CHW 3MCaesar’s Rome

Caesar in ChargeAfter returning to Rome

• popularity soars• elected dictator for life• consolidates power and decreases senates role

Although he was pressured to return Rome to it’s Republican roots Caesar had no intention to give up what he had fought for. He saw

• the republic as chaotic, corrupt and dysfunctional• the central government as being weak• an army that he replaced the constitution

Caesar ReformsCaesar was very ambitions and sought to make many reforms to help the poor and improve the way Rome’s lands were run.

Pardons• any citizen that took up arms against him in the civil war avoid the mistakes of Sulla

Citizenship • granted partial citizenship to many allies• granted full citizenship to desired non-Romans• allowed Rome to attract many intellectuals

A census was taken of Rome and the amount of individuals receiving free grain was reduced by 150000. To provide for these individuals Caesar look to create jobs through:

• building projects• agriculture reforms 1/3 of labour force must be free men• new colonies 800000 citizen sent to more productive lands• help spread Roman culture

Economic Reforms

Caesar also looked to alleviate the problem of debt. He issued new coins, allowed people to pay off their debt with land at a fair price, cancelled interest on debt not paid since 49BC and reformed tax laws.

Caesar also reformed the way Rome’s government and provinces were run.

• new public servants• governors had to have high moral standard, limited term• provinces looked after their own taxes

Administrative Reforms

The Julian Calendar

Replaced the old roman lunar calendar with solar calendar. Gregorian calendar which is what we use is based on the Julian Calendar

• July = Julius

The Ides of MarchMany of Rome senators were threatened by Caesar’s position, honour and power. They feared that he would become a king of Rome.

In 44 BC, an assassination plot was hatched by a group of 60 senators. On March 15 of that year, when Caesar entered the Senate house, he was stabbed to death.