The rich landowning patricians owned large farms

The rich landowning patricians owned large farms (called latifundia or large farming estates dependent on slaves to work on them).

• The rich landowning patricians owned large farms (called latifundia or large farming estates dependent on slaves to work on them).

• These farms were worked by slaves captured in war.

• These patricians ran the senate and held the most powerful government jobs. They handled Rome’s finances and directed its wars.

• Many plebeians had been unable to farm their own land because they were away at war, or their farms were damaged by Hannibal’s invasion of Italy. They could not complete with the wealthy landowners and were forced out of business.

• Faced with debts they couldn’t pay off, the plebs sold their land and headed off to find work in the city.

• There they completed for jobs with slaves and were paid low wages. This lead to great anger on the part of the plebs.

• In order to keep the plebs from rioting on city streets, the politicians gave out cheap food and provided the poor with free entertainment.

• This was called the policy of “bread and circuses”, and it helped many dishonest rulers come to power.

Two wealthy government officials (who happened to be brothers) worked on reforms to help the small farmers.

• Two wealthy government officials (who happened to be brothers) worked on reforms to help the small farmers.

• They were named Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus.

• They wanted to take back public land form the rich and divided it amongst the landless Romans.

• Senators who owned this land now opposed the move, putting their own interests above the state.

• A group of senators that opposed Tiberius killed Tiberius in 133 BCE. Twelve years later Gaius was also murdered by the opposition.

• It was a sad time in Rome when the rich senators ignored the greater good and only focused on keeping their own wealth and not on the people they were supposed to represent.

The role of the army changed in 107 BCE with the election of a military leader named Marius to consul.

• The role of the army changed in 107 BCE with the election of a military leader named Marius to consul.

• Until then most soldiers were owners of small farms, but because this type of farmer was disappearing, Marius began to recruit soldiers from the poor. In return for their service he paid them wages and promised them land.

• This changed the Roman army from citizen volunteers to paid professionals; these soldiers were more loyal to their general than to Rome.

• This gave the generals a great deal of power and gave them reason to get involved in politics to get laws passed to help their men.

• This new military system led to new power struggles. Soon Marius faced a challenge from a rival – a general named Sulla.

• In 82 BCE, Sulla drove his enemies out of Rome and made himself dictator.

• Sulla changed the government of Rome over the next three years. He weakened the Council of the Plebs and strengthened the Senate. Then he stepped down from office and instead of recapturing its glory, Rome plunged into 50 years of civil wars.

• Ambitions men saw how Sulla used an army to seize power and unfortunately decided to follow the same path……….

By 60 BCE three military leaders were the most powerful men in Rome: Crassus, Pompey and Julius Caesar. Crassus was also one of the richest men in Rome.

• By 60 BCE three military leaders were the most powerful men in Rome: Crassus, Pompey and Julius Caesar. Crassus was also one of the richest men in Rome.

• Together they formed the First Triumvirate to rule Rome. A triumvirate is a political alliance of three people.

• Each had a military command in a remote part of the republic. Pompey was in Spain, Crassus in Syria, and Caesar in Gaul.

• Caesar battled foreign tribes, invaded Britain and became a hero to the Romans, causing jealousy amongst the Senators who feared he might seize control like Sulla did.

• After Crassus was killed in battle, the senate asked Pompey to come back to Rome to rule alone.

• They also asked Caesar to give up his army and return to Rome. He chose to march into Rome with his soldiers crossing the Rubicon on the way (a river in the area). He knew he was choosing to start a civil war and that there was no turning back.

• This is why the phrase “crossing the Rubicon” is used to say that you are making a decision you cannot take back.

• Pompey tried to stop Caesar, but he was driven from Italy and his army destroyed in Greece in 48 BCE.

In 44 BCE, Caesar declared himself dictator for life, breaking with the Roman tradition that allowed dictators to rule for only short periods.

• In 44 BCE, Caesar declared himself dictator for life, breaking with the Roman tradition that allowed dictators to rule for only short periods.

• Caesar filled the senate with new members who were loyal to him to strengthen his power.

• He granted citizenship to people living the territories of Rome outside the Italian peninsula.

• He started new colonies to provide land for the landless and created work for Rome’s jobless people.

• He ordered landowners using slaves to hire more free workers. This made him a hero to Rome’s working class plebeians.

• He created a new calendar with 12 months (by adding in the months of July and August), 365 days and a leap year called the Julian calendar.

• It was used up until 1582 CE when it was changes slightly to become the Gregorian calendar and is used by most countries in the world today.

• Although his supporters believed he was a strong leader who brought peace his enemies feared that he wanted to be king.

• His opponents, led by senators Brutus and Cassius plotted to kill him.

• He ignored a famous warning to “beware the ides of March” and on that date he was killed by the senators.

Caesar’s death causes yet another civil war. One side was led by the senators who had killed Caesar.

• Caesar’s death causes yet another civil war. One side was led by the senators who had killed Caesar.

