Roman Empire Social Structure Essay

EGYPT-SOCIAL STRUCTURES: Kings, priests/nobles, officials/merchants, artisans, peasants/workers, slaves. Ruling class (pharaoh, priests, and nobles)small,middle class (artisans, traders, merchants) small, peasants and slaves (broad base of social pyramid). Status of WOMEN; own property (buy and sell), testify in court, divorce (rare), property inherited through female line. ROLES OF RELIGION AND THE MILITARY: Religion: Polytheistic, Amon-Re (sun god, most important god), Osiris (God of the Nile), Isis (wife of Osiris), Set (Osiris’ evil brother), believed in life after death (judged by Osiris), Writing (Hieroglyphics-picture form, demotic-simple for everyday use, ideogram- pictures that symbolize an idea or action), mummification (preservation of
ROMAN FAMILY AND ARMY: Roman family: father had absolute power (sells kids into slavery), large families (expansion), strict discipline (hard work, courage, loyalty), fathers supervised education for both girls and boys, family included (parents, children, sons’ wives and families, the slaves and clients), women highly respected even though they can’t make many decisions. Roman Army: Patricians and plebeians served, legions were 6,000 man units (centuries), strict training and discipline=high effectiveness, liable for military service if between ages 17 and 46. TWELVE TABLES OF LAW: 1st written law code; protected citizens from unfair treatment. PUNIC WARS-1: Roman navy built; defeats Carthage; Rome gains Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica. 2: control over Spain (Rome almost lost, Hannibal). 3 (149-146 BC): Carthage violates treaty w/ Rome, Rome destroys Carthage, and surrounding area becomes Roman. Rome expands after. JOURNALING- 1st ruler of the Roman Empire: Augustus. During the empire, the Roman legal system contributed to unity and stability. Romans tolerated the Jews’ religion. The Pax Romana ended in 180 AD, after the death of Marcus