Part 4 Notes: The Fall of the Republic

After the Punic Wars

1. Rome becomes the superpower of the Western Mediterranean Sea after the Punic Wars

2. Seen by other countries & societies as powerful, wealthy

3. Had many problems internally, even though they were recognized as a major power.

Major Internal Problems, 100 B.C.1. Patricians still owned much of the land, still

had the most important gov’t jobs & directed the military/wars.

2. Many plebeians were resentful of the gap between the two social classes/strikes & conflict happens between the 2 classes

3. The situation became worse by 100 b.c., when many small farmers began to lose their land b/c of heavy debt & poverty.

Plebian Farming Crisis

1. The Small Farmers: Extreme debt & poverty were caused by farms

that were neglected (while men were forced to fight in wars) or destroyed by Hannibal’s troops

2. The Large Farmers:

Large farms, like plantations, were called latifundia. Small farmers could not compete the large estate farms nor could they jobs b/c slaves did the work. These large farms were Patrician owned.

Result of Farming Crisis1. Small farmers moved to the cities for work: found

very little job options because of slaves.2. Tiberius & Gaius Gracchus: two Senators

(brothers) who advocated for the plebian farmers in the Senate.

3. They proposed land reform (change) in order to help out small plebeian farmers

4. Tiberius was murdered in 133 BC; seen as the first event in the beginning of the end of the Roman Republic. Gaius in 123 BC.

5. Were murdered by other Senators; no one did anything about it & the gov’t stayed the same.

The Military Crisis: General Marius1. General Marius took it upon himself to help fix

his soldier shortage & give poor men jobs2. His solution to the farming crisis:

**To enlist previous farmers as paid soldiers with the promise of land and a paycheck. Land given from the new provinces/territories being conquered by generals like Marius.

3. As a result, these men end up being loyal to their general, not Rome. It will divide Rome and cause a civil war. This tradition of paid soldiers by generals will last until 27 BC.

Civil War in Rome

Rome ends up in a series of civil wars for the next 50 years.

Different powerful Roman generals battle for power.

By 60b.c., 3 generals formed an alliance: Crassus, Pompey, & Julius Caesar

Political Differences

1. Two divisions in Roman politics had developed:

1. Optimates—those that favored the interest of the wealthy

2. Populares—those that favored the interest of the masses

2. Pompey was an Optimate3. Caesar was a Populare

Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar

Portrait of Ancient Rome

Remains of Rome

Roman Senate

First Triumvirate

The three men end up forming a triumvirate: political alliance of 3 people

The alliance was called the First Triumvirate All 3 men had very loyal armies in remote areas:

Caesar-modern France (Gaul), Pompey-Spain, Crassus-Syria

Caesar had become a hero to Rome’s lower classes

Senators & others feared Julius Caesar’s popularity

Julius Caesar

Pompey

Crassus

The Beginning of the End

In 53b.c., Crassus was killed in battle The Senate ordered both Pompey & Caesar

to give up their armies & return home. Caesar knew the Senate favored Pompey

over him, so he was faced with a hard choice: 1. Obey the Senate & risk death/prison at the hands of his rivals,2. Return to Rome with his army & risk civil war

Caesar decided: he kept his loyal army & returned to Rome

He marched into Italy by crossing the river Rubicon, today the word is used a sign of “point of no return” or not turning back.

Pompey tried to stop him, but Caesar was the better general with good soldiers

Caesar destroyed Pompey’s army by 48 b.c.

Caesar as dictator

In 45 b.c, Caesar declared himself dictator, for life. This broke with the traditional role of dictator in Rome

He strengthened his power with the people by making reforms to Rome 1. Change the tax system, better for the poor 2. Gave land to the poor in overseas colonies 3. Started building projects for jobs (not slaves)

Many Romans favored & supported Caesar Many government officials & politicians—

especially the Senate—loathed him; they felt he wanted to be king with total power

On March 15, 44 b.c., Caesar was stabbed to death at least 23 times during a Senate meeting. Some of these men Caesar thought were his allies. This day is known in history as the Ides of March (March 15th in Latin)

Ides of March

Brutus

Brutus Suicide

After Caesar’s Death

Civil war followed the death of Caesar One side were the men & their allies who

killed Caesar, the others were Caesar’s generals- Antony & Lepidus- and Caesar’s grandnephew, Octavian

The 3 defeated Caesar’s assassins & created the 2nd Triumvirate

Octavian—In Caesar’s will, he named Octavian his heir & adopted son

The Creation of the Roman Empire The 3 men starting arguing almost

immediately & the defeat of Caesar’s enemies

Lepidus retired, which left Antony & Octavian Antony fell in love with an Egyptian queen

named Cleopatra & formed an alliance with her

Octavian used this to declare war against Antony

In 31b.c. at the Battle of Actium, Octavian crushed the army/navy of Antony.

Result: as Octavian approached Egypt, the couple committed suicide

Octavian was now the only ruler of the broken Roman Republic.

End of Democracy, Road to an Empire Octavian knew the people didn’t want a king, but

improvements in the gov’t. Therefore, he did not make himself a dictator for

life, saw what had happened Caesar Octavian announced in 27 BC, that the gov’t

would be restored with changes Octavian restored order, brought peace, & needed

supplies back to Rome. He also created a professional Roman army,

which stopped the loyalty issue & future wars b/t generals

Augustus: the 1st Roman Emperor Octavian knew the republic had become too

weak, corrupt & not centralized enough to solve Rome’s problems.

He gave some power to the Senate, but slowly & carefully kept the majority of power for himself

Octavian named his self “imperator” which in English is emperor, also meant revered in Latin. He was approved by the Senate in 27 BC

His name was changed to Augustus, & from this point the Roman Empire was born

Augustus

Vocabulary

1. Julius Caesar (person, 5w’s)

2. 1st Triumvirate

3. Rubicon

4. Ides of March

5. Octavian (person 5w’s)

6. Antony

7. 2nd Triumvirate

8. The Roman Empire