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