Ancient Roman Civilization: History and Sources

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- PART I. THE ORIGINS OF ROME

- Chapter 1. The Wider World of Early Rome: Cultural Encounters

- The Peoples of Western Europe

- The Iberian Culture of Spain

- The Celts

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- Northern Europe

- The Peoples of North Africa

- The Saharan World

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- Carthage

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- The Greeks

- The Wars of the Successors

- The Hellenistic Greek Kingdoms

- The Peoples of Western Asia

- The Jews

- The Nabataean Arabs

- Steppe Nomads: Scythians and Sarmatians

- The Parthians

- SOURCES

- Source 1.1: The Expansion of the Celts into Greece and Anatolia (279-277 BCE)

- Justin, Philippic Histories, Books 24-28

- Source 1.2: The Constitution of Carthage (ca. 340 BCE)

- Aristotle, Politics, Book 2, Chapter 11

- Source 1.3: The Wars of the Successors (323-301 BCE)

- Justin, Philippic Histories, Book 13

- Source 1.4: Revolt of the Maccabees (167 BCE)

- The Book of Maccabees

- Source 1.5: The Scythians (513 BCE)

- Herodotus, The Histories, Book 4

- Source 1.6: The Parthians (ca. 250-100 BCE)

- Justin, Philippic Histories, Book 41

- CHAPTER 2. ARCHAIC ROME (753-509 BCE)

- Cultural Encounters of the Early Romans

- The Peoples of Italy

- The Etruscans

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- The Western Greeks

- Rome of the Kings (753-509 BCE)

- The Founding of Rome

- Rome Becomes a City

- Early Roman Society

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- The Fall of the Monarchy

- SOURCES

- Source 2.1: The Founding of Rome (753 BCE)

- Plutarch, Life of Romulus

- Source 2.2: Early Roman Law (ca. 550 BCE)

- The Lapis Niger

- Source 2.3: The Violation of Lucretia and the Founding of the Roman Republic (509 BCE)

- Livy, From The Founding of the City, Book 1, Chapters 57-60

- PART II. THE ROMAN REPUBLIC

- CHAPTER 3. THE EARLY ROMAN REPUBLIC (509-350 BCE)

- The Creation of the Roman Republic (509-246 BCE)

- Roman Republican Government

- Citizenship and Social Organization

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- The Conflict of the Orders (500-287 BCE)

- Strength in Numbers

- Social and Political Reforms

- Consolidation of Senate Authority

- Roman Law

- Struggling to Survive (509-350 BCE)

- Early Conflicts

- The Gallic Sack of Rome

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- SOURCES

- Source 3.1: The Origins of Roman Law (451-450 BCE)

- The "Twelve Tables"

- Source 3.2: The Sack of Rome by the Gauls (390 BCE)

- Livy, From the Founding of the City, Book 5, Chapters 32-42

- CHAPTER 4. THE EXPANSION OF THE ROMAN REPUBLIC (350-120 BCE)

- Wars in Italy (350-268 BCE)

- The Nature of Roman Warfare in the Middle Republic

- The First Samnite War (343-341 BCE)

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- The Great Latin Revolt (340-338 BCE)

- The Second Samnite War (326-304 BCE)

- The Third Samnite War (298-290 BCE)

- The Pyrrhic War (280-275 BCE)

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- Wars in the Western Mediterranean (264-201 BCE)

- The First Punic War (264-241 BCE)

- The Illyrian and Celtic Wars (229-219 BCE)

- The Second Punic War (218-201 BCE)

- Warfare Spreads to the East (200-146 BCE)

- The Second Macedonian War (200-197 BCE)

- The Syrian War (192-188 BCE)

- The Third Macedonian War (170-168 BCE)

- The Third Punic War (149-146 BCE)

- The Fourth Macedonian War and Achaean Revolt (149-146 BCE)

- The Wars in Spain (181-133 BCE)

- SOURCES

- Source 4.1: The Devotion of Decius Mus (295 BCE)

- Livy, From the Founding of the City, Book 10, Chapters 27-29

- Source 4.2: The Battle of Cannae (216 BCE)

- Livy, From the Founding of the City, Book 22, Chapters 34-57

- CHAPTER 5. THE IMPACT OF EXPANSION ON ROME IN THE SECOND CENTURY BCE

- Economic Developments

- Roman Coinage

- Public Expenses

- The Rise of the Equestrians

- What to Do with the Provinces

- Provincial Administration

- Problems in the Provinces

- The Extortion Court

- Social and Cultural Consequences of Expansion

- Intellectual and Literary Development

- Religious Assimilation

- The Changing Status of Women

- The Agricultural-Military Crisis

- Tiberius Gracchus and the Distribution of Public Land

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- What to Do with the Italian Allies?

