Post on 19-May-2015
transcript
Change from Republic to Empire
Attempted Reforms
• Significant disparity between rich and poor.• Latifundia – huge land holding of rich• Poor moved off land and into city – No
work – Rich used slaves.• Tiberius and Gaius Graccus (Pleb
Tribunes) attempt reforms– Tiberius – demands land reforms – killed– Gaius institute grain doles -- Killed
Civil War!!
• General Marius and subordinate Sulla• Marius – reforms – very popular – Consul
7x in a row• Sulla – Status quo – becomes consul – sent
to Asia Minor to put down revolt• Marius supporters attempt coup • Sulla returns to quell revolt – Civil War• Sulla wins, becomes Dictator for life
First Triumvirate
• Illegal division of power among three political rivals in Rome.
• Pompey – popular general who put down revolt in Spain
• Crassus – Puts down slave revolt in Italy– Sparticus – Leads army of 60,000
• When defeated, 6000 crucified along Appian way
•Julius Caesar – Popular general
Rise of Caesar
• Caesar returns to Gaul as Governor
• Pompey becomes sole consul of Rome
• Pompey fears Caesar, demands return to Rome
• Caesar returns…with Army
Caesar Continued
• Caesar battle tested army defeats Pompey’s rookie army in Greece
• Pompey flees to Egypt and it executed.
• Caesar presented P’s pickled head
Dictator and Death• Becomes “Dictator for
10 years” and later for life.
• Permanently controls army, Sacro-sanct, “Paterpatriae”
• Reduces doles, intense colonization, changes calendar
Beware of the Ides of March
• Senate fears Caesar as a dictator or tyrant.
• Senators assassinate him on March 15th, 44 BC
• Stabbed 23 times• “Et tu, Brute?”• Sends Rome into
disarray.
Civil Part Deux
• Civil war erupts between supporters of the republic and supporters of Caesar.
• Three supporters of Caesar prevail: Octavian (C’s Nephew), Lepidus (politician), & Marc Antony (General)
Second Triumvirate
• Legal division of power of Roman Empire
• Lasts 10 Years
• Octavian forces Lepidus to retire
• Oct and Antony Rivals
• Antony falls in love Cleopatra
• Octavian defeats Antony at naval battle of Actium
First Emperor
• Octavian unchallenged ruler of Rome
• Changes name to “Augustus” or exalted one.
• Takes on “Sacro Sanct, Paterpatire, and Imperator (Emperor).
• The start of the Pax Romana – Peace of Rome