Transcript slides

82-79 BC Dictatorship of Lucius Cornelius
Sulla, who empowers Senate at expense
of other governing bodies
78 BC Death of Sulla
Marcus Licinius Crassus (d. 53 BC)
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey,
106-48 BC)
Gaius Julius Caesar (102-44 BC)
70 BC Crassus and Pompey serve as consuls,
restore powers of assemblies in Rome
67-62 Pompey appointed to fight pirates,
then wars abroad
63 Caesar serves as pontifex maximus (high
priest). Subsequently serves as governor
of Spain
60 BC Formation of First Triumvirate
59 Consulship of Caesar. Caesar subsequently
spends time campaigning away from
Rome
57 Pompey suppresses violence in Rome,
becomes dictator
56 Meeting of the triumvirs in Cisalpine Gaul
Pompey and Crassus elected consuls.
Caesar’s term in Gaul extended to 49 BC
53 BC Crassus killed in battle in Middle East
52 Pompey becomes sole consul, effectively
dictator
6th Jan 49 Caesar crosses R. Rubicon, attacks
Italy
“The die is cast.”
48 BC Caesar defeats Pompey at Pharsalus,
pursues him to Egypt
47 Caesar leaves Egypt, suppresses
revolt in Pontus
“veni, vidi, vici”
45 Caesar finishes crushing opposition
45-44 BC Caesar passes large amount of
legislation
Lupercalia (festival in February)
Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony)
Caius Cassius Longinus
Marcus Junius Brutus
15th March 44 (Ides of March) Death of Caesar
63 BC Birth of Gaius Octavius (Octavian) in
Rome (father praetor)
44 Caesar’s will read. Octavian adopted as
Caesar’s son. Conspirators withdraw to
provinces. Mark Antony in charge in Rome
43 Octavian, Antony and Lepidus form
“Second Triumvirate”
Divi filius Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus
42 BC Cassius and Brutus killed at Philippi.
Empire divided. Octavian gets Rome,
Antony gets east, Lepidus gets Africa
40 Antony marries Octavia
36 Octavian defeats Sextus Pompey
37 BC Antony sends pregnant Octavia to Rome.
Acknowledges twins by Cleopatra
34 Antony declares Caesarion to be child of
Julius Caesar. Splits east between him, the
twins and Cleopatra (“Queen of Kings”)
32 Antony repudiates Octavia
31 Octavian defeats Antony at Actium.
Deaths of Antony and Cleopatra
Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus (69-c. 140 AD)
Son of a Knight. Originally lawyer, became
chief secretary to Hadrian (r. 117-38)
122 Dismissed from court
De Vita Caesarum (The Twelve Caesars;
biographies of Julius Caesar and first
twelve emperors)
Had access to state archives, but also
uncritical in use of sources