- Gaius Gracchus and the Expansion of Popular Tactics

- SOURCES

- Source 5.1: The Bacchanalian Scandal and a Criminal Investigation of the Impact of Foreign Cultures on Rome (186 BCE)

- Livy, From the Founding of the City, Book 39, Chapters 5-19, and "The Recommendation of the Senate on the Bacchanalians"

- Source 5.2: A Roman "New Man" Confronts Greek Culture (234-149 BCE)

- Plutarch, Life of Cato the Elder

- Source 5.3: The Land Law of Tiberius Gracchus (133 BCE)

- Plutarch, Life of Tiberius Gracchus

- CHAPTER 6. THE DECLINE OF THE ROMAN REPUBLIC (120-44 BCE)

- From One Crisis to the Next (113-88 BCE)

- Marius and the Volunteer Army

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- The Revolt of the Italian Allies

- An Age of Generals (88-60 BCE)

- The Regnum Sullanum

- Crassus and the Revolt of Spartacus

- The Rise of Pompey

- Marcus Tullius Cicero and the Conspiracy of Catiline

- Julius Caesar and the First Triumvirate (60-44 BCE)

- The Rise of Julius Caesar

- The First Triumvirate

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- The Civil War

- Late Republican Literature

- Late Republican Poets

- Politicians at Leisure

- SOURCES

- Source 6.1: Sulla's March on Rome (88 BCE)

- Plutarch, Life of Sulla

- Source 6.2: The Slave Revolt of Spartacus (73-71 BCE)

- Plutarch, Life of Crassus

- Source 6.3: The Catilinarian Conspiracy (63 BCE)

- Cicero, First Speech against Catiline

- Source 6.4: The Siege of Alesia (52 BCE)

- Caesar, Gallic Wars, Book 7, Chapters 68-89

- Source 6.5: Late Republican Poetry (ca. 60 BCE)

- Catullus, Poems

- PART III. THE PRINCIPATE

- CHAPTER 7. AUGUSTUS AND THE CREATION OF THE PRINCIPATE (44 BCE-14 CE)

- The Second Triumvirate (43-31 BC)

- The Advent of Octavian

- Discord among the Triumvirs

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- The Establishment of the Principate (31-21 BCE)

- From Octavian to Augustus

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- The Principate

- The Age of Augustus (27 BCE-14 CE)

- The Provinces: Expansion and Defense

- Provincial Administration

- Winning the Hearts and Minds of the People

- Dealing with the Army

- Propaganda

- The Augustan Golden Age of Golden Literature

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- The Imperial Succession

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- SOURCES

- Source 7.1: Cleopatra, Pharaoh and Queen of Egypt (48-31 BCE)

- Plutarch, Life of Caesar and Life of Antony

- Source 7.2: An Exemplary Roman Woman (ca. 20 BCE)

- The "Praise of Turia"

- Source 7.3: Anchises Prophesizes the Future of Rome (19 BCE)

- Vergil, Aeneid, Book 6

- Source 7.4: The Secular Games (17 BCE)

- Horace, "The Secular Hymn"

- Source 7.5: The Deeds of the Deified Augustus (14 CE)

- Res gestae divi Augusti

- CHAPTER 8. JULIO-CLAUDIANS, FLAVIANS, AND THE CONSOLIDATION OF EMPIRE (14-96 CE)

- The Julio-Claudian Dynasty (27 BCE-96 CE)

- Tiberius (14-37)

- Caligula (37-41)

- Claudius (41-54)

- Nero (54-68)

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- The Year of the Four Emperors

- The Flavian Dynasty (69-96 CE)

- Vespasian (69-79)

- Titus (79-81) and Domitian (81-96)

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- The Origins of Christianity

- Jesus of Nazareth

- Christians and Jews

- SOURCES

- Source 8.1: The Emperor Caligula (37-41 CE)

- Suetonius, Life of Caligula

- Source 8.2: Expanding the Membership of the Senate (48 CE)

- The "Claudian Recommendation of the Senate Regarding the Right of Honors for the Gauls," and Tacitus, Annals, Book 11, Chapters 23-25

