Even though it is ancient Rome, the territory is quite different depending on the age.
There are times when it includes Greece and Mesopotamia, so let's take a look at "Territorial Evolution" before investigating geographical features, climate, and soil as before.
Territorial evolution of ancient Rome
Roman Republic (around 500 BC)
It is said that the Italian people settled around the 8th century BC, and then the people who came from the Anatolian Peninsula conquered. Latins of the Italian people defeated them, Republic Rome Was built around the 6th century BC. In addition to Latins, Greeks and Sabines from Sparta also migrated to the Italian peninsula.
Around 500 BC
- There were quite a few people who migrated from Greece
- The land tends to be mountainous
For that reason, many city-states have been built on the Italian peninsula. Republic Rome Is one of many such city-states. At this point, Greek influence was strong, and even in Rome, politics was virtually monopolized by aristocrats.
Ancient Rome around 298 BC
In the midst of a series of wars, the hoplites, who were the main actors in the war, became more vocal, and a conflict of identity occurred at an early stage. Rome in 298 BC is a time when such a struggle for status is coming to an end It will be.
During this period, Rome was conquering other Latin, Etruscan, and Greek city-states one after another. It has individual alliances with the conquered cities of Rome, giving them different rights and obligations, and also sharing citizenship with some of the inhabitants who have been subjugated. So-called divide and rule And prevented the unity and rebellion of the ruled.
In this way, we will gradually and steadily expand our territory.
At the beginning of the 1st Punic War (264 BC)
Rome, which expanded its territory, finally succeeded in controlling the entire Italian peninsula. However, when expanding the territory of control, it usually collides with the territory of another country.
In the case of Rome, the Phoenicians dominated the western Mediterranean. I will collide with the colonial city of Carthage. This war is Punic War I called it.
At the end of the Punic Wars (146 BC)
Punic Wars Rome wins .. Carthage is destroyed and Rome succeeds in acquiring the territory. With the acquisition of this overseas territory, cheap grain will flow into the Italian peninsula.
I thought that the stable food supply would strengthen it, but what actually happened was the agricultural land devastation on the Italian peninsula. And Agricultural land consolidation by large-scale farmers and penetration of agriculture by slaves is.
- Proletariat now has cheaper grain
- The ruling class has acquired the farmland that the peasants have given up, allowing the prisoners of war to farm and build wealth.
- The knights who collected taxes in the provinces benefited as the provinces increased.
Rome People at all levels of the throat have come to desire the expansion of the war. However, as the war continues, agricultural land is devastated (labor shortage + flow to buy cheap grain), and in the first place, there is no way to get money to get cheap grain.
The gap between rich and poor has widened, and the "citizen equality" that Rome has cultivated from early on has begun to fluctuate.
Territory acquired up to the 1st Triumvirate (60 years ago)
Ancient Rome In the first place, the city-state started. It was not a governing system suitable for controlling such a large territory. Some politicians tried to reform because they were worried about the decline in military power due to the fall of farmers, but they failed. Since then, influential politicians have asylum-seekers and gradually begin to try to solve them with violence.
" Civil War 1st Century That is why it came to be called.
Pompey Caesar Crassus calmed this turmoil by force. Three people. Take power by forming a private political alliance in 60 BC (1st Triumvirate ).
Territory acquired up to the 2nd Triumvirate (43 BC)
Triumvirate Caesar stands out among the three who performed .. He gained leadership for a successful expedition to what is now France. Of these, Caesar Defeats his political opponent Pompey and settles the whole land in 46 BC.
Two years later, Caesar, who became a dictator, was also stabbed in the parliament and the politics entered a state of turmoil again, but in 43 BC, Caesar's subordinate Antonius and his adopted son Octavian formed a political alliance. 2nd Triumvirate to hold.
Territory acquired until Augustus era (14 years)
2nd Triumvirate Eventually, Octavianus defeats Antonius, who was associated with Cleopatra of the Ptolemy dynasty of Egypt at that time. With the destruction of the Ptolemy dynasty, Egypt became a Roman province, and the power struggle was settled, and the Roman turmoil finally subsided.
Thus the Mediterranean was settled and ended the first century of civil war.
Octavianus, who stood at the pinnacle of power, Augustus from the Senate 27 BC Given the title of (dignity), imperial era It began. Really Roman emperor is. The next 14 years is the year when Octavianus died, and the last year he reigned as Augustus.
Territory acquired until just before the Five Good Emperors era (1996)
For about 200 years after the beginning of the imperial government and becoming the so-called Roman Empire, " Peace in Rome " (Pax Romana) ”has built a prosperity.
The largest territory of the Roman Empire (the era of Trajan)
Of the Five Good Emperors, Trajan Hadrian It is said that it was particularly prosperous during the period 117-138 when he reigned, and the territory reached its peak.
Roman Empire after its heyday
When Marcus Aurelius-Antoninus (reigned 161-180), the last of the Five Good Emperors, became stalemate in finances and economic stagnation began to appear, the empire's cohesion began to collapse in the 3rd century. The corps of each province established its own emperor.
If you start to like the inside, you will need to strengthen your military power. When heavy taxes were imposed to strengthen military power, more people fled, and Rome became more and more disjointed. The reforms did not go well, and the freedom of the citizens was gradually deprived.
As time passed, the migration period began around 300. Huns to Europe With the invasion, Germanic people The Goths, a sect, travel south and invade the territory of the Roman Empire ... and Rome has many difficulties. Of course Rome has made various reforms ...
The situation surrounding Rome worsens, with the Germanic invasion from the north and the Sasanian dynasty to the east. After all, 395 The Roman Empire is Western Roman Empire And Byzantine Empire It was split into.
The Western Roman Empire, whose capital is Rome, was particularly affected by the movement of the Germanic people, 476 . Western Roman Empire destroyed by Germanic mercenary captain Odoacer To do.
The Byzantine Empire was separated from Rome after the division, and the culture of ancient Rome was gradually lost. In that sense, the Byzantine Empire is hard to say as a successor to the ancient Roman Empire, and the fall of the Western Roman Empire is generally referred to as the fall of the Roman Empire.