Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Could Rome have survived without Slaves?

Could Rome have risen to power without slavery?
     Slavery has appeared all over the world. Many thriving countries in history had slavery as their largest work force. Most of Rome’s labor was supplied by slaves who were forced into work. Slaves were pretty important to the success of the Roman Empire. This questions the fact whether or not Rome could have survived without slaves. Without slaves, the Roman Empire could not have risen to power.
     Slaves were forced to do much of the work that the masters of the slaves did not want to do. These kinds of jobs included cleaning the house, i.e. scrubbing the floors, etc., and setting up for parties that their owners were throwing. ("Ancient History Sourcebook: Slavery in the Roman Republic." FORDHAM.EDU. Web. 31 Mar. 2010. . http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/ancient/slavery-romrep1.html)
     Early in the Roman Monarchy, Rome gathered slaves primarily through wartime victories. The defeated people were brought back to the Italian peninsula and sold into slavery. So, conquered people were the main source for slaves. These numbers couldn’t keep up to the amount of slaves that Rome desired. Therefore, offspring to these conquered slaves as well. It was up to the mother to decide whether the child should be born into slavery, regardless of the status of the father. This is how heredity provided most of the slave population, especially during peacetime. Poverty also provided many slaves. Parents often sold children into slavery when they no longer had the funds to support their family. Men would sometimes even sell their wives into slavery when faced with poverty. ("KET DL | Latin Literature | Mores | Miscellaneous." KET Distance Learning Overview - HOMEPAGE - Welcome! Web. 31 Mar. 2010. . http://www.dl.ket.org/latinlit/mores/slaves/origin.htm)

Monday, March 29, 2010

Lincoln's Gettysburg Address vs. Pericles Funeral Oration

Outline

I.
    a. Abraham Lincoln was the president of the United States during the Civil War. This was a war in which the United States was fighting against itself. Many soldiers had just died in the war, and a funeral was being held for them. Lincoln takes this time to talk about how maintaining democracy is extremely important to make sure that the soldiers never will have lost their lives for nothing. In his Gettysburg address, Lincoln is addressing an audience of devastated families that have lost their husbands, sons, and fathers.
    b.Pericles was an Athenian leader during the Peloponnesian war. After the first battle of this war, Pericles used the time during a public funeral to talk about the values of democracy. He says that no one man can have only himself to depend upon and still be content. He is also addressing an audience of devastated relatives of soldiers that perished fighting for their country. It is Athens versus Sparta, Greeks versus Greeks. It is the same country against itself, just as in the civil war of the United States.
    c. Thesis statement: Abraham Lincoln does a better job striking a point across in his Gettysburg Address because he expresses more information about saving the country and what those who died were fighting for while Pericles talks more about how the Athenians need to stick together with themselves to win the battle; in short, Lincoln wants to solve the problems between the two sides, while Pericles wants to win the war, and not worry about the problems with the enemy.
II.
    a. Abraham Lincoln and Pericles both do a good job appealing to Patriotism, but Lincoln does a better job all around. In the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln talks about how the country needs to be all together to function properly, and how in order

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Did the Roman Empire Really Fall?

