CH 6: Rome – Section 2, “Rome’s Expansion Brings Change” Textbook p.
; Packet p. B.B
ROME’S EXPANSION BRINGS PROBLEMS
The Republic Becomes and Empire
I. Gap between Rich and Poor
A. 1/3 of Rome’s population were slaves
following it’s conquests in the Punic Wars and other conflicts
B. Small farmers lands were often devastated by the wars and
they could not compete with the Rich landowners (Patricians) who had
ample slave labor to work and produce large profitable crops each year on their
Latifundia – huge estates. They were gained through military conquests.
C. Few jobs available for the land-less and unskilled workers in urban areas
led to cities with high numbers of unemployed trouble-makers
or, “urban discontent”
Even returning soldiers had little to return to – no “veteran’s benefits”
D. The wealthy Romans were corrupted by money and luxury
and ignored the plight of the poor.
CH 6: Rome – Section 2, “Rome’s Expansion Brings Change” Textbook p.146; Packet p. 6
ROME’S EXPANSION BRINGS PROBLEMS
The Republic Becomes and Empire
II. Tiberius & Gaius Gracchus
Proud sons of one of Rome’s most noble families – Gaius – few men
in Roman history had the unforeseen historical impact as
the two brothers Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus.
Caesar’s career is unthinkable without them; and the first
Emperor, Caesar Augustus built upon what the Gracchi began.
What did they do? Everything! Who did it effect? Everyone!
What did it cost the two of them? Their lives.
“They were for giving citizenship to all Italians, extending it almost to the Alps,
distributing the public domain, limiting the holdings of each citizen to five hundred
acres, as had once been provided by law, establishing new customs duties, filling the
provinces with new colonies, transferring the judicial powers from the senate to the
equites, and began the practice of distributing grain to the people. They left nothing
undisturbed, nothing untouched, nothing unmolested, nothing, in short, as it had
been.”
Velleius Paterculus History of Rome, II, vi. 3-6
CH 6: Rome – Section 2, “Rome’s Expansion Brings Change” Textbook p.146-7; Packet p. 6
ROME’S EXPANSION BRINGS PROBLEMS
The Republic Becomes and Empire
II. Tiberius & Gaius Gracchus
A. Proposed Reforms (Changes):
- limiting the size of the rich estates (latifundia)
- redistributing lands to the poor
- A Welfare system : distributing grain to the poor.
POLITICAL DYNASTIES
B. Both were killed in moments of riot
In the United States and Rome
or political intrigue / assassination The Gaius family of Rome is sometimes
C. CIVIL WAR
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compared to the Kennedy’s of the United States
– an aristocratic family with long ties to politics,
with platforms that championed the rights of the
poor and disenfranchised, and who, too, saw its
share of tragedy – the assassinations of both
John F. and Robert Kennedy. The outpouring of
public sympathy for the Kennedy family was
similar too for the Gaius family – and may
explain the longevity of that “dynasty.” For it
produced even more stars in the likes of Gaius
Julius Caesar.
CH 6: Rome – Section 2, “Rome’s Expansion Brings Change” Textbook p.
; Packet p. B.B
ROME’S EXPANSION BRINGS PROBLEMS
The Republic Becomes and Empire
III. The Army situation:
A. Rise of politically powerful military leