Rise Of Rome Essay

There were two important periods in Ancient Rome, the Roman Republic that lasted from 509 B.C. to 27 B.C. and the Roman Empire that lasted from 27 B.C. to 393 A.D. During the time of the republic, Rome continued to thrive throughout Italy due to the construction of roads and aqueducts. This growth caused Rome to be involved in three Punic Wars between 264 BC to 146 BC, with the Carthage empire. By 1 A.D., Rome conquered countries near the Mediterranean Sea, such as Egypt, Greece and Asia Minor.
The enormous increase of wealth and power due to expansion and trade within Rome formed a social imbalance that began a civil war between Italy and Rome. The Patricians known as aristocrats were the upper class growing with riches and power while the
Plebeians were very poor, fought for a right to have a portion of Rome’s riches and be included in the government of the Republic.
During 100 B.C., General Julius Caesar a military hero, was given total authority of Rome.
On March 15, 44 in the Pompey Theater, members of the Roman Senate had Julius Caesar assassinated by Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus due to his increasing power and fears of replacing the senate with tyranny. In 23 B.C. witnessed the growth of power and wealth of Julius Caesar's adoptive son Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus or Octavian. Later known as Augustus the Great he was responsible for the end of the republic and the Rise of the Roman Empire.
Augustus the Great was the first Emperor of Rome and was responsible for improvements to public works and many reforms. His rule was responsible for the largest Roman expansion and for a long period of time the country was in peace, or known as “Pax Romana” or Roman Peace.
By the fourth century the Roman economy was starting to waiver due to inflation and over expansion. The rule of the empire was becoming highly unstable due to the increasing power of the military. In 320 A.D., Emperor Constantine tried to salvage the failing empire by dividing the empire into the Western and Eastern empire. Each side was to be ruled by its own emperor and they both had capital cities. The West capital was Rome and the capital of the East empire was Constantinople or modern day Istanbul. Constantine was the architect of shaping the Western Roman Empire and also recognized Christianity as a religion while also safe-keeping the Graeco-Roman
religion.
Through multiple attempts to save the empire the Western empire crumbled under invasions by barbarians, failing economy and civil unrest. An exodus of citizens destroyed its labor force which in turn crippled its resources needed to fund its enormous military and territories
The Eastern Empire lasted until 1453 A.D. protecting Rome’s The Roman empire of the East survived until 1453, safeguarding the Roman empire's legacy from foreign invaders and the soon to come "dark ages". During the 14th and 15th centuries due to the Turks and the Crusaders toppled Constantinople's walls and increased trading, Rome’s inheritance began to return to its citizens.