Transcript Collapse of the Roman Republic

Collapse of the Roman
Republic
Goal: Explain the causes and
outcomes of the end of the
Republic
Growing Gap Between Rich & Poor
• The “Winners” of
the Punic Wars
were the wealthy
– Hannibal’s army had
landowners
• The “Losers” of the
Punic Wars were the
small farmers
destroyed the
countryside
– Small farmers could
not afford to rebuild
their farms
• Forced to sell their
land to wealthy
landowners
– Bought off land
from small farmers
– Built huge estates
known as latifundia
Growing Gap Between Rich & Poor
• Why didn’t wealthy landowners need laborers?
Large numbers of slaves brought in from
conquered territories
• Small farmers could not compete with latifundia
– Many flocked to city for work for low wages
• These urban, landless
poor = proletariat
Early Reform
• The Brothers Gracchus
– Tiberius & Gaius Gracchus – elected as tribunes
– Attempted to help Rome’s poor
• Limit size of large estates & give extra land to poor
– Opposed by Senate b/c
seen as threat
• Both brothers assassinated
• Civil War erupted in Rome
Army Leaders
• Soldiers fought for any
general who land and gold
– Loyal to commander, NOT to
the republic
– Rival generals competed with one
another
Army Leaders
Military leader Sulla defeated Marius in civil war
Sulla declared himself dictator
– Doubled size of senate
– Reduced authority of tribunes
– Killed anyone who threatened
his power
• Marius stepped down in 79 BC
•
•
The Rise of Julius Caesar
• Julius Caesar was a powerful military genius
• Caesar joined with Pompey (a general) & Crassus
(a wealthy Roman)
– Caesar is elected consul in
59 BC
– Caesar, Crassus, & Pompey
ruled for 10 years as
the First Triumvirate
Caesar’s Genius
• Stepped down from consul after 1 year (tradition)
• Conquered and appointed
himself governor of Gaul
(known as the Gallic Wars)
– Reported his victories
back to Rome which
gained him popularity
and support
– Won loyalty and devotion
from his troops
Trouble in the 1st Triumvirate
• Pompey and Crassus feel threatened by
Caesar’s ambitions
– Senate ordered Caesar to disband his army
– Instead, Caesar marches
his army over the Rubicon
River & heads toward Rome
• Pompey fled but his
armies are defeated by
Caesar
Caesar as Dictator
• Upon return to Rome, Caesar is appointed
dictator by the senate
– Named dictator for life in 44 BC
• Caesar made several reforms
1) Extended Roman citizenship to people in
provinces
2) Expanded the senate
3) Created jobs through construction of public
buildings
4) Started colonies where landless could own
property
5) Increased pay for soldiers
Beware the Ides of March
• Nobles and senators were fearful of
Caesar’s growing power and popularity
– Plot led by Marcus Brutus & Gaius Cassius to
assassinate Caesar
– Caesar was stabbed
to death in the
senate on March 15,
44 B.C.
The 2nd Triumvirate
• Civil war erupted after Caesar’s death
• The 2nd Triumvirate is formed by
– Octavian (Caesar’s adopted son)
– Mark Antony (general)
– Lepidus (powerful politician)
• Lepidus was forced to retire, and Octavian
and Mark Antony became rivals
Octavian v. Mark Antony
• Mark Antony met Queen Cleopatra of Egypt
• Octavian accused him of attempting to rule
Rome from Egypt
• Octavian defeated the forces of Mark Antony &
Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium
– Mark Antony & Cleopatra commit suicide
•
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esUMvBL3gnY
Beginning of Empire
• Octavian became the unchallenged ruler
of Rome
– Accepted title of
“Augustus” or
“exalted one”
– Also the title of
“imperator” or
“supreme military
commander”
• Why was the divide between rich and poor
growing in the late Roman Republic?
• How did Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus want
to reform Rome?
• Why were soldiers no longer loyal to the
Republic?
• Who joined to form the First Triumvirate
and what was its significance?
• How did Julius Caesar get appointed
dictator for life? Why would the people in
favor of this?
• How did Caesar reform Rome during his
dictatorship?
• Why was Caesar assassinated and by
whom?
• Who formed the Second Triumvirate and
how did it fall apart (why does it not last)?
• How does Octavian make the Republic an
Empire?
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFAblv
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