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2000-1500 BC, Minoan Civilizations Flourish

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2000-1500 BC, Minoan Civilizations Flourish

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The minoans were a civilization on the island of Crete. They were there from roughly 3500-1100 BC. The culture is deemed highly developed, as evident from the writing, art, and ruins they have found. Sir Arthur Evans was the first to fully discover the civilization, finding it in the early 1900s.

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The Minoans: A Civilization of Bronze Age Crete

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The Trojan war started with the elopement or abduction of Queen Helen of Sparta and Paris, a Trojan Prince. This war contained quite possibly the most famous war tactic of all time, the wooden horse. This war also inspired the works "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey".

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Illustration

The Bronze Age collapse at the end of the 13th century BCE saw a great many changes in the ancient world. Many second millennium states disappeared entirely, as cities were destroyed and peoples migrated. Others underwent a process of transformation which effectively turned them into new states, and some regions in western and central Anatolia remained abandoned for decades.

Until the collapse, the Hittites had been almost the only ones to record the names of the various Anatolian states, using their language to interpret those names, although many of the inhabitants of those states spoke a similar language anyway. During and after the collapse, written records became very sparse. Mycenaean Greeks were migrating into Anatolia, often destroying the established local political structure, and bringing with them their own language and oral traditions. Local names that may have first been written down by them centuries later underwent a degree of transformation in that time.

Although it seems that Greek settlers had been arriving on the western shores of Anatolia for a couple of centuries, the Trojan War in about 1183 BCE was the high point of their involvement in ' Hittite' Anatolia. Following the destruction of what seems to have been the last organised Anatolian opposition ( Troy), Greek settlement of western Anatolia appears to have been largely unopposed, although the available historical data is extremely sparse.

Troy's various regional allies at the time of the Trojan War are shown here, many of which are only mentioned in later works by Homer, Herodotus, and other Greek chroniclers. Naturally, these works often use names which were familiar to their audience, but which may have been very different in the 12th century BCE. Nevertheless, the traditional names are used here. Many states, especially those outside the Troad, are historically attested, even if only poorly at first.

License

© P L Kessler / The History Files. Republished with the author's permission. Original image by P L Kessler. Uploaded by Jan van der Crabben, published on 26 April 2012 under the following license: Copyright. You cannot use, copy, distribute, or modify this item without explicit permission from the author. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.

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Map of the Trojan War States, c. 1200 BCE

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Please help us create teaching materials on Mesopotamia (including several complete lessons with worksheets, activities, answers, essay questions, and more), which will be free to download for teachers all over the world. © P L Kessler / The History Files. Republished with the author's permission. Original image by P L Kessler.

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The first recorded Olympics are from 776 BC, although many historians are sure they happened long before this. The legend is that Hercules first started the games. The Olympics later declined in popularity and ceased to happen for a long time. Until they were revived in the 1800's.

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700 BC Greeks Adopt the Phoenician Alphabet

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700 BC Greeks Adopt the Phoenician Alphabet

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The Greeks adopted the languages from the Phoenicians, originating in Lebanon, and made it their own. They would go on to edit it, and change what worked for them.

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April 21, 753 BC, The Foundation of Rome

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April 21, 753 BC, The Foundation of Rome

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According to legend, Rome was founded on April 21, 753 BC. The story of Rome, is that two sons, Romulus and Remus, were the sons of Rhea and Mars. The twins' uncle, who had overthrown their Grandfather for the throne, attempted to kill them as infants, but a wolf saved them. Later, after discovering who they were and returning their Grandfather to the throne, they founded a town where the wolf had saved them. They got into an argument, which ended with Romulus killing Remus. Romulus then named the town "Rome" after himself.

The photo above is of the statue "Capitoline Wolf". It depicts the wolf that saved Romulus and Remus. Today, the statue remains on display at Palazzo dei Conservatori, in Rome, Italy.

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Great Dionysia was a drama festival that happened in March each year to honor the God Dionysus, the God of wine. It was held in Athens and Tragedies, Comedies, and satyric dramas were performed, which was the origin of these styles.

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Previous to this, Rome had been a monarchy. In 509 BC however, the king, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, was overthrown. The king was said to have been tyrannical and brutal to his subjects. The tipping point was when the king's son raped a noblewoman named Lucretia. After the overthrow, Rome officially became a republic.

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By Rolando Y. Wee on April 25 2017 in Society

Painting depicting the rebellion to take power from Tarquin the Proud, the last King of Rome, ushering in the Roman Republic, circa 510 BC.

