What Role the Etruscans Did in the Development of the Ancient Roman State - Assignment Example

Chapter 5 STUDY QUESTIONS Who were the Etruscans, and what role did they play in the development of the ancient Roman state? Explain. Etruscans were the inhabitants of Etruria, a region between Arno and Tibet rivers in Central Italy and the Northwest of Rome. They maintained a number of independent cities fighting against other Italians to maintain and protect their sovereignty, (Levack, Muir and Veldman 139). Etruscans were mainly traders often doing businesses with Greek merchants with whom they exchanged native iron ore and other resources for vases and luxury goods, hence it is through commerce that the Etruscans acquired and later on transmitted the Greek culture, myths and science to the Romans, (Levack, Muir and Veldman 139). Etruscans played a major role in the development of the Roman state most importantly increasing the trade between the Romans and other societies especially the Greek thereby creating wealth in the state. The group’s seers also taught the Romans how to interpret omens and also enriched the Roman architecture by giving them a distinctive temple architecture that was unique compared to that of the Greeks. The Roman and the Etruscan architecture therefore had better and much deeper porticos and pronounced porches which were supported by colonnades symbolic of their advanced civilization at the time, (Levack, Muir and Veldman 139). 2. How would you describe Roman social and political organization during the early Republic? Explain. The early republic, established by about 600 B.C.E had a well organized social and political system. By this time, they had begun the construction of public buildings which included the first senate house where elders regularly assembled to discuss community matters and the temples, (Levack, Muir and Veldman 139). The republic established at about 500 B.C.E abolished the rule of kingship and establish a state in which political power was wielded by the people and their representatives. The republic had a military and a voting system in which only free male city inhabitants who could afford their weapons were allowed to vote in the citizen assembly. The assembly was responsible for making the important public decisions in consultation with the senate and although poor men could fight to defend the state, they were not allowed to vote, (Levack, Muir and Veldman 139). The assembly was constituted by Rome’s male citizens otherwise known as the Centuriate Assembly and had the responsibility of managing the city’s judicial, legislative and administrative affairs. Two chief executives known as the consuls were elected each year and given the authority to administer the law, although their decisions could be appealed in the assembly, (Levack, Muir and Veldman 139). The senate comprised of about 300 Roman citizens and had the responsibility of advising the consuls besides holding administrative offices. The republic also had priests who presided over the city’s religious ceremonies, nonetheless, the real power was held by a small group of influential families. Other than the priests, there was a community of priestesses, otherwise known as Vestal Virgins who were custodians of the sacred fire and hearth in the Temple of Vesta, (Levack, Muir and Veldman 140). The social structure of the Republic consisted of the patricians who where the elite on society, the plebeians who were the general body of roman citizens and in lower rank to the Plebeians, (Levack, Muir and Veldman 140). What political and social changes brought the Roman republic to an end? Explain. Multiple social and political changes brought an end to the Roman republic which was mainly brought about by glaring inequalities of wealth and power which lead to conflict between those in status and the reformers who called for a more equitable distribution of resources, (Levack, Muir and Veldman 158). The legislative changes brought about by the Gracchus brothers which called for the redistribution of public land to poor citizens from wealthy landowners who had grabbed much of it led to the killing of Tiberius Gracchus by a clique of senators thereby setting a precedent of public violence, (Levack, Muir and Veldman 158). The decision to grant citizenship to all Italians who had demanded it claiming that they had been partners in all Rome’s wars also led to the redistribution of political power from the Wealthy to the general population leading to a number of social wars which brought the republic to its knees. Other reforms included; permitting the tribunes to propose laws and allowing the equestrians to serve on juries, (Levack, Muir and Veldman 159). 3. Roman military culture is popularly stressed and Athenian democracy. Was Rome more militarized than Athens? Was its government less participatory? Explain. The Roman military culture was a crucial component in the establishment of the Republic since without the army’s support, the state could not stand. Rome was arguably more militarized than Athens with a highly efficient professional army that protected the city. Levack, Muir and Veldman contend that in the reign of Empire Augustus, the Roman army maintained ‘a high degree of organization, discipline and training-characteristics which Romans prided themselves,’ (176). The roman army had a strict military discipline which differentiated their soldiers from other common men, besides there were strict punishments for those in violation of military laws. The discipline was to such a degree that when a soldier fell asleep when on duty, his mates were expected to beat him up. Its troops were also constantly drilled in weapons and battle formation, besides there was inhuman training strategies, soldiers were for example expected to march 20 miles while carrying 40 pounds on his back, (Levack, Muir and Veldman 176). Although the Athenian military was seriously weakened due to a number of wars, the Roman’s military might also became its undoing since its military leaders such as Caesar, and Pompey developed political careers leading to its final demise, (Levack, Muir and Veldman 162). Why was Augustus successful in making himself the sole ruler of Rome, when Julius Caesar had failed? Explain. Although Augustus was successful in making himself the sole ruler of Rome, Julius Caesar failed due to a number of factors. Augustus managed to consolidate power under the imperial system thereby not only protecting but also expanding his imperial territory. He had the absolute power to determine foreign policy with other territories and waging war to