Transcript Chapter 8 Section 3

Chapter 8
Section 3
The Fall of the Republic
Section Overview
This section describes the events that led to
the end of the Roman Republic.
Locating Places
• Rubicon
• Actium
Meeting People
•
•
•
•
•
Julius Caesar
Octavian
Antony
Cicero
Augustus
Building Vocabulary
• Latifundia
• triumvirate
Reading Strategy
Rome survived political unrest to
become the Roman Empire
Main Idea
Main Idea
Main Idea
Supporting
Details
Supporting
Details
Supporting
Details
Trouble in the Republic
• The gap between the rich patricians and the
poor plebeians grew, and farmers especially
suffered.
• Latifunda were large farming estates created
when wealthy Romans bought small farms.
• Farmers
whose land
had been
bought
traveled to
cities to try to find jobs.
Trouble in the Republic
• Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus
were two wealthy brothers who
tried to reform government.
They were killed.
• Marius, a former military leader,
was appointed counsel and promised land to
poor men if they became soldiers.
• Sulla drove Marius out of Rome, declared
himself dictator, and spent three years reforming
government before resigning from office.
The Fall of the Republic
What happened after Sulla stepped
down from office?
Men who saw Sulla gain power by
using an army decided to follow the
same path, and civil wars broke out.
Julius Caesar
• A triumvirate is a political alliance of three
people.
• Julius Caesar, Crassus, and Pompey
formed a triumvirate after Sulla left office.
Julius Caesar
• Julius Caesar marched on Rome and
defeated Pompey’s forces after Crassus
died in battle.
• Caesar declared himself dictator of Rome
for life and made many changes to Rome.
• The Julian calendar was created during
Caesar’s rule.
Julius Caesar
• This calendar was changed slightly in A.D.
1582, but is basically still in use today.
• Caesar had many enemies as well as
supporters.
• His enemies plotted to kill him and
succeeded on March 15, called the “Ides
of March.”
The Fall of the Republic
What is the origin of the phrase
“crossing the Rubicon” and what
does it mean?
The phrase refers to Caesar’s return
to Italy. By crossing the Rubicon,
Caesar knew he would begin a civil
war and that he would either be
victorious or be destroyed. Today it
means passing a point of no return.
Rome Becomes an Empire
• Octavian was Caesar’s grandnephew, who
had inherited Caesar’s wealth.
• Antony and Lepidus were two of Caesar’s
top generals.
• Octavian, Antony, and Lepidus formed the
Second Triumvirate, although the
triumvirate began to quarrel immediately.
• Antony fell in love with Cleopatra VII and
formed an alliance with her.
Rome Becomes an Empire
• Octavian declared war on Antony to keep
him from taking over the republic.
• Octavian defeated Antony and Cleopatra’s
forces at the Battle of Actium.
Rome Becomes an Empire
• Cicero was a political leader, writer, and
public speaker who favored representative
government and supported Octavian.
• Octavian restored the republic with some
reforms and took the title Augustus,
meaning “revered one.”
• This began the Roman Empire.
The Fall of the Republic
How was Octavian like Caesar?
How was he different?
Like Caesar, Octavian declared
himself ruler for life. However, he
also knew that many people favored
a republic. Octavian reformed
government so that a Senate with
limited power existed while he
remained in charge.
The Fall of the Republic
What is a triumvirate?
a political alliance of three people
The Fall of the Republic
Who was Cicero, and how did he
influence the writers of the United
States Constitution?
Cicero was apolitical leader whose
ideas on a representative
government with limited powers
influenced the U.S. Constitution.
The Fall of the Republic
Summarize What reforms did the
Gracchus brothers suggest?
The Gracchus brothers wanted the
government to take back public land
and give it to landless farmers.
Landholding senators opposed their
proposals.
The Fall of the Republic
Analyze What was the “bread and
circuses” policy, and how did
Roman politicians benefit from it?
The “bread and circuses’ policy was
the use of cheap food and free
entertainment to win support from
the poor.
The Fall of the Republic
Analyze What reforms did Julius
Caesar put in place that increased
his popularity with poor and
working-class Romans?
Caesar provided land for the poor
and created new jobs. He also
ordered landholders to hire more
free workers.