The Roman Empire was one of the most powerful empires of its time. So why did it seem like it fell more quickly than it grew? Did it really fall at all? From the people who took over the empire to the people of today, everyone uses some of Ancient Rome’s culture. From the Roman Republic, to columns on museums and houses, we can clearly see that remnants of the Roman Empire occupy our everyday lives, proving that it never really fell at all.
When Rome was ransacked by the Vandals, it seemed like the rule of Rome was finally coming to an end. However, a new era was just beginning for Europe, which would eventually shape it into what it is today.
The Vandals did not stay under power of Rome. Many people would come and go as ruling empires or republics. Finally, we come to the area called Rome today. It is not as vast a territory as it once was, covering only a location with an area of about 1,285.31 km2 (496.3 sq mi). (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome). However, we can see remnants of the Roman Empire’s culture all over the world today.
Firstly, we can see remnants of the Roman Republic in the government of the United States today. For instance, the Roman Republic consisted of a Senate, just like the Senate that we see in our government. The Senate of Ancient Rome took care of all public affairs that had to do with money, just as the Senate of today does as well. England, Italy, and Canada have parliaments, which are based on the idea of the Senate of Ancient Rome. We can clearly see from only a small part of these countries’ legal systems that Rome did, in fact, leave a big impression on our ideas for government.
We can also see remnants of Roman culture in our architecture. Things such as columns and the invention of apartments were invented by Romans and are still used today. Look anywhere in your town or city and you will surely see an apartment; look at museums or nice houses and you will definitely see some columns. The Romans were the ones who invented these things, and it is a sure sign that the Roman Empire did not ever really fall away completely. The Romans truly came up with some incredible ideas, things that not even the technology of today have replaced. Apartments evolved from the Roman insula, which was a few stories high building with different rooms over the top of shops. The insulas in the beginning were not the nicest places to live, as it was hard to escape from fires if you were on a higher floor. So it was better to live on a lower floor for this reason. However, when living on a lower floor of an insula, one would always have the worry of the upper apartment collapsing on top of them, as a result of weaker construction than the one above. The poor were mostly the ones who lived in insulas, because they had no other option. Living in houses was much too expensive, though much safer. People living in insulas also had to deal with cramped surroundings and loud noises from the street. Over the course of time, apartments were developed into what they are today, but Romans can be credited with the invention of them.
Finally, we can see remnants of Roman culture in our personal lives, such as our gardens and other personal aspects of our lifestyles. Roman pleasure gardens are becoming more and more popular for people to have in their backyards, as ways to enjoy the outdoors. Roman pleasure gardens were so beautiful that when the Barbarian tribes destroyed the cities of Rome, they kept the gardens and learned from the design of them. We know what these gardens consist of thanks to this fact and also well documented sources from then telling what a Roman pleasure garden looked like. Roman pleasure gardens were used for relaxation and rejuvenation, as well as having a centered theme of entertainment. The gardens were used to entertain guests as well as the owners of them. They were used to show the landscape and the beautiful views surrounding it.
They each featured a transition area between the house and the garden. Many Romans incorporated marble into patios to form this area. They would also have a large wall depicting Roman life in this area. Then, in the garden there would be a dining area with low tables and couches, stone planters, and a water feature such as a chalice well, basin, or fountain. Past the patio and dining area, the area would open up to a great landscape that went off in every direction. There would most likely be a terraced section, orchard or vineyard (or both, depending on the wealth of the person), a kitchen garden for herbs or vegetables, and various sections that would contain plants such as roses and other flowers. The center of the garden would have something in it such as a large fountain or other special element. Shrines and grottos might also have been present in the gardens. There would be many water features in the property, as Romans were the builders of the great aqueducts. Romans would often use plants such as roses, cypress, rosemary, mulberry and fig trees, dwarf variety trees, tall trees, marigolds, hyacinths, narcissi, violets, saffron, cassia, thyme, and many others too.
Today, many people still use the ideas from Roman pleasure gardens to create relaxing spaces to entertain guests and enjoy company in. This is yet another fact of the many that proves that though the Roman Empire technically fell, but its ideas remained. How could it have fallen, really, if so many of its ideas, from government to architecture to gardens remain in our culture today? The real question is: what about the Roman Empire truly did fall? Its culture certainly did remain, and with all the ways that we use it, there is no way it could have really fallen.
Web Citations:
1. "ORB Online Encyclopedia--Overview of Late Antiquity." Nipissing University. Web. 23 Mar. 2010. .
2. "Ancient History Sourcebook: Polybius : Rome at the End of the Punic Wars [History, Book 6]."FORDHAM.EDU. Web. 23 Mar. 2010. .
3. http://depthome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/classics/dunkle/romnlife/insulae.htm
4. http://www.lifeinitaly.com/garden/roman-garden.asp
Image: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/The_Roman_Gardens_Chester_-_geograph.org.uk_-_9684.jpg

Monday, March 22, 2010

Who Was Augustine of Hippo?

Augustine of Hippo is credited as being one of the most important influences of the development of Western Christianity. he developed a theological system that was used all throughout the thirteenth century and his influence is still felt today. many of his writings have survived to this day, and it is thanks to one of them: Confessions and Revisions. that we know a lot about his life. We also know a lot about him because of a contemporary biography,  and all of his letters that have survived (there are over two hundred that are still surviving today). Confessions and Revisions, his most famous work, is not just a simple autobiography. It is instead a long prayer of penitence and thanksgiving for the grace of God shown throughout the first thirty-three years of his life.
    Aurelius Augustine (his full name), was born in Thagaste, North Africa to Patricius, a pagan until the time of his death, and Monica, a devoted follower of the Catholic faith. Even as a young child, Augustine was interested in learning about the origins of evil. However, he was disappointed when he tried to find a solution in Scripture, instead wishing for the sophistication of Greek classics. When he was 19 years old, he joined the sect of Manichees. He was a "hearer", and recorded some of the strange teachings he learned there. For a while, he found an explanation for the origins of evil. However, after a while of living with the Manichees, Augustine became dissatisfied with the teachings, and turned to a new religion, the Neoplatinism. after a long struggle, he was converted and baptized by Ambrose, the bishop at the time. Finally, he returned to Thagaste after his mother died. Here he received an ordination as a bishop where he very much disliked the Greek literature and therefore never learned to read it. So, he was restricted to translating Latin in his biblical studies.
Web Citations:
1. "Augustine of Hippo (354-430)." EarlyChurch.org.uk: An Internet Resource for the Study of the Early Centuries of Christianity. 24 Mar. 2010 .  (http://www.earlychurch.org.uk/augustine.php
Image: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ea/Saint_Augustine_by_Philippe_de_Champaigne.jpg/250px-Saint_Augustine_by_Philippe_de_Champaigne.jpg 

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Was Rome Better Off As An Empire or A Republic?