• The other was led by Caesar’s grandnephew Octavian who inherited Caesar’s wealth, along with his two top generals, Antony and Lepidus.

• After defeating Caesar’s assassins, these three men created the Second Triumvirate in 43 BCE. As you know, a triumvirate is a political alliance of three.

• Arguing began immediately and Octavian forced Lepidus to retire.

• The remaining two split the Roman world between themselves; Octavian took the west; Antony took the east.

• Conflict began as Antony formed an alliance with queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt and gave Octavian reason to declare war on them.

• In 31 BCE, at the Battle of Actium off of the west coast of Greece, Octavian crushed the army and navy of Antony and Cleopatra, who then fled to Egypt.

• They killed themselves a year later as Octavian’s forces closed in on capturing them.

• Octavian, only 32 years old, now ruled the Roman world. The civil wars were over, but so was the republic.

• Octavian would lay the groundwork for the government of the Roman Empire.

Octavian chose not to call himself dictator because he knew that people wanted to restore the republican form of government.

• Octavian chose not to call himself dictator because he knew that people wanted to restore the republican form of government.

• He announced that he was restoring the republic and gave some power to the Senate, but he really put himself in charge.

• Octavian gave himself the title of Imperator, which translates to “commander in chief” and changed his name to Augustus meaning “the revered or majestic one.”

“Therefore, when I saw that a nefarious war was waged against the republic, I thought that no delay ought to be interposed to our pursuit of Marcus Antonius; and I gave my vote that we ought to pursue with war that most audacious man, who, having committed many atrocious crimes before, was at this moment attacking a general of the Roman people, and besieging your most faithful and gallant colony; and that a state of civil war ought to be proclaimed; and I said further, that my opinion was that a suspension of the ordinary forms of justice should be declared, and that the garb of war should be assumed by the citizens, in order that all men might apply themselves with more activity and energy to avenging the injuries of the republic, if they saw that all the emblems of a regular war had been adopted by the senate.  Therefore, this opinion of mine, O Romans, prevailed so much for three days, that although no division was come to, still all, except a very few, appeared inclined to agree with me.  But to-day—­I know not owing to what circumstance—­the senate was more indulgent.  For the majority decided on our making experiment, by means of ambassadors, how much influence the authority of the senate and your unanimity will have upon Antonius.”

• “Therefore, when I saw that a nefarious war was waged against the republic, I thought that no delay ought to be interposed to our pursuit of Marcus Antonius; and I gave my vote that we ought to pursue with war that most audacious man, who, having committed many atrocious crimes before, was at this moment attacking a general of the Roman people, and besieging your most faithful and gallant colony; and that a state of civil war ought to be proclaimed; and I said further, that my opinion was that a suspension of the ordinary forms of justice should be declared, and that the garb of war should be assumed by the citizens, in order that all men might apply themselves with more activity and energy to avenging the injuries of the republic, if they saw that all the emblems of a regular war had been adopted by the senate.  Therefore, this opinion of mine, O Romans, prevailed so much for three days, that although no division was come to, still all, except a very few, appeared inclined to agree with me.  But to-day—­I know not owing to what circumstance—­the senate was more indulgent.  For the majority decided on our making experiment, by means of ambassadors, how much influence the authority of the senate and your unanimity will have upon Antonius.”

• Cicero argued against dictators and supported a representative government with limited powers. He gave many speeches and wrote many books on the subject and swayed many in Rome and later influenced the writers of our own United States Constitution.

What changes did Marius make to the Roman Army?

• What changes did Marius make to the Roman Army?

• Marius changed Rome’s army from citizen volunteers to paid professionals. They were loyal to their generals, not to the republic.

• Why were Roman farmers becoming poor in the 100’s BCE?

• Wealthy landowners were forcing small farmers out of business.

• What does the phrase “crossing the Rubicon” mean and where does it come from?

• They also asked Caesar to give up his army and return to Rome. He chose to march into Rome with his soldiers crossing the Rubicon on the way (a river in the area). He knew he was choosing to start a civil war and that there was no turning back. This is why the phrase “crossing the Rubicon” is used to say that you are making a decision you cannot take back.

• What happened to the Gracchus brothers?

• They were killed by senators who opposed their reforms.

• What was the “bread and circuses” policy, and how did Romans politicians benefit from it?

• In order to keep the plebs from rioting on city streets, the politicians gave out cheap food and provided the poor with free entertainment. This was called the policy of “bread and circuses”, and it helped many dishonest rulers come to power.

Why did Brutus, Cassius, and others kill Caesar?

• Why did Brutus, Cassius, and others kill Caesar?

• They feared that Caesar wanted to be king.

• Why did Cicero want Rome to fight Antony?

• Cicero states that Antony has attached a Roman general and that the only wary to stop him is by war.

• How did the Battle of Actium affect the history of Rome?

• It put Octavian in power and ended the republic.

• How did Octavian’s government reflect the ideas of Cicero?

• Octavian restored the republic, which Cicero favored.