1) What did Augustus Caesar's Achieve?
Augustus achieved many thing during the beginning of the roman empire. This time was called the Pax Romana which means Roman Peace. it lasted for 200 years. Augustus set out to make the roman empire stronger, safe, and to reach its peak. He created a Professional guard of 150,000 men, all roman citizens. He also created a elite force called the Praetorian guard contains of 9,000 men who protect the guard and influential in roman politics. With these legions the empire expanded dramatically taking over northern empire, Gaul, and all of Spain. Augustus rebuilt rome as what we see today all the marble palaces and buildings. Rome was made of wood and when we died it was stone and marble, also the arts blossomed. He imported grain (food) from Africa to feed the poor, because he believed that a well fead population won't lead to conflicts. During his time he wanted to improve the government. He created Proconsuls similar to governors to each small province and replaces the old ones chose by the senate to look over the area. Augustus went now and then to see how the proconsul is doing. Augustus fixed the tax system to make it seem fair because taxes cause wars. He made tax collectors official jobs, because before tax collectors took more than required because they need money. So now the greedy ones are eliminated. Along with fixing the tax system, he also made the legal system fair. Everyone, everywhere people under the roman empire became citizens and the government is in charge. but not that much.
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2) Who led Rome after Augustus?
Several people from Augustus family line served after Augustus death. Augustus ruled for 40 years and died 14 AD. First no one knew how to chose a new emperor because there was no law stating this. Before death Augustus trained on of his cousin called Tiberius who was a good Emperors. After him we Caligula, Claudius, and Nero. They were all from the Augustus's Family line. Tiberius and Caligula were considered good, but Claudius and Nero were nuts. A mental illness caused Caligula to be a strange and crazy ruler. He killed many, wasted money, and believe this a horse in the position of consul. He was murdered by the Praetorian Guard and put Claudius on the throne. Nero was a blood thirsty man. He killed his mother and two wives with his hands. According to legend Nero was playing a fettle hundreds of miles from rome while a fire destroyed much of rome in the year in 64. Later he committed suicide.
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3) What Emperors were considered "Good Emperors"
After Nero's death the Empire went through a period of disorder. Vespasian, a general and Nero's proconsul, took the throne and restore peace and order thought out the Empire. He shut down several rebellion troops including the jewish rebellion in Palestine. Even his son Titus commanded troops to defeat the jews and destroy the jewish temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE. During his reign he began a project to build the colosseum. His two sons after him ruled rome. Titus and Domitian oversaw a era of growth, but during Titus reign was two disasters. One was Mount Vesuvius erupting destroying Pompeii and a great fire damaging rome.
At the beginning of 100's 5 Emperors unrelated to Augustus or Vespasian. These five were Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius, these 5 people were considered good Emperors. From 96 to 180 CE agriculture flourished, trade increased, and the standard of living rose. During each reign of each emperor they overshadow the senate, but however didn't abuse there power over the empire. These emperors were to most devoted and capable rulers in Rome history. Some improved roman life in many ways. These emperors had a common goal and that was to help the poor / ordinary people. Trajan gave money to poor parents to educate there children. Hadrian made laws better to understand and apply. Antoninus Pius passed laws to help orphan children. Every emperor help in public work projects, such as arches, aqueducts, bridge, building, and more. |
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4) What Unified the Empire
Later during the later emperors conquered more land then they can chew. The empire reached it largest limit under Trajan. This newly conquered land includes Britain in the north and part of Mesopotamia in the east. The emperor after Trajan thought that the empire was to big the control and rule effectively. He removed troops troops from Mesopotamia, and set up boundaries in Europe. This boundaries are set up at the Rhine and Danube River. He also built the Hadrian wall along northern Britain to keep out the war like people.(Picts + Scots) In 100's the roman empire is/was the greatest empire in history. The empire had control of 3.5 MILLION square millions, people speaking many languages(Many latin vs. Greek), and many customs. What kept everything together was the law, rules, and everyone was a roman. Roman culture was preserved by soldiers and protected by the government. In the year 212 every free man, women, and child is a roman citizen.
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5) Why was the Empires Economy Booming ? There were many jobs across the land the Empire owns. But mostly in Southern and central Italy, Britain, and Egypt, most common people earn a living by farms. In south+central Italy there are latifundia where slaves work on growing grapes and olives and make wine and olive oil. This became a big business. But in Britain and Egypt people there grew grain. These bountiful harvest kept roman citizens alive and fed. Agriculture and the industry were important to roman cities. City centers became a place for making bronze, glass, braze, and more. Traders come from all over, even beyond the empire come the rome. Two of rome's largest port cities were Puteoli bay of Naples and Ostia at the mouth of the Tiber. The ports are a place filled with Luxury items such a Chinese silk, spice for India, and more. As well as raw materials such as tin, lead, and steel.
6) How were Roads and Money helpful? It was important for the roman empire to have an important road network. During the pax romana the amount of roads were 50,000 MILES. Also on the sea, the roman navy helped get rid of Mediterranean pirates, so that shipped goods can travel safely to and from roman ports. The roman created a system of money (common currency). These roman coins were accepted thought out the Mediterranean region in 100. That means that Merchants can us this currency in Gaul or Greece as the same as in Italy. Also the romans created a standard system of wights and measures to make pricing goods easier.
7) What Inequality remained? The roman empire's Prosperity didn't reach all of roman people. Some benefit from it, the rich live in luxury, but the poor remain poor and the slaves stay enslaved.
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Paragraph on Pompeii Video
Part 1
2000 years ago roman city Pompeii was destroyed by the ashes of a near by mount. The year 79 august 29 was the day it interrupted. On this day slaves were working, doing all the work. The volcanic magma builds up for weeks and a rock blocks it path and building up volcanic pressure. The lava turned into a foam. An elder a commander of the navy wanted to see it up close, but his son shows up today what happened. The wind moves the foam ash over Pompeii shrouding it into a living nightmare. After a while it began to rain a solid form of this foam ash. Bigger rocks began to fall as well as small ones. Many people try to flee, but can't. Slaves are meant to protect there master, but they flee. They believe the gods are at work. News spread about the disaster in Pompeii. Troops set out to Pompeii. Many homes were made to be stronger then rain, not rocks, many buildings fall. The rescue team headed to Pompeii around 5P.M. Many people were trapped inside, doomed to be buried under there roof. Because of the ashes people became parched and thirsty. Everyone around Pompeii was affected. People at the base of the mountain was buried in ash and instantly died once buried. |
Part 2
Many People died by being buried in ash and others were trapped in boat houses died over time. The second day of the volcanic warning an powerful earthquake happened, And after that the volcanic magma camber spread on Pompeii. Even after that a toxic cloud of carbon dioxide burns the eyes and lungs of people killing them. Some people trapped in Pompeii commit suicide to avoid all that is happening. Another volcanic avalanche of ash and magma travels 100 kilometers per second will eventually reach beach Pompeii. Pompeii's citizens didn't die instantly. The final surge traveled across the bay to Naples. This surge killed thousands feeing the country side. Pompeii was buried in ash and rock. it was founded when a aquaduct was being built. It is said that an eruption like the on that summer day only happens every 2000 years. |