 I personally think that Rome was better off as an empire than a Republic. As a Republic, Rome had many civil wars and dispute; having a republic created nothing but problems for Rome. The Patricians had been betraying the trust that the Plebians had been relying on, a new class had arisen, the Equestrians, and they had as high as social status as the ruling class, which created another new class, the Nobiles, and turned Rome into a master-slave society, and the Plebians were losing the last of their dignity, foreign slaves were replacing their places in industry and agriculture. The two classes-Plebians and Patricians- were no longer united, creating friction that continuously resulted in civil war and political struggles. Julius Caesar tried to regain trust with the lower class, the Plebians, but in doing so he lost trust in the upper class, which resulted in his demise.
     However, Though being an empire may have been better for Rome, but it was definitely not the best Rome could be. There were tyrant rulers that damaged Rome and were unfit to rule. Caligula, for instance, was accused of incest with his sister, and trying to get his horse to be a senator. (http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Caligula*.html) Claudius, Caligula's successor, was also not the best for Rome. He killed many people, in on instance on a journey to Ostia, though he was well-liked by the people. (http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Claudius*.html) Finally, Nero, the last of the Julio-Claudian dynasty killed his mother and aunt, as well as burning down a large part of the city. Nero was forced to commit suicide. (http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Nero*.html) Though it seems that emperors were nothing but bad for Rome, single rulers actually did do good things for the city, though not for forever. Marcus Aurelius set up a government that could have been beneficial to Rome, had people not gotten too greedy.
Overall, The Roman Empire seemed to last a lot longer than the Roman Republic, and seemed to be more successful. Though it was not the most successful of ways to control Rome, it seems that Rome had better luck under an empire than under a republic.
Web Citations:
1. "The End of the Roman Republic - The Decline and Fall of Trust." CAIUS-EBOOK.COM HOME PAGE. Web. 15 Mar. 2010. 
2. "Suetonius • Life of Caligula." Sir Thomas Browne. Web. 16 Mar. 2010. 
3. "Suetonius • Life of Claudius." Sir Thomas Browne. Web. 16 Mar. 2010. 
4. "Suetonius • Life of Nero." Sir Thomas Browne. Web. 16 Mar. 2010. .

Sunday, March 14, 2010

How does Early Christian and Byzantine portraiture represent both a continuation of and a break from the past?

   Early Christian and Byzantine portraiture is the same because the styles look the same as when they were used in the past.  Egyptians inherited the styles of the Romans, and used them, but they were willing to change them to their advantage, as we can clearly see in a portrait of a boy inscribed in Greek. (http://www.metmuseum.org/special/se_event.asp?OccurrenceId={83B5C9F5-AD4E-11D3-936B-00902786BF44}) The Roman-conquered Egypt sometimes used paintings like these to place over the heads of their mummies instead of the previously used styles. So, Egyptians used the same mummifications process, but they changed the portraits and the language in which the name was inscribed on the mummy. The Egyptians changed the way that the portraits looked, but were not willing to change everything i.e. the entire process and art of the Egyptian mummified pharaohs.

Pictures of Places Augustus Claimed to Have Built

1. The Senate House
2. Chalcidicum
3. Temple of Apollo Palatinus
114. The Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus
5. Lupercal
6. The Temple of Jupiter Tonans
7. Temple of Minerva
8. Capitoline Hill
9. Marcian aqueduct
10. Forum of Julius
11. Via Flaminia
                           12. Forum of Augustus 
                           

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12

Sunday, March 7, 2010

What is So "Ancient" About Rome?

