CLT3510 Final Exam Study Guide Roman History The Roman Republic was a model for early America o Our founding fathers were very inspired by Roman history more so than Greek history Rome is associated with the founding of Christianity o The rise of Christianity coincides the Roman empire and its decline here the associations are often negative There are two images associated with Rome o The Roman Republic Good o The Roman Empire Bad Both play a part in Rome s representation in film Brief overview of chronological expansion of Rome o 753 BC o 753 509 BC o 509BC o 509 263 BC o 264 133BC o 133 30BC Traditional date of founding of Rome Rome ruled by Kings Strong Etruscan influence Foundation of the Roman Republic Early Republic Roman expansion in Italy Middle Republic Roman Expansion Mediterranean Late Republic Civil Wars The Republic Government o Consisted of The Senate 300 members Consuls 2 Assemblies Reasons for Rome s Success o Simple agrarian values o Mixed constitution government o Social Stability Patricians and plebeians Crisis of the Roman Republic 133 46BC o Overseas expansion creates economic inequalities at home o Numbers of small farmers decrease numbers of slaves increase o Increasing competition among Roman aristocrats for office prestige military command The Gracchi first of a series of reformers o Reformers of the 130s 120s BC o Both were assassinated after circumventing the Senate Had conflicts with Sulla Marius o Rome general Sulla Crassus o Roman dictator o Died in 78BC Spartacus Caesar Pompey o General and politician o Was dictator from 48 44 BC o 44BC Murdered The First Triumvirate 59 BC o Caesar Pompey Crassus o Roman general and politician who played a key role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire o Thracian gladiator Little is known about his life before he became one of the slave leaders in the Third Servile War the slave uprising war against the Roman Republic o military leader and politician during the fall of the Roman Republic The Western Roman Empire falls in 476AD as the last emperor Romulus Augustus deposed by a Germanin chieftain king Odoacer The Eastern Roman Empire Falls in 1453 AD to the Ottoman Turks Historical Spartacus A Thracian Slave who led a slave revolt in South Italy 73 71BC o Eventually defeated by Roman politician Crassus in 71 Background info o During this time Rome ruled Italy and much of the Mediterranean o Roman expansion had introduced large numbers of slaves to Italy from conquered territories o These slaved had revolted several times in the last century of the Roman Republic But the revolt of Spartacus was the most serious o Spartacus and his supports fought for three years o They won several major victories before defeated by the consul Crassus o Spartacus was lionized by Roman sources made grander than may have been o Not much is known about Spartacus and his aims o It seems that he had no clear political deological agenda that we can see that is he was not fighting to end slavery establish a new state o Instead simply wanted freedom for himself and fellow slaves o The Spartacus of modern times however is someone different Spartacus in Modern Times 18th Century Spartacus o S reappears in sources before and during the French Revolution o Symbol hero of political liberty and induvial freedom Spartacus in 19th century Italy o S focus of novel by Raffaello Giovagnoli Spartaco 1874 In it S is a nationalist hero associated with Garibaldi who led resorgimento Italian unification o In this period Italy was bring unified from previously separate states Spartacus and the 20th century o He had become a hero of Marx Marxist Champion of the lower classes proletariat 20th cent European Socialist movement German league of Spartacus German socialist Spartacus in America o Richard Montgomery Bird The Gladiator 1830 o Spartacus underdog o Fighting tyranny o Early American Values Roman Republic Howard Fast 1914 2003 o Author member of the Communist party blacklisted o Writes Spartacus while in prison o Novel was reaction to political climate and McCarthyism o Popularizes a Marxist hero version of Spartacus o Emphasizes exploitation of slaves by Romans o Characterizes Romans as utterly decadent and corrupt Dalton Trumbo o Prolific screenwriter and author in 1930s o Member of the Communist party also imprisoned and blacklisted o Wrote the screenplay for the 1960 movie Spartacus the movie Spartacus Kirk Douglass hires Trumbo to write the screenplay for the film o In doing so he breaks blacklist when Trumbo s role is revealed Opposition some groups American Legion oppose use of blacklisted writers communist origins of project Points the voice over mentions in the opening scene o Date is a century before the birth of Christianity o Rome is at the height of its power o Rome is in decline stricken with disease of slavery o Just before age of dictator o Spartacus is concerned not only with his own freedom but abolishing slavery as would someday happen in America during the civil war suggestion of Civil Right movement Gladiatorial School o Spartacus and fellow slaves are trained as gladiators further dehumanization of slaves o Slaves are then told to fight to the death for the entertainment of guests At core film is historically accurate o Spartacus was a Thracian gladiator led a slave revolt form 73 71BC o Batiatus was the name of the owner of gladiatorial school o Crassus eventually appointed general to suppress revolt o Otherwise historically gives way to ideology romance and other themes Spartacus Roman Society in Militaristic Brutal Morally bankrupt Absence of true friendships family life and values Characters in Spartacus Spartacus Strong male role leader of slave revolt Varinia Spartacus s main love interest slave girl Crassus Evil Roman fascist pig o Historical figure wealthiest man in Rome Gracchus fictional politician Caesar politician Batiatus Owner of gladiator school where Spartacus trained Antoninus Younger slave Spartacus is forced to fight him but then S takes him under his wing Father son relationship Draba gladiator S was forced to fight in arena Draba sacrificed himself so S could go on Ben Hur Background for Ben Hur Story of Judah Ben Hur Jewish prince born ca 1BC 1AD in Jerusalem He is arrested in imprisoned my Romans on trumped up charges His quest to return to Jerusalem save his family and avenge wrong done to him Parallel between BH s life and Jesus s o Movie begins with birth of Jesus ends with