (Our Way) Stop Making Sense and Just Sense: Mystery Religions The Cult of Isis The Cult of Mithras Unprotected Sects: Druids, Jews, and Christians Druidism Judaism Christianity Christian Persecutions Christian Versus Christian Chapter 21Cogito Ergo Sum: The Life of the Mind The Silver Age of Latin Literature Poetry and Epic History and Biography Novel and Satire How To, and Bet You Didn’t Know Philosophy, Rhetoric, and Letters Technical Subjects Medicine and Science Antiquarians and Encyclopedists It’s Greek to Everyone Rise of the Romance Novel The Second Sophistic Early Christian Writers From Marcus Aurelius Until the Fall of Rome Some Roman Greek Authors Authors of Pagan Pride Christian Literature of the Later Empire Writers at the Passing of the Greco-Roman Tradition in the Latin West Chapter 22That’s Entertainment! Public Spectacles They Liked to Watch History of the Games The Circus How the Races Were Done The Drivers The Crowds Gladiators Who Were the Gladiators? Specialists Dwarfs, Amazones, and Amateurs The Greatest Show on Earth A Day at the Games The End of the Games Why?

Part 5 Where Did the Romans Go?

Chapter 23And the East Goes On Nova Roma (Constantinople) Byzantine Beginnings Justinian (518–565) How the West Was Won—And Lost for Good Byzantine History: It’s Called “Byzantine” for a Reason C.E. 610–711: Fighting to Keep Place Breaks Me Up: Icons and Iconoclasts (717–867) Power and Splendor (867–1200) With Friends Like You . . . the Crusades and Conquest (1200–1453) Falling Star: The Influence of Byzantium Chapter 24Nothing Quiet on the Western Front Rome After the Fall The Papal Tiger Like a Rock: Pope Gregory the Great If I Had a Hammer: Clovis to Charles Martel The Empire Strikes Back Great Big Caesar’s Ghost! Charles the Great (Charlemagne) The Carolingian Renaissance The Holy Roman Empire Onward Christian Soldier The New Romans Reichs and Rulers American Romans Et Tu Brute: You’re a Roman, Too Back to Globalization The Living Latin Language An American’s Reflection

Appendix A Timeline Appendix B Finding the Romans on Earth and in Cyberspace

Books General Rome The Republic Caesar The Augustan Age Gladiators Women The Empire The Roman Circus Roman Warfare Roman Architecture Roman Art Early Church Byzantium Western Roman Empire to Charlemagne Roman Influence on the Modern West Cyber-Romans Think Roman, Think Big Other Gateways If You Know What You Want Special Topics: Latin Language, Roman Dates, Law, and Finding Other Amici The Medieval and Byzantine

Appendix C Lights, Camera, Actio! A Short List of Rome and Romans in Film

Roman Epics Comedy and Such The Famous and the Infamous

Appendix D Glossary Index

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