Transcript The Collapse of the Republic

The Collapse of the Republic
The Romans
Growing Inequality
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By the 2nd Century B.C.
Rome primarily
governed by the Senate.
Rome suffering
economically and
militarily because of
landless plebeians.
Gracchus Brothers
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Tiberius and Gaius
Gracchus were reform
minded aristocrats.
Called for laws giving
public land of the
patricians back to the
landless poor.
Tiberius and Gaius later
killed for their reform
beliefs.
Marius’s Military Reforms
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General named Marius
made matters worse
Recruited soldiers from
landless poor promising
them land if they swore
allegiance to him and
served in his military.
Gained great power by
doing this.
Sulla
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Sulla followed
Marius’s idea.
A Civil War broke out
in Rome and Sulla’s
army seized Rome in
82 B.C.
Sulla would later
restore power to the
senate in hopes of
reviving the Republic.
The Collapse
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From 82-31 B.C.
civil wars beset
Rome.
Three men Crassus,
Pompey, and Julius
Caesar emerged
victorious.
Crassus was a
wealthy landowner
while the other two
were military
leaders.
The First Triumvirate
Crassus, Pompey, and Julius Caesar
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Triumvirate is a
government ruled by 3
people with equal power.
Each man had a military
command.
Crassus later killed, and
Senate decides that
Pompey would be the
best to lead.
Caesar disagreed.
Caesar Takes Power
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Julius Caesar refused to give
up his command and crossed
the Rubicon River to defeat
Pompey in 47 B.C.
Caesar then becomes first
dictator of Rome.
Gives land to the poor and
expanded the senate to 900,
filling it with his supporters.
He would later be assassinated
by his own senators.
Second Triumvirate
Octavian, Antony, and Lepidus
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Early Lepidus is kicked to the curb leaving Antony and
Octavian to divide the Roman World between them.
Octavian took the west and Antony took the east.
Later conflict would arise between the two and Antony
would look to his lover Cleopatra VII for help.
Octavian showed no mercy in defeating Antony and
Cleopatra, sending them into retreat where they would
both commit suicide.
The Age of Augustus
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Octavian takes power and
proclaims the “restoration
of the republic.
Gave some power back to
Senate and became Rome’s
first emperor.
Given title of Augustus by
Senate (revered one)
Known for his fairness in
dealing with the people,
stabilized Rome’s frontier,
and conquered new areas.
The Early Empire
A.D. 14 - 180
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Emperors allowed to pick
successors.
First four emperors after
Augustus were from his
family.
Tiberius, Caligula,
Claudius, and Nero.
All took more power away
from the senate and were
considered to be corrupt.
Pax Romana
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Second century series of
5 good emperors.
Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian,
Antoninus, and Marcus
Aurelius.
Pax Romana stands for
the period of “Roman
Peace”