5. Formation

The fall of the Roman Kingdom ushered in the Roman Republic. The new power now resided in the office of the Consul, which was in its earliest days composed of nobles sympathetic to the people of Rome. Namely, these revolutionary aristocrats included Poplicola, Lucius Junius Brutus and Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus, who took power in 509 BC in a revolution that overthrew the Roman Monarchy. The era was marked by the maneuvers in war and diplomacy that were soon to cover most parts of Italy. North Africa, Spain, and Southern France were annexed within the following century. The conquests and annexations continued, and, after two hundred years, Greece, most of the rest of France, and the eastern Mediterranean also became protectorates of Rome. At this junction of Roman history, civil war was about to change the landscape of the republic with the death of an important statesman just before the "BC Era" gave way to the Common Era.

4. Rise To Prominence

The Roman Republic, at the onset, was mere interested in protecting its borders than anything else. This, however, developed into expansion as it defeated the belligerent states surrounding its borders. Although the Roman campaigns continued to cross European borders, these were essentially about lending military assistance to the countries that requested it. The Sabines, Etruscans, the Gallic tribes, the Macedonians, the Seleucid Empire, the Greeks, and the Celts were at one time or another threats to Rome. Rome suffered many defeats against Carthage but, in the end, Rome burned and pillaged its capital and annexed its territories. Yet, Rome was internally being taken apart by the conflicts between its own separate classes.

3. Challenges

The conflict over the ordering of the classes was the cause of most of the internal strife that occurred in the ancient Roman Republic. In 66 BC, a constitutional movement arose with the aim of alleviating the plight of the masses. The Senators, Consuls, and plebeians were all involved in schemes and resolutions to appease their respective classes. The conflicts deepened as the plebeians were given more power by the Senators. The rise of the Plebeian class did not do anything for the ordinary plebeian citizens, however, who were still left out by the newly rich plebeians. As the grabs for power and wealth continued, assassinations and mass murders continued to change the fortunes of everyone concerned.

2. Demise

The demise of the Republic began with the rise and fall of Julius Caesar. A patrician, an orator, and a military genius, he led his legions through many successful military forays into enemy territories, and made them part of the expanding Roman territories. The mistake that Caesar made was to underestimate the Senate in his run for power. He was joined in a triumvirate to hold power over Rome by Pompey and Crassus. But Crassus's early death in battle left him open to Pompey's scheming. Pompey instigated a battle with Caesar, but lost. Thereafter, Caesar now had the sole control of Rome, but the Senate hatched a plan to murder him when he declared himself as a dictator for life. Nonetheless, as the first Emperor, he paved the way for centuries of the new Roman Empire to follow, effectively replacing the Republic.

1. Legacy In History

The legacy of the Roman Republic in some ways brought an end to its own existence. The Greek art, architecture, and religion dominating the republic reached new heights in the new Roman Empire. In Renaissance Europe, art and culture were also influenced by the republic many centuries later. In Tudor and Stuart England, the controversy of political succession was widely discussed using the Roman Republic's history as precedent. In America, the US Constitution contains many laws that were based on the laws and ideas of the Roman Republic. Many other democracies around the world were founded on the idea of democracy created during the Republic as well. The idea of a Republican utopia acted as inspiration for the American and French Revolutions in the Eighteenth Century, which themselves inspired many more to follow.

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By Rolando Y. Wee on April 25 2017 in Society The fall of the Roman Kingdom ushered in the Roman Republic. The new power now resided in the office of the Consul, which was in its earliest days composed of nobles sympathetic to the people of Rome.

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450 BC, The Law of the Twelve Tables is Written

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450 BC, The Law of the Twelve Tables is Written

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The Law of the Twelve Tables, also known as the Twelve Tables, was a set of laws that brought more rights to regular citizens of Rome, helped standardize the Roman justice system, and bring more power to the people. The laws were written by the decemviri, the committee, and were inscribed onto 12 bronze tablets. These set of laws have become an inspiration for many government and law systems around the world, including our own.

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The Punic Wars were a series of three wars taking place between 264 BC and 146 BC. All three were fought between Rome and Carthage. In the first war, Rome gained control of Sicily and Corsica, in the second war Rome gained control of the western Mediterranean and part of Spain, and in the third war, Rome gained control of northern Africa.

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Fundraiser: Mesopotamia Teaching Materials

Please help us create teaching materials on Mesopotamia (including several complete lessons with worksheets, activities, answers, essay questions, and more), which will be free to download for teachers all over the world.

Illustration

A map illustrating the campaigns of the Second Punic War (218-201 BCE).

