The Fall of the Republic andThe Rise of the Empire

Unintended Empire

• Roman Wars– No general plan– Preventive and defensive to provide security– It was an Empire though

• Power, wealth, and responsibilities– Land

• Prior to the Punic wars– Small farms, family needs

• After the Punic Wars– Land is devistated– Many veterans moved to Rome– Abandoned lands bought up by the wealthy for cash crops

» Many small farmers pushed off their lands

Tiberius Gracchus

• Became tribune in 133 bce promising land reform– The Bill

• Public land– Those who owned it could only own 300 acres– The rest reclaimed by the state– It would then be redistributed in small plots to the poor with small rents

• The Senate– Opposed the bill– Octavius’ veto leads to his removal

» Violation of the constitution

• Second tribune– Against tradition– Riot during election leads to Tiberius’ death and 300 of his supporters– Populares- those supported by the people– Optimates- those who supported the traditional role of the Senate

Gaius Gracchus

• Revived the agrarian commission• Establishment of new colonies

– Meet demands for lands

• Stabilizations of the price of grain• Appealed to the Equestrian order

– Many were wealthy business people

• Barred Senators from serving on courts or juries • 122 bce, was reelected

– Tried to give citizenship to the Italians

• 121 bce, was not reelected with help of Senate– Senate declares martial law– Gaius is hunted down a killed along with 3,000 supporters

Marius

• Jugurthine War – Jugurtha became king of Numidia, and massacred

Italian and Roman businessmen• War is declared• Dragged on and many felt the Senate was taking bribes• Marius elected to the consulship 107 bce• Defeats Jugurtha, but he escapes

– Sulla finally ends the war

– Problems in the North• Cimbri and Teutones barbic tribes• Marius uses volunteers for the army

– Depressed farmers, great loyalty

– Italian Civil War (90-88 bce)

Sulla

• Proved himself against the Italians– Elected consul for 88 bce

• Given command of war again Mithridates leading a rebellion in Aisa

• Marius gains the command for himself through assembly• Sulla marches his army into Rome to protect rights of

Senate, regains command and moves on Asia• Marius siezes Rome, dies not long after • Cinna holds Rome• Sulla returns in 83 bce and drives out followers of Marius

– Revitalizes senate

– Creates new courts

Pompey (106-48 bce)

• Given command of army by Senate• Made proconsul of Spain (77 bce)• Returns to Rome 71 bce with glory• 73 bce Senate appoints Marcus Crassus

– Sent to put down slave rebellion led by Spartacus– With Pompey’s help, rebellion is crushed in 71 bce

• Pompey given Imperium for 3 years in 67 bce

1st Triumvirate

• Pompey returns to Rome in 63 bce after fighting is Asia

• During his leave Crassus power diminishes though gains strong allies– Chief among them Julius Caesar

• Pompey wanted to be treated as the greatest Roman– Wanted land given to his veterans– Senate denies him both– Forms alliance with Crassus and Caesar

Julius Caesar

• Elected consulship in 59 bce

• Given governorship of Illyricum and Gaul– By 56 bce he defeated most of Gaul– Wanted to continue but Senate refused– Calls on Pompey and Crassus to renew

coalition• Returns to Gaul to finish the job

– 51 bce Caesar captures Alesia• Ends Gallic resistance and liberty

Return to Rome

• Triumvirate’s end makes Caesar return hard– Crassus died in 53 bce trying to defeat the Parthians– Death of Julia, Caesar daughter and Pompey’s wife

• Pompey – Fearful of Caesar’s power– Senate elects him consul of Rome 49 bce

• Wanted Caesar to disband his army and return a private citizen

• Pompey tasked to defend Rome

Civil War

• 49 bce– Pompey set to defend Rome– Caesar ordered to lay down his command of

his Army• Exile or death?

– Jan. 7, 49 bce• Caesar crosses the Rubicon River and sets off a

Civil War

– 45 bce, Caesar defeats Pompey’s son at Munda in Spain and returns to Rome

Caesar’s Rule

• Instituted a the Julian Calender• Raised the number of Senators to 900

– Played its role, but a sham• Granted Citizenships• 46 bce, granted dictator for ten years, the next

year it was changed to life– Consulship– Immunity of tribune– Chief priesthood of state– Prefect of morals

• Gave him censorship powers

Caesar’s Death

• Enemies fear monarchy– Conspiracy led by Gaius Cassius Longinus

and Marcus Junius Brutus and 60 other senators

• March 15, 44 bce– Caesar enters Senate chambers and is

stabbed to death– 13 years of civil war followed as well as the

end of the Republic

2nd Triumvirate

• Gaius Octavius (63-14 bce)– Named the heir of Caesar– Gathers army and enters Rome– Senate attempts to turn him against Marc Anthony, but he

rejects it• 43 bce

– Declares Caesar’s assassins outlaws– Brutus and Cassius had their own armies– Octavian makes pact with Marc Anthony and M. Aemilius

Lepidus• 42 bce

– Brutus and Cassius defeated at Philippi in Macedonia– Lepidus given Africa– Marc Anthony given the East

Octavian and Anthony

• Octavian identified with Italy and the west, order, justice and virtue through Vergil and Horace

• 36 bce– Anthony attacks Parthia

• Fails to receive promised support from Octavian and must rely on Cleopatra, queen of Egypt

• Octavian paints him as a dupe of Cleopatra

• 32 bce– Struggle for power between Anthony and Octavian

• 31 bce– Agrippa meets Anthony’s army at Actium with success– Octavian pursues Anthony and Cleopatra to Alexandria

• Both commit suicide– Octavian controls the Mediterranean world