make new conquests, (Levack, Muir and Veldman 162). His key strengths was his administration and provision of good governance, besides it is noted that Augustus’s administration was just and relied on the rule of law and was a symbol of unity for all the people within the empire, (Levack, Muir and Veldman 162). Augustus also established a strong army since he had absolute control of the military, financial and diplomatic policy. The consolidation of the Roman army also aided Augustus, besides, (Levack, Muir and Veldman 176) reaffirm that without the army, Augustus could not have succeeded in consolidating his empire. The senate was deprived of autonomy thereby becoming only an administrative arm the imperial government headed by Augustus. Conversely, Caesar’s over ambition, coupled with immense consolidation of power and arrogance were key factors for his downfall. His inability to control the senate, and his disregard for the republican precedent also set the senate firmly against his rule leading to his ultimate demise when senator Marcus Junius Brutus ultimately stabbed him to death, ((Levack, Muir and Veldman 165). 1. What benefits did the spread of Christianity bring to an ordinary inhabitant of the Roman Empire? What might have been the disadvantages? In the early days of the Roman Empire, there was no effort by the imperial regime to regulate religion and inhabitants had the freedom to worship their traditional gods of choice with many rituals undertaken by the worshipers to them. With the emergence of Judaism and later Christianity, this freedom of worship drastically changed (Levack, Munir Veldman, p 192). Christianity grew from Jewish roots when Jesus, a Jew from Galilee travelled through Palestine and urged men and women to join God’s kingdom before the world came to an end. Even though the Roman authorities convicted and crucified him, his message sparked a religious revolution that touched on the lives of many inhabitants of the Roma Empire (Levack, Munir Veldman, p 195. With the spread of Christianity, the following benefits came to the lives of ordinary inhabitants of the Roman Empire: There was a sense of unity among the many religious groups around one superior God. Worshipers of the goddess Isis and those of Mithras among other gods finally found one God who had the abilities of all their respective gods combined. This brought a sense of unity among the inhabitants. Equality and freedom was advocated among the inhabitants. When the followers of Jesus preached the gospel of Christianity, they asserted that all were equal before God and this sparked the need to be free among that many slaves that were in the empire. The main disadvantage of Christianity to the inhabitants was the element of revolution that the religion brought. Many followers of Jesus Christ were as a result of their beliefs persecuted and terror took over the entire land. 2. How would you characterize the Roman Empire in the third century A.D.? How did the Roman Empire successfully reorganize after the instability of the third century, particularly under Diocletian and Constantine the Great? The empire was characterized by instability after the attack of Rome, the centre of power, by forces of Alaric, the king of a small army of landless warriors, the Visigoths, which were considered as barbarian thugs. This intrusion sent shock waves and throughout the century, inhabitants felt a sense of insecurity. One Christian theologian from Jerusalem going by the name Jerome even posse the question, “if Rome is consumed, what can be safe?” (Levack, Munir Veldman, p 202) This was in reference to the level of insecurity that prevailed throughout the empire after this attack and plundering of Rome by Alaric followers. The empire also saw Christianity becoming a dominant religion during this period with political and economic turmoil being synonymous with the Roman Empire 235 and 284. The turmoil was because the office of the emperor that had led the Roman Empire to dominance in the Mediterranean was now not able to cope with emerging threats as there was competition for the throne among generals leaving room for invaders craving for land to tear through the border and rein havoc (Levack, Munir Veldman 203). During this period however, calm came back to the empire and stability reinstated by Emperor Diocletian through radical administrative and social reforms. It these very reforms initiated by Diocletian that were upheld by Constantine the Great and peace prevailed. 2. What were the different fates of the two halves of the Roman Empire, and how did Justinian reorganize the western half, creating a Christian-Roman civilization? The Roman Empire split into two halves during the fifth century; the Latin speaking provinces of western Europe making one half, and the mainly Greek and Syriac-speaking provinces of the east making the other half (Levack, Munir Veldman 222). The western provinces were as a result of this split faced with the reality of living under the authority of Germanic kingdoms as the Roman government lost control over them while the eastern part still remained under the control of Roman emperor whose center of power was now Constantinople and not Rome. The two halves were therefore faced with the possibility of losing the legacy of the Roman Empire especially in the west that was now under Gramanic kingdoms. What sustained this legacy during the period of the split was Latin culture and Latin Christianity that the Gemanic rulers could not change while in the east, the political reality kept inhabitants under the Roman culture until its collapse later in 1453. Armed with a combination of powerful intellect and unmovable Christian faith, Justinian embarked to a mission to reorganize the western half of the now split Roman empire through the creation of a Christian- Roman civilization, to achieve this, he undertook the following (Levack, Munir Veldman, 266): He emphasized the role of emperor at the pillar of society in express Christian terms. He was the first to adopt the title “beloved of Christ”. He enforced uniform religious beliefs throughout the empire. He re-conquered some of the western territory that had been lost during the split to strengthen his position and territorial authority. He made an attempt to create a Christian society with the use of a combination of Roman law and military force. This had the impact of showing his commitment to the cause of Christian-Roman civilization. Work Cited Levack, Brian; Munir, Edward and Veldman, Meredith. West, The Encounters & Transformations, Combined Volume, 3/E. Pearson Publishers, 2011. Read More