Roman+Economy,+Society,+and+Cosmopolitan+Life+(271-284)

**Roman Economy, Society, and Cosmopolitan Life (271-284)**
=Economy and Society in the Roman Mediterranean=

Trade and Urbanization
Latifundia owners grew various crops to export in North Africa, Egypt, and Sicily. Ships carried several hundred tons of crops to cities for consumers. Other cities and regions could now focus on cultivating fruits and vegetables or manufacturing goods. Archaeologists have uncovered a pottery factory north of Rome that probably employed hundreds of workers and had a mixing vat that could hold more than 10,568 gallons (40,000 liters) of clay. The Mediterranean lake became an essential lake for the Romans because it linked many cities and was used for trading. They called the lake //mare nostrum// which means "our sea." The Roman military and navy kept the seas mostly free of pirates to ensure that cargoes could move freely over long distances. The city of Rome received taxes, tributes, booty and other wealth from military expansion. Rome also recieved most of the profit from Mediterranean trade. The money was used for urban development. In the first century C.E., there were about 10,000 statues, 700 pools, 500 fountains, and 36 monumental arches. The state financed the construction of temples, bath houses, public buildings, statdiums, and aqueducts. The aqueducts were very important because they brought fresh water to Rome. They used concrete (invented by Roman engineers) to build the aqueducts because it is very strong. The population increased dramatically because construction employed hundreds of thousands of workers. Shopkeepers, artisans, merchants, and bankers also spread throughout rome. Economic develpment attracted migrants from the countryside and people from foreign lands. Most recieved low wages and worked as laborers, construction workers, or servants. Those with skills sometimes found good employment as craftsmen. Some that had a little bit of money started successful businesses and became weathy and respected businessmen because of hard work or good fortune. Greece, Syria, and other parts of the empire became wealthier because of trade and economic development. The Romans founded cities, such as Spain, Gaul, and Britian, at strategic sites for government and administrators. They encouraged social and economic development. Those who lived in cities enjoyed more luxuries than those who lived in rural areas. Most cities had public baths with hot and cold rooms, swimming pools, and gymnasias. Roman cities enjoyed fresh water and elaborate sewage and plumbing systems. Circuses (oval structures with tracks for chariot races), stadiums, and amphitheaters were sites for entertainment. The Circus Maximus in Rome accomodated about 250,000 people and their entertainment is now considered coarse and cruel. The entertainment included gladiators fighting each other to death and humans fighting wild animals. The Roman Colosseum was opened in 80 C.E. and seated about 50,000 people. The colosseum had awnings that protected views from sun and rain. They built the colosseum so it could be flooded and they could stage simulated naval battles. = =

Family and Society in Roman Times
The eldest male was usually the head of the common Roman family and ruled as //Pater Familias//, or "father of the family". As the pater familias, the father could do anything he wanted with his children, like planning weddings or even executing them. Despite Roman law, women could hold high influence within the family. The women also would help plan weddings and even help with family finances by finding loopholes in Roman Law. As time went on, new classes of people accumulated lots of private wealth for themselves. The wealthy would live in palaces and eat exotic dishes with animal tongues in them. If there are wealthy people, there are lots of poor people, who became a big problem in Rome. The poor would often riot, but the government used a technique called "Bread and Circuses" where they would supply the poor with subsidized grain and spectacular public entertainment. One big part of Roman society was the slaves. About one third (Two sixths, three ninths, etc.,) of the population were slaves. Most of which worked on Latifundia, while others worked mines. During the second and first centuries, slaves would often revolt. One of the more serious revolts being in 73 b.c.e. where 70,000 slaves rebelled. The slave that headed this up was Spartacus. City slaves had a much less difficult life. Female slaves worked as servants, whereas educated or talented male slaves could lead comfortable lives, such as Epictetus, who became a Stoic philosopher. Some slaves hoped for manumission, so they could leave the slave life behind. This was not mandatory for owners, so they slaves still had to work under the owner's command until they might be set free. The owners could do anything they wanted to with the slaves. =The Cosmopolitan Meditteranean=

Greek Philosophy and Religions of Salvation
The Romans believed in Gods and Goddesses who intervened in human affairs, and tutelary deities who looked after the welfare of families. As the Roman empire grew, they experienced more cultures, which lead to them adopting deities from other people and adapted them to their own purposes. As well as using other cultures' deities, they also borrowed religious practices, like animal sacrifices. The Greeks inspired the Romans in ways like rational thought and philosophy. One example is the Stoicism. The Stoics "sought to identify a set of universal moral standards based on nature and reason that would transcend local ethical codes". Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 b.c.e.) was a Roman thinker who adopted the Stoic values. In adapting Hellenistic thought to Roman needs, Cicero drew heavily from Stoics' moral and ethical teachings. Cicero believed that the pursuit of justice is a person's duty and was against those who sought wealth and power through immoral ways. The majority of people believed in religions of salvation because it gave them a promise of future existence. Religions of salvation became key features of Mediterranean society in the Helenistic times. The roads of the Roman empire not only served as trade routes, but as openings for the word of religious salvation to spread. Mithraism started as a cult for Mithras, a god for the sun and light. Soldiers in Anatolia adapted the cult to their own interests, and related it to strength and courage rather than the sun and light. The cult of Mithras did not allow women, but cults for goddesses like Isis spread. The cult of Isis was the most popular before Christianity spread. All of these religions spread through the Mediterranean basin. GD