- Source 8.3: The Rebellion of Boudicca (60-61 CE)

- Tacitus, Annals, Book 14, Chapters 31-37

- Source 8.4: The Accession of the Emperor Vespasian (69 CE)

- "The Law on the Imperium of Vespasian"

- Source 8.5: The Fall of Masada (74 CE)

- Josephus, The Wars of The Jews, Book 7, Chapter 9

- Source 8.6: The Speeches of Agricola and Calgacus before the Battle of Mount Graupius (83 CE)

- Tacitus, Agricola, 29-32

- Source 8.7: The Trial of Jesus before Pontius Pilate (ca. 28/37 CE)

- The New Testament, Matthew 27:11-16; Mark 5:1-30; John 18:28-40 and 19:1-24; and Luke 23:1-25

- CHAPTER 9. THE ROMAN PEACE (96-192)

- The Antonine Dynasty (96-192)

- Nerva (96-98)

- Trajan (98-117)

- Hadrian (117-138)

- Antoninus Pius (138-161)

- Marcus Aurelius (161-180)

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- The Evolution of Roman Law

- The End of the Antonines

- The World of the Pax Romana

- Society and Culture

- Entertainment

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- The Economy

- The Silver Age of Roman Literature

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- Religious Diversity

- Traditional Religious Practices

- Judaism in the Roman World

- The Christians and Rome

- SOURCES

- Source 9.1: Hadrian Inspects The Troops (128 CE)

- The Lambaesis Inscription

- Source 9.2: Roman Misogyny (ca. 100 CE)

- Juvenal, Satire 6

- Source 9.3: Praise of the Roman Empire (ca. 155 CE)

- Publius Aelius Aristides Theodorus, To Rome

- Source 9.4: The Jews Confront Rome (133-180 CE)

- Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 39a, Sabbath 33b, Me'ilah 17b

- Source 9.5: Dealing with Christians (ca. 112 CE)

- Pliny, Letters 10.96-97

- CHAPTER 10. THE SEVERANS AND THE THIRD-CENTURY CRISIS (192-284)

- The Severan Dynasty (193-235)

- Jockeying for Power

- The Reign and Policies of Septimius Severus

- A Restive Army

- Financial Collapse

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- Imperial Women and Boy Emperors

- The Imperial Crisis (235-284)

- A Multitude of Emperors

- The Illyrian Emperors

- Hopeful Signs

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- SOURCES

- Source 10.1: The Antonine Constitution (212 CE)

- Papyrus Gissensis 40; and Cassius Dio, Roman History, Book 78, Chapter 9

- Source 10.2: "The Vigil of Venus" (ca. 200/300 CE)

- Pervigilium Veneris

- Source 10.3: The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas (7 March 203 CE)

- The Passion of Saint Perpetua, Saint Felicitas, and their Companions

- Source 10.4: The New Persian Empire (ca. 270 CE)

- The Shapur I Inscription

- Source 10.5: Zenobia and the Empire of Palmyra (267-272 CE)

- The Augustan History, "Odenathus" and "Zenobia"

- PART IV. LATE ANTIQUITY

- CHAPTER 11. THE CREATION OF THE LATE ROMAN EMPIRE (284-337)

- Diocletian and the Late Roman Empire

- Diocletian and the Dominate

- Strategies for Survival

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- Constantine and the Late Roman Empire

- The Rise of Constantine

- Strategies for Survival

- Constantine and Christianity

- Using Religion to Support the Empire

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- The Emperor's Role in the Christian Church

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- Thinking of the Future

- Constantine's Successors

- The Legacy of Diocletian and Constantine

- SOURCES

- Source 11.1: The "Edict on Maximum Prices" (301 CE)

- Edictum de pretiis rerum venalium

- Source 11.2: The Reforms of the Diocletian and the "Great Persecution" (303-311 CE)

- Lactantius, On the Deaths of the Persecutors, 1-35

- Source 11.3: The Edict of Milan (312/313 CE)

- Lactantius, On the Deaths of the Persectors, 45-48

- Source 11.4: The Council of Nicaea (325 CE)

- Eusebius of Caesarea, Life of Constantine, 2.61-71. 3.6-14

- CHAPTER 12. THE CHRISTIAN EMPIRE AND THE LATE ROMAN WORLD (337-395)

- The Successors of Constantine (337-395)

