The Republic in Crisis

Roman triumphed militarily, but faced growing social problems

• Wealthy Romans took land from war-ravaged small farmers– Latifunidia – large estates created by wealthy

• War captives made up most of slaves

• Following the Punic Wars, large landowners used these slaves, causing small farmers to loose their lands and migrate into the cities

• Unemployment resulted when these small farmers were unable to find work

Latifunida

The People Revolt• Rome was forced to station legions

in most of its provinces to keep down revolts– Spartacus led a slave revolt

• Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus, brothers who were in the Roman senate, both suggested limiting the size of the latifundias and giving the land to the poor and were killed for their ideas

Julius Caesar• Ruled Rome with Pompey and

Crassus as a triumvirate (group of 3 persons with equal power)

• He led Rome in the conquest of Gaul and the British Isles– He became a military hero to Rome’s

lower classes

• Pompey and Caesar became rivals and Caesar was ordered to turn over his army and return to Rome

Caesar Takes Control• Rather than surrendering, Caesar took his

army into Rome crossing the Rubicon river– Civil war between Caesar and the Senate made

Julius Caesar dictator for life

• Caesar granted citizenship to many people in the provinces outside Italy

• Caesar also carried out reforms to benefit the poor– Created jobs– Land was provided for the landless poor– Government distributed free grain– Created a calendar based on 365 days

Caesar’s Death• Many thought he was a wise ruler,

but some thought he was a tyrant who wanted to become king– Roman law said anyone plotting to

become king could be killed without trial

• A group of Roman senators, led by Brutus and Cassius stabbed Caesar to death March 15, 44 BC

The Death of Caesar

Causes for the decline of the Roman Republic

• Spread of slavery in the agricultural system

• Migration of small farmers into cities and unemployment

• Civil war over the power of Julius Caesar

• Devaluation of Roman currency leading to inflation

Augustus Comes to Power• Octavian, Marc Antony and

Marcus Lepidus joined forces to create a second triumvirate which defeated Caesar’s assassins–Divided the Roman world among

themselves• Octavian controlled Rome• Antony ruled Greece and East• Lepidus took North Africa

• Octavian forced Lepidus to retire from political life and convinced Rome to attack Marc Antony– Marc Antony had married Cleopatra and

many believed that Antony wanted to rule Rome with his foreign queen

• Octavian defeats Marc Antony at Battle of Actium

• Marc Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide to avoid capture

• Octavian became the FIRST emperor of Rome and changed his name to Augustus (Exalted One)– Also took the name Imperator

(meaning emperor)

– Octavian claimed to support the republic at first, however he prepared to become Rome’s first emperor

The Caesars

• Julius Caesar and Augustus Caesar achieved power in Rome through military and political prowess. Military conquests provided them with influence over the Roman army, economy and society.

–Both Caesars enlarged the Roman empire using the army as a basis of power

–Economic life in Rome remained prosperous even though the emphasis of trade shifted to the Mediterranean Sea

–Inflation resulting from military conquests and defense continued to hurt the economy

–Social life was disturbed by civil wars

The Pax Romana

• Pax Romana- time of peace and prosperity in Rome – Starts about the time of Augustus’

reign (27BC)– Lasts for over 200 years

• Population between this time is 60-80 million

• Empire covers most of Europe and Africa

Economy of the Pax Romana

• Economy was based on Agriculture– Many people farmed – Traded at sea, used Roman navy for protection– Traded along roads connected to the Silk Roads

• Created a coin monetary system– Made of silver- called a denarius– Made trade easier because there was a common

way to trade all over the empire