Judaism and Early Christianity
In an attempt to encourage political loyalty, emperors often created state cults to worship the emperors as gods. The Jews believed that the creation of these cults was totally outside of the belief of their religion. Jews often refused to pay taxes to the emperors who had claimed themselves to be gods. As the Romans began to spread into the eastern Mediterranean region the relations between the Romans and the Jews became more and more tense. Between the third and first centuries B.C.E. the Jews mounted several rebellious attacks against the Romans but ultimately failed. The Roman forces outfought the rebels during the Jewish War of 66 to 70 C.E. Some Jews actively fought the Romans and others founded new sects that looked for saviors. They observed a strict moral code and participated in rituals designed to reinforce a state of community. They also looked for a savior who would take them away from Roman rule and lead them to establish a community in which they could practice faith without interference. The early Christians probably had little contact with them but had many of the same concerns. Christians formed their community around Jesus or Nazareth. He was born about the year of 4 B.C.E. and grew up during the high tension between the Romans and Jews. He was a peacful man who taught devotion toward god and love for fellow human beings. He attracted large crowds because of his reputation of wisdom and miraculous powers, especially his ability to heal the sick. In an attempt to stop a new rebellion from emerging, Roman administrators executed Jesus by fixing him to a cross in the early 30's C.E. Even after his execution his movement continued. Christianity sought converts from non-Jewish connunitties in the Hellenistic world and the Roman empire. A man named Paul helped with the wide spread of Christianity. His doctorite taught that one should follow a high moral standards and place their faith before personal and family interests. It was based on a structure that God gave human history a purpose. Payl of Tarsus traveled widely, he traveled to reece, Anatolia, Syria nad Palestine. He was executed by the emperor. The Christian faith varied vastly between different groups. Yet they all recognized the New Testament as the fundamental guideline. This religion appealed to lower classes, urban populations and because it taught equality of the sexes it also appealed to women.

=﻿5 Themes=

Interaction Between Humans and the Environment
Agricultural production was the economic foundation of the Roman empire. The people would use the land for farming. Instead of planting crops for local use, the owners of latifundia focused on using the production for export. The grain from latifundia in north Africa, Egypt, and Sicily normally went to the large cities of the empire. The Romans built sea lanes that linked ports from Syria and Palestine to Spain and north Africa. These ports were mostly used to trade and export goods. They also were very important for communication.

Development and Interaction of Cultures
The Romans recognized many different gods and godesses. Most Roman families also honored tutelary deities. As the Romans began to expand their political influence and built and empire, they came across the many different cultural traditions and religions of other peoples. They sometimes adopted the deities of the other peoples and used them for their own purposes. They also got ideas fromt he Greek tradition of rational thought and philosophy. Roads and communication networks played a big role in the trade and economy for the Roman empire.

State-building, Expansion, and Conflict
Roman law gave most of the authority to the males in the families. They had the power to arrange marriages for their children, determine the work they would do, and even execute them. Although the men in society held a lot of authority, the women greatly influenced their families. The jewish people held their faith and communities under various imperial regimes. All of the empires embraced many different ethnic and religious groups. To encourage political loyalty, the empires created cults that honored their emperors as gods. Subjects were often called to participate in these cults, which created a serious problem for the monotheistic Jews, who only recognized their one god, Yahweh. As Romans extended their empire, relations between Jews and imperial authorities became tense. The Jews mounted several rebellions against their Seleucid and Roman overlords. When the resistance failed, the Roman forces defeated the rebeles during the Jewish War.

Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems
Trade was very important in the Roman empire. Having good roads encouraged trade between regions. The cities benefitted from the wealth brought by trade. They used the seas to travel back and forth. Roman military were in charge of keeping the seas free of pirates so that the cargoes could travel freely over long distances. To carry out their duties, Roman military forces, administrators, tax collectors, and other officials traveled throughout the empire. They joined the merchants in turning the Mediterranean regions into a well-integrated network of communication and exchange.

Development and Transformation of Social Structures
As the wealth of the Roman empire increased, a distinction of social classes emerged. The rich people built palatial houses with formal gardens, and they ate rare and exotic foods such as boiled ostrich, and jellyfish. Meanwhile, the culitivators and urban masses lived largely on porridge and vegetables. Slavery was very common in the Roman society. Rural slaves worked under extremely harsh conditions and were often chained together in teams. Slaves remained under the strict authority of their masters. The masters had the right to sell them, arrange their family affairs, punish them, and even execute them. =﻿= R.W. E.P. K.L. G.D T.D. H.M.