License

Based on Wikipedia content that has been reviewed, edited, and republished. Original image by YassineMrabet. Uploaded by Mark Cartwright, published on 26 May 2016 under the following license: GNU Free Documentation License. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.

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Please help us create teaching materials on Mesopotamia (including several complete lessons with worksheets, activities, answers, essay questions, and more), which will be free to download for teachers all over the world. Based on Wikipedia content that has been reviewed, edited, and republished. Original image by YassineMrabet.

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At the end of the Punic Wars, Rome uses subtle tactics to overpower Greece. Rome was also fighting Hannibal in Italy, so they could not use the full force of their military in Greece.

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Oxford Academic (Oxford University Press)

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How did the Romans conquer classical Greece?

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Author Robin Waterfield discusses the premise for Taken at the Flood, the dramatic tale of brutality, determination, and the birth of an empire. He examines how the Romans managed to keep Greek territories under their control throughout this time. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/taken-at-the-flood-9780199656462

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March 15, 44 BC, The Murder of Julius Caesar

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March 15, 44 BC, The Murder of Julius Caesar

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Julius Caesar spent his life climbing up the ranks for power. In 46 BC, he was made dictator for ten years, and in 44 BC, he claimed he was dictator for life. While many of his policies were very democratic and benefitted the middle and lower classes, many did not like his grab for life long power. On March 15, 44 BC, Caesar, who was 55 at the time, was assassinated. He was surrounded by the senators, who went on to stab him 23 times, and Julius bled on the floor of the Senate.

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27 BC, Augustus Caesar becomes the first emperor of Rome

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27 BC, Augustus Caesar becomes the first emperor of Rome

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Augustus, born with the name Octavian, was Julius Caesar's nephew. After Julius died, his will had Augustus listed as his adoptive son. After that, Rome looked to Augustus, who went on to rise to political power. Rome was divided and ruled by 3 people, Cleopatra, Antony, and Augustus. After Cleopatra and Antony committed suicide, Augustus was left as Rome's singular ruler. It is disputed whether his reign began in 31 BC or 27 BC, but he became the first emperor of Rome.

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In 70 AD, the emperor Vespasian commissioned the Colosseum to be built. He built it on the sight of a previous emperor's, Nero, palace. It took roughly 10 years to build the entire Colosseum, and in 80 AD, Vespasian's son opened the Colosseum, which at the time was known as the Flavian Amphitheatre. It would go on to host gladiatorial battles, wild animal fights, chariot races, and executions, among other things.

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For many years, Christians in Rome had been persecuted, including a large number being executed by Nero to use as a shift of blame after the fire of 64 AD. Many members of the general public disliked Christians, and rumors went rampant, one thought was that Christians were cannibals because of the phrasing of "the blood and body of Christ". In 313 however, the emperor Constantine gave Christians full legal rights, and converted to Christianity himself. In the 4th century, Emperor Theodosius made Catholic Christianity the official religion of Rome.

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In 330, Byzantium was established as the sight of New Rome by Emperor Constantine. In 364, Emperor Valentinian split the Empire into two, the east and west. In the west, Valentinian put himself in power, and put his brother Valens in power in the east. The East Roman Empire, also known as Byzantium or the Byzantine Empire, continued to succeed and flourish long after the Roman Empire fell. The Byzantine Empire fell after over 1,000 years, in 1453.

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While the Roman Empire flourished for hundreds of years, in its' final years it began to crack and fall. Losing Britain, northern Africa, Italy, and Spain all in a 50 year span, it could not keep up with protecting all of it's territories, and was constantly fighting to keep them. They could not support themselves in these wars, as they were struggling to get enough military recruits. The government also spent far too much money on these wars, overspending and then losing, two financial losses in one. This, and their overdependence on slave labor led to a crippled economy. Another impact on Rome was the Germanic tribes that were constantly attacking the fronts of Rome. Rome also couldn't keep any stability in it's government. Being emperor was a death wish, Rome going through 20 emperors in 75 years. The emperor's guards also became assassins, and were prepared to kill the emperor for the highest payer. In 476, the Roman army was fighting Germanic forces in Italy, and a Germanic Prince Odovacar leg his forces to take control of the Roman army. In September, he killed the Roman Emperor Romulus Augustus, who was the last ever Roman Emperor. Odovacar was then claimed King of Italy, and the Roman Empire had officially fallen.

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Ancient History Encyclopedia. Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation, 2020.
https://www.ancient.eu/.

Biography. A&E Television Networks, 2020. https://www.biography.com/.

Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2020. https://www.britannica.com/.

History. A&E Television Networks, 2020. https://www.history.com/.