- The Dynasty of Constantine

- The Dynasty of Valentinian and Theodosius

- The Triumph of Christianity and the World of the Church

- Christian Competitors

- The Political Victory of Christianity

- The Christian Life

- Asceticism and Monasticism

- The Late Roman World

- The Role of the State

- Late Roman Economy and Infrastructure

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- Late Roman Society

- New Opportunities

- Late Antique Literary Culture

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- SOURCES

- Source 12.1: The Imperial Oppression of Pagans, Jews, and Heretics

- The Theodosian Code (437 CE)

- Source 12.2: The Murder of Hypatia of Alexandria (415 CE)

- Socrates Scholasticus, Ecclesiastical History, Book 7, Chapter 15; and John of Nikiû, Chronicle, Chapter 84

- Source 12.3: Monastic Life on the Eastern Frontier (CA. 350/390 CE)

- Jerome, The Life of Malchus the Captive Monk

- Source 12.4: The Late Roman Criminal Legal Process (ca. 370 CE)

- Jerome, Letter 1

- Source 12.5: The Retreat to the Countryside (ca. 415 CE)

- The Inscription of Claudius Postumus Dardanus

- CHAPTER 13. THE FALL OF THE WESTERN ROMAN EMPIRE (375-476)

- A New Set of Problems

- Cracks in the Facade

- The Late Roman Empire and its Neighbors

- The Arrival of the Visigoths

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- The Final Separation

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- The Fall of the West

- The "Barbarian Invasions"

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- Perceptions of the Fall of the Western Roman Empire

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- SOURCES

- Source 13.1: The Battle of Adrianople (378 CE)

- Ammianus Marcellinus, Histories, Book 31, Chapters 12-14

- Source 13.2: The Sack of Rome by the Visigoths (410 CE)

- Orosius, History against the Pagans, Book 7, Chapters 38-40

- Source 13.3: The Sack of Rome by the Visigoths in God's Plan (410 CE)

- Augustine, City Of God, Book 1

- Source 13.4: The Sack of Rome by the Vandals (455 CE)

- Procopius, History of the Wars, Book 3, Chapter 5

- Source 13.5: The Last Emperor in Rome (476 CE)

- CHAPTER 14. THE BARBARIAN SUCCESSOR KINGDOMS: THE END OF ANTIQUITY IN THE WEST (476-751)

- The Post-Roman West

- The Nature of Barbarian Rule

- Potential Problems

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- Barbarian Kingdoms

- The Visigoths

- The Vandals

- The Ostrogoths

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- The Anglo-Saxons and Irish

- The Burgundians

- The Franks

- Classical Culture in Post-Roman Empire

- The Last Latin Classical Writers

- The Preservation of Classical Culture

- SOURCES

- Source 14.1: The Visigothic King and His Court (ca. 455/464 CE)

- Sidonius Apollinaris, Letters 2.1

- Source 14.2: The End of the Vandal Kingdom (533 CE)

- Procopius, History of the Wars, Book 3, Chapters 10-20

- Source 14.3: The Conversion of Clovis (496 CE)

- Gregory of Tours, Histories, Book 2, Chapters 28-31

- Source 14.4: The Persistence of the Classical Tradition of Barbarian Europe (ca. 575 CE)

- The Poem of Eucheria

- CHAPTER 15. BYZANTIUM AND ISLAM: THE END OF ANTIQUITY IN THE EAST (402-650)

- The Byzantine Empire

- The Age of Theodosius II

- Marcian and the Quarrel over the Nature of Christ

- The Dynasty of Leo

- The Age of Justinian

- The Policies of Justinian

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- The Successors of Justinian

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- Heraclius and the Greek Empire

- The Rise of the Arabs and Islam

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- Arabia in the Classical World

- Muhammad and the Rise of Islam

- The Confrontation between Byzantium and the Arabs

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- The Expansion of the Muslim World

- The End of Antiquity

- SOURCES

- Source 15.1: The Acclamations of the Senate of Rome (438)

- Theodosian Code, "Acts of the Senate"

- Source 15.2: The Character of Justinian and Theodora (527-548 CE)

- Procopius, Secret History, Prologue, 1-12

- Source 15.3: The Rise of Islam (627-629 CE)

- al-Tabari, History of the Prophets and Kings, 1619

- Source 15.4: The Muslim Conquest of Egypt (640 CE)

- John of Nikiû, Chronicle, Chapters 111-120

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