What is so ancient about Rome? If you think about it, that is a great question. The only factor that keeps Rome “ancient” is the fact that it thrived and fell a long time ago. However, if you ignore the time ancient Rome existed, it is easy to see how Rome has never really disappeared. Traces of Rome can be seen anywhere you look, from the government to the garden. When you really think about it, Rome never died, never really disappeared.
                For instance, ancient Rome affected our government in a large way. From the idea of vetoing to the Senate and its jobs, it is thanks to Rome that our government is what it is today. Romans had two groups of people: the Patricians and the Plebians. The Patricians were the wealthy class of people; the people who had the most rights; the people who were elected to be in the government. The Plebians were the lover class of people; the people who did not have all the rights; the people who were not elected into office, or have land, or money. The Patricians made all the rules, and the Plebians had to follow them. For fifteen years the Plebians lived under the heels of the Patricians, until one day they decided to rebel. This was called the Struggle of the Orders; a time when the Plebians and the Patricians argued over the where the power was to be held; in whose hands. Finally, the Patricians relented, giving the Plebians representatives in the Senate, and also giving one Plebian the right to veto any law that came his way. All laws were forced to be run by this Plebian before becoming laws, and the Plebian had the right to veto any one of his choosing.
                This is a pretty high power, and it is thanks to the Romans and their Struggle of the Orders that we now have the idea for this vetoing power. However, instead of giving it to a representative in our Senate, we give this power to our president: the President of the United States.
                We also get the idea of the power to give to the Senate thanks to the Romans. The Romans used their Senate to handle all public money, i.e. they handled all returns that were brought into the treasury, and also the payments issued from it. The Senate of Rome also adjusted all disputes between people, determined how ambassadors coming into the country would be treated, and had other responsibilities too.
Our Senate has similar responsibilities when it comes to the country’s money, as well as additional responsibilities. However, our Senate enforces laws for bills that may or may not be passed, which is different from deciding on the treatment of visiting ambassadors.
As you can plainly see, the Senate of the United States gets ideas from the Republic of ancient Rome. These are only two of many more. The United States is not the only country who has a Senate like ancient Rome, either. Australia, the UK, France, each country has some type of Senate-like part in their government, which could have possibly evolved from Roman ideas.
Ancient Rome also affected literature, astrology, education, mathematics, arts science, philosophy; a variety of things. Architecture was something affected greatly by ancient Rome. Columns to support buildings, the first examples of apartment buildings, and the circus: all of these are examples of Roman firsts that we still see today. The circus may have been an extension of the Roman Amphitheater, and some columns were not originally thought of by the Romans; the Romans may have simply extended the idea. Other ideas by the Romans, such as apartment buildings, were Roman ideas alone.
Think about it: we see Roman architecture everywhere. Maybe we don’t recognize it, because we see it all the time. We don’t think about how much we are influenced by Roman culture. We see apartment buildings everywhere, and don’t even bat an eye. We see columns on houses, museums, statues, and don’t even think twice about it. But if we really start to think, we see that our culture is dominated by Roman architecture.
The Romans not only came up with columns, circuses, and apartment buildings, but they also came up with the Triumphal arch. This is an arc that announces the arrival or entrance to a specific place. This is one Roman invention that did not seem to have any other purpose than to show the entrance, something different than the usual Roman inventions that were made for a specific purpose. We can see arcs like this in many places, announcing the entrance to an amusement park, museum; they were even used in the Holocaust, announcing the entrance to a concentration camp. People everywhere around the globe are using this arc.
Romans also created the great baths, which are something that we do not use today. However, the baths are still in Rome, and visitors to Rome come from all around to see them in their glory.
Lastly, we can see the effects of ancient Rome in gardens today. Romans had courtyard and kitchen gardens, but they are well known for the pleasure gardens that they created, using them for relaxation and rejuvenation. These gardens were also used for and centered on entertainment; they were a place to take guests. These gardens had many beautiful features and views. Roman pleasure gardens had a transition element from the kitchen to the garden, an element such as marble. They also contained a low dining area; low tables and couches. Other elements included a terraced section, an orchard or a vineyard, maybe both, and a kitchen garden for herbs and vegetables. These are only a few elements of a Roman pleasure garden, and they are so beautiful that we still see people using them today.
As it is plainly seen, ancient Rome rubbed off more than a little on people today. From government to architecture to gardens, ideas from Rome are used all over the world today, and will be used far into the future.
Web Citations: 
1.  "Ancient History Sourcebook: Polybius : Rome at the End of the Punic Wars [History, Book 6]."FORDHAM.EDU. Web. 08 Mar. 2010. http://www.fordham.edu/HALSALL/ANCIENT/polybius6.html
2. "Architecture in Ancient Rome." Truly Rome Apartments in Rome. Web. 08 Mar. 2010. http://www.mariamilani.com/ancient_rome/rome_art_architecture.htm
3. "Elements of a Roman-Style Pleasure Garden | Italy." Life in Italy | Italy. Web. 08 Mar. 2010. http://www.lifeinitaly.com/garden/roman-garden.asp

What Elements of the Roman Republican Political and Legal System Appear Present in the Systems of Modern Democracies?

 We see a variety of Roman elements in our political system today. First, the veto system used by the president, whereas he is one sole person who can decide whether a law is passed or not. This was a system first used by the Romans, in the case of Plebians and Patricians. One Plebian was able to either let a law pass, or veto it. The Romans had a Senate, who handled the public money, i.e. they handled all returns that were brought into the treasury, as well as all the payments issued from it. The Senate of today has similar responsibilities. However, like the Senate of today, the Senate of Rome had other responsibilities. While our Senate enforces laws for bills that may or may not be passed, the Senate of Ancient Rome adjusted all disputes, determined how ambassadors would be treated, and had many other responsibilities. The people of today and Ancient Rome's tome also played close to the same part. The people of Ancient Rome, because the Senate and other parts of the government held so much power, dispensed all punishments, and condemned  citizens to paying fines, and had the right to sentence any one person to die. It was very much their job to enforce the rules and look after the country. The people of today have similar responsibilities. As we can plainly see, the Roman Republic was very successful, at least in its time; and in hopes of receiving that successful type of government, we are able to see many similarities in the governments of today.
Works Cited:
1. "Ancient History Sourcebook: Polybius : Rome at the End of the Punic Wars [History, Book 6]."FORDHAM.EDU. Web. 08 Mar. 2010. http://www.fordham.edu/HALSALL/ANCIENT/polybius6.html 
Image:  http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Us_senate_seal.png 

How Was the Struggle of the Orders Influential on Later Roman Politics?

    The Struggle of the Orders changed the way that Rome could make decisions. Before, the Patricians could and did make laws whenever they wanted to, but the Struggle of the Orders took away some of the power from the Patricians. After the struggle, the Plebians were able to veto any law that Patricians put forth. This gave them a large amount of power, because the Patricians could no longer do something the Plebians did not approve of. The Republic had been founded only fifteen years before this change, so it obviously did not take long for the Plebians to figure out the injustice happening. However, after the Struggle of the Orders the Patricians still held a considerable amount of power, so they did not let the Plebians completely take away the power they had. Politics in Rome did not, for the most part, change, except that the Plebians were no longer the sole individuals with any power.
Web Citations:
1. "Struggle of the Orders." UNRV History - Roman Empire. Web. 07 Mar. 2010. http://www.unrv.com/empire/struggle-of-the-orders.php 
Image: http://www.sbceo.k12.ca.us/~vms/carlton/Rome/12tables.jpg

Friday, March 5, 2010

What Were Roman Attitudes Towards Women and Children When the Twelve Tables Were Written?

   Children were treated as objects: possessions to be seen and not heard. Fathers could treat their children however they wanted to, they could sell them, beat them, or force them to do hard labor. If a child was seriously deformed, they were killed, just like a malfunctioning object is discarded. (IV.1) Fathers favored sons over daughters, therefore sons were treated better. However, if a child was male, they would have more opportunities and freedoms.
      Women were treated as objects to be seen and not heard, if not more so than children. At a funeral, women were not to cry or speak at all.(X.4) Women never got an opportunity to be free like sons did.(IV.2) Women were always supposed to be under the possession of a man. (V.1) No matter how many women there were, a man would have to be in control of them. Men were allowed to marry whomever they pleased in their own class, but women had no say over the matter. Women were treated as secondary citizens and as children. (VI.2)
Web Citations:
1. "THE TWELVE TABLES." California State University, Northridge. Web. 05 Mar. 2010. .  http://www.csun.edu/~hcfll004/12tables.html 
Image: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/33/62005017_7fba26a4f7.jpg?v=0 

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Notes



The Theories of History

Linear history- the timeline works as a ray.
Cyclic history- if you are born, and you die, in linear history, birth comes first. In cyclic history, you are born and you die, and you are born, so you cannot tell which is first, it is a circle, you are born again and again.
Hagelian theory of history
Thesis + Antithesis = Synthesis.

Event 1. John, strongest kid in class doesn't tie his shoes.  +  Event 2. John picks on group of kids, bullying them.
Event 3. John chases the kids, but slips out of his shoe.

Event 1. John sprains his ankle.  +  Event 2. John gets jumped on the way home.

Event 3. John gets a black eye.

Event 1. John comes into school with a black eye.  +  the kids in John's class find out who gave him a black eye.

Event 3. John is no longer the toughest kid in school.

Vortex/Vortextual  theory of history- 
Yeats:  Events go big, and then get small. This happens over and over again. ex: the Roman empire-BIG and then the Dark Ages-small the Renaissance-BIG
 The Neolithic Period 

Neolithic  period
The dog was domesticated originally to be eaten. 
The city of Jericho was, to the best of our knowledge, the first city to ever be developed.
Whenever you look at cities that have been around for a long time…New York, Boston, Baltimore, the Roman Empire, all of them were based on waterways. You will never see an older city that is not on a waterway.
In hunter-gatherer society, the fastest, strongest person will ultimately get the food. In a farming, city community, you breed and domesticate the animals so as to have more. People can trade with a hunter if they cannot afford an animal on their own.
People not only start to trade, but they start to specialize…i.e. best hunter becomes rich and starts a business. Laws and a legal system have to be established.
When people settle down, they start to build temples as a result of their religions. It is organized, and there are set practices and beliefs.
All of these are aspects of culture. l

The Period of Pyramids 
  1. Period of Pyramids
    1. Neolithic period of Egypt lasted from about 8000 B.C.
  1. There were wars between upper and lower egypt, until Narmur Palette came and gained control of both parts. He had total control and power instilled by fear.
  2.  Geography
The northern part of Egypt was called "lower Egypt" and the upper part of Egypt was called the upper part of Egypt.
  1. In Egyptian statues, you will know that it is real if you can see no real space between the legs. There is just stone there, Egyptians never carved that part out. Romans did, but Egyptians did not.
  2. The idea that pyramids were built by slave comes from Archaeologist Mark Lehner. There were work quarters, so just having slvaes was not the whole story. Mortuary cities-cities that's only purpose was to have a tomb for the pharaoh. This was the only reason for Giza to exist.
  3. Death is the single most important thing in Egyptian culture.
  4. Hieroglyphics were the language that the Egyptians used. They were not pictograms, and they made up an entire grammatical language.
  5. Conscription is compulsory enrollment in armed forces.       
The Greeks, Persians, and Athenians 
They said, either you join with us, or we are going to destroy your colonies. (Persians to Greeks).
The Greeks were a proud people, and refused, causing the Persians to destroy their colonies.
The Persians are met by the Greeks on a battlefield, on a pass called Thermopylae. The Greeks were vastly out numbered by the Persians, and had to cut off the pass to keep the Persians from coming through.
The Spartans were a proud people, children were trained to be warriors, they had a very strong military. They were very tough people. Lycurgus was the first of the Spartan leaders to make a system of laws. Lycurgus was a tyrant, but this did not mean he was bad. By the time of the Persian Wars, the Spartans were very powerful.    
Leonidas was the leader who led the Spartans into battle.
Phalanx, which means to go straight at each other, until one side breaks through. The Greeks fought this way.
The Spartan troops meet the entire Persian army, knowing that this is a suicide mission. They are going to hold the Persian army as long as they can, while the Greeks are evacuating Athens. The battle lasts for three days, every  single Spartan there dies, but they bought time, and in this time, Athens was able to evacuate. The Persians burn it to the ground. The Persians try to chase down the Greeks, so they are trapped, and barely get back to Persia, and the Greeks win. This battle is called the battle of Salamis, which happened in 480 B.C
1776, 1492, 480 B.C.                             MOST IMPORTANT DATES!
There is growing resentment from Sparta growing towards Athens. Athens is getting all the glory for the work that Sparta did.
Sparta and Athens  go to war.  This is the first of the Peloponnesian Wars.
The Athenians build two long walls all the way to Piraeus. These were called the Long Walls. Sparta is able to move the Athenians back, and the Athenians move back to their city, and the Spartans have trapped them by staying on the edge of the city. They burn the Athenians' crops.
Then, the plague hits the Athenians. Pericles dies because of this plague. They come to a truce with the Spartans, and the Spartans go home, but the Athenians have suffered great losses.
Alcibiades was blamed for serious vandalism. He was framed by enemies that he had in the city of Athens. He is furious, and decides to give up the Athenian strategy, and tells the enemy what the plan is. The Athenians are waited for, and are wiped out. It was the greatest loss in Athenian history.

Alexander the Great 
Alexander the Great was born to Macedon. His father was the king of Macedon. He had been in a lot of wars, and only had one eye. Philip, his father had many enemies, and was assassinated when Alexander was 19. Alex became the king, and had revenge on the assassins. He swore revenge on the Persians, wants to invade Persia, so he does.
He went to Troy, and landed on the shore, takes a spear, and throws it at the seashore. It lands in the sand, and he says: "By this spear, I claim Persia." He explores and ends up in a place called Gordian.
They have a legend in Gordian. There is an ox cart in a field, and it is tied with a Gordian knot. The legend says that if you can untie the knot, you will become the ruler of the world. Alexander hears the story, and decides to go see the knot. It is a very complicated knot, and Alexander goes out to look at it. Alexander looks at it, and says "It does not matter how the knot is undone." He takes his sword and cuts the knot open, and it falls apart.
Alexander decides to head down the coast, battling Persians along the way, but no serious resistance. He gets to Egypt, and is loved by the Egyptians. They hail him as a king. They loved him because he wants to get revenge on Persia, and they hated Persia. He founded a city in Egypt, which is called Alexandria. He decides to go out into the desert for a week. They go to a place called Siwa.
Siwa is an oasis, and is very far away. He goes to find the Oracle. As soon as he gets there, he is greeted by the people in the temple as the Son of the god Amon. This is their most important god. They enjoy themselves, then travel back to Egypt. He is now ready for war.
Persepolis is the capital of the Persian Empire, which was, at this time, the greatest empire of the known world. Alexander decides to invade this empire. He heads into Mesopotamia. He meets the Persians on the battlefield here. In 333 B.C., Alexander met Darius, the king of Persia, on the battlefield.
This is a fantastic battle. Alexander sees that the best warriors that the Persians have are the mercenaries. He sets up part of his cavalry, and rushes his cavalries at the Orientals.

Rome

We still feel the effects of Rome today, in legal system, art, religious, cultural, effects.
Some Trojans escaped the sack of the city, and they were led by Aeneus. Aeneas and the Trojans traveled and landed at Carthage. Aeneus falls in love with Dido, but he is told that his future is not with her, it is in Italy.
In ancient times, most of Italy was inhabited by Greeks.
When Aeneus lands, he meets the Latin people. When he lands, there is a great war between the Trojans and the people who already live there. Aeneus's son Ascanius, also known as Illus. Illus becomes king, and sets up the capital at a place  called Alba Longa.
Romulus and Reamus grow up, and there is a lot of animosity against them. They declare war on each other, Romulus wins, Reamus is dead, and Romulus founds a city, Roma.
Rome lies upon a river, the river Tiber.
Rome is built on seven large hills. It was founded in 753 B.C. it was just a village when it started.
There were two social statuses in Rome, the Patricians, and the rest of the people were the Plebians. The Patricians had more power than the Plebians. The Patricians are making all of the laws, and everybody else has to follow them. This is what as known as the struggle of the orders.
Rome becomes the first city to have one million inhabitants.
Rome sends their armies north to conquer that area. They are successful. They set up a governor in the new village, the station a Vitalian in the new village, and the people have to pay taxes to Rome and follow several Roman rules, but basically the village can do what they want to. Some of the generals in Greece are questioning who the Romans are, and they set up a fleet ready to go and see what the fuss is about the Romans.
King Pyrrhus of Epirus decided to take on the Romans. So. He invades Rome, and wins almost every battle. But, he does so at such a cost, that he cannot continue a fight. So, Rome is able to fend off its first attacker.
There were never good relations between Carthage and the Romans. The Punic war is the first war between Carthage and Rome. There are three Punic wars. These wars define Roman dominance in the Mediterranean. 264 B.C.-146 B.C.

Important Events in Rome:
  1. Aeneus/ Trojans defeat Latium
  2. Alba Longa
  3. Romulus and Reamus/ Founding on Rome in 753 B.C.

  1. Expulsion of the Etruscan Kings/ Establishment of the Roman Republic 6ht century.
Tarquin the Proud
Tarquin the Sixth raped the wife of a Roman Patrician, who was named Lucretia. Lucretia kills herself, and the Romans rise up to the Etruscan kings. They are led by Lucius Junius Brutus.  He founds the Roman Republic. The Roman Republic was founded in 509 B.C.
  1. Struggle of the Orders/ Tribune of the Plebs
  2. Roman Expansion/ Pyrrus
  3. 1st Punic War- Rome gets more Power, but no problems between Carthage and Rome are resolved. There is another war.
  4. The 2nd Punic War-
Hannibal- Carthaginian general who took war elephants across the Alps.
Hannibal won the first battle, Canine, by using the war elephants. However, he lost the battle of Zama, because the elephants were frightened by horns that the Romans blew. The elephants turned back, and the Romans trapped the remaining ones. Then, the Romans sent their cavalry, and defeated the Carthaginians. 
The Gracchus brothers argued that it was unfair that so many of the Plebians had families in the military, but the Patricians were the ones who benefitted. A battle comes up in the Senate, and both of the Gracchus brothers are assassinated, in two different events in the Senate. These are the first political assassinations in the city of Rome.
Marius and Sulla were two Roman leaders, and both of them had won great battles for Rome and had led to the great expansion of Rome. The butt heads a lot. Marius is involved in what is called the social war. What happens in this war is that the problem between the Plebians and the Patricians, Marius and Sulla are sent to put down these problems. The social war takes place at the beginning of the first century. We see a great buildup of troops loyal to specific generals. This sets a very dangerous precedent. The first civil war is basically between Sulla's army and Marius's army. Sulla threatens to march on the city of Rome itself. Marius is going to defend Rome, and Sulla is going to march on it. Sulla wins, and Marius has to flee Rome.
Caesar and other leaders look back at these things, and things happening early on become precedents. Julius Caesar is the dominant precedent of the first century. He was born on 100 B.C. He lives until 44 B.C. Caesar is from a family called the Julii. They are a Patrician family, who had a glorious past. Caesar decodes to relive the glory of his family. He runs for the Senate. The consuls of Rome are the equivalent of the prime minister. It was considered a great honor to be a consul. The Romance languages evolved from Roman provinces. The only part of the Mediterranean that is not part of the Roman empire is Egypt. Caesar decides to become popular with the people, and goes out into Suburra and meets people, and shakes hands, becoming very popular between the Roman people. We see the rise of two political parties here: the Optimares, and the Populares.  The Optimares gain their power from other Patricians, and the Populares gain their power from the people. Caesar, part of the Populares, wins. This upsets members of the Optimares.
Caesar is sent to Gaul, which is the middle of nowhere. Caesar goes there willingly. The Celtic tribes occupy all the territory that is not Roman. Romans think of them as barbarians. They were, in actuality, were a warrior tribe, very advanced in their society.
Asterix and Obelix are Gaelic tribesmen who live in a village in northern Gaul, and it is the last village to survive Roman occupancy. (As the story says.)
Caesar says "if I am going to go to Gaul, then I might as well do what I can to make a name for myself." Caesar sets up to conquer all of Gaul. He does, in fact, conquer a huge area, stretching all the way past the English channel, into a place known at that time as Britannica.
Back in Rome, the Senators are getting nervous, because Caesar is writing commentaries about what he is doing, and sending them back to Roman people. The people think this is fantastic, but the Senators are nervous. The Roman Senate passes a common condemnation of Caesar, saying that his battles were illegal, because they were done without the permission of the Roman Senate. Caesar is brought back to be tried. He is faced with a decision: either he faces the trial alone, where he has no chance, or he can bring his army, and start a civil war.
Caesar decides to start a civil war. He famously crosses the Rubicon, and says in Latin "The die has been cast." he marches he army across the Rubicon. The Senate freaks out, and they evacuate the city.
Pompey becomes the hero of the Senate, and the civil war breaks out, one side led by Pompey, the other led by Caesar. Caesar respected Pompey very much. Pompey had made his name for clearing the Mediterranean of pirates. Caesar's troops are known for their quickness. They fight throughout the Mediterranean, and the final battle occurs in the Pharsalus. It is the decisive battle of the Civil war, and Caesar's right hand man is instrumental in winning this battle. Marc Antony is a man's man, and an excellent general. He helps Caesar win this battle in fine form. 
Caesar shows up in Egypt, he is presented with Pompey's head. Caesar is horrified, saying it is a sign of disrespect of a Roman general. Caesar goes on to create an alliance with Egypt. He has an affair with Cleopatra. Now Egypt is allied with Caesar. He is greeted as a hero by the people, and is named dictator for life. His power grows more and more, and the Senators get very nervous about him Brutus and some other conspirators plan to assassinate Caesar.
Octavian is adopted by Caesar. When Caesar is assassinated, Octavian swears revenge. Octavian and Antony form an alliance with Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, in something called the triumvirate. 
They split up Rome among themselves. Lepidus goes out of the picture, and Antony and Octavian fight a power struggle. Antony has Cleopatra as an alliance, and together they go  to war with Octavian. There is a big sea war, at a place called Actium. Octavian and his right hand man defeat the naval forces of Antony and Cleopatra. Antony committed suicide, and Cleopatra went back to Egypt and committed suicide.
Octavian becomes the sol power in Rome. He is honored by the Senate, who declares him as Augustus. Octavian becomes the first emperor of Rome. The Republic is essentially over. Everything is replaced by a permanent dictatorship. Augustus is the first of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. The area where Augustus reigns is called the Pax Augusti. He dies at about 70 years old, and his heirs are not very great.
Augustus himself never treated the Roman senators like they were less than him, but he felt that he was higher. The entire Julio-Claudian dynasty abused power.  There is a statue of Augustus that depicts him as a god.
Tiberius was a good ruler, he kept the peace, but he was cruel. Caligula was insane, he had incest with his sister, had people murdered before him for fun, and tried to have his horse named a senator. He was assassinated. Claudius was a pretty good ruler. Nero was insane too, he burned down a large portion of the city, and had a large golden statue of himself created. Then, he was forced to commit suicide. He was very full of himself. Nero was the end of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, and a few people struggle to take over.
The Romans were very tolerant of different religions, but the Christians soon have problems.
Titus is another ruler. He does two things: completes the Vespasian amphitheater, and builds the arch of Titus. On the inside of the arch of Titus, it shows a scene where the Roman soldiers are carrying a menorah and attacking Jerusalem. Titus has his men attack and destroy the Temple Mount of Jerusalem. After the Jews left, the Arabs came in and built a mosque overtop of the Jewish foundation. It becomes a holy place.
After Titus dies, Domitian replaces him. Dominion is a tough guy, and he builds some public works like a bath complex. He is assassinated, and is replaced by Nerva 96-98, Trajan 98-117, Hadrian 117-138,  Antonius Pius 138-161, and Marcus Aurelius 161-175.
Nerva starts the practice of choosing who his heir is going to be. He chooses Trajan, who is one of the military geniuses of Rome. He creates Trajans column. After Trajan, there is Hadrian. Hadrian is a philosopher, an architect, a world traveler, and the first Roman emperor to be from Spain, not Italy.


Monday, March 1, 2010

Hannibal

     Hannibal was born in 237 B.C. In 247 B.C., when he was ten years old, his father took him to Iberia, where Hannibal spent his childhood. Hannibal's father made him promise eternal hatred against the Romans. Hannibal was elected to be the commander of the Carthaginian soldiers in 221 B.C. Hannibal extended much of Carthage's territory, and put his brother as the commander of the Iberian territory. In May of 218, Hannibal crossed the river Ebro in order to complete the conquest of the Iberian peninsula. Rome declared the Second Punic War, and sent reinforcements to Sicily, where the expected to be the most attacks. Hannibal decided to boldly invade Italy before the Romans were prepared, and he took his cavalry, along with an army of 50,000 infantry, and 37 war elephants. Thanks to some help from the Gauls, natives who did not like the Romans either, Hannibal and the Carthaginians were able to win the Second Punic War. Eventually though, the Carthaginians were defeated, even when Hannibal tried his old tactics again. Hannibal was forced to resign as a general when a peace treaty was signed between Rome and Carthage. Hannibal eventually died in 182 B.C.
     I think that Hannibal's reputation was not deserved, at least not as severely as the Romans talked about it. He was only trying to win a war for his country, and was willing to go to extreme measures to do it. Hannibal had been pushed to hate the Romans by his father, and his father made a huge impact on the way he thought and carried out plans in battle. Yes, Hannibal fought in an extreme way that may look monstrous to some, but no, he does not deserve to be called a monster for it.
Web Citations:
1. "Hannibal." Livius. Articles on Ancient History. Web. 01 Mar. 2010. http://www.livius.org/ha-hd/hannibal/hannibal2.html
Image: http://www.battlefieldanomalies.com/caesar/images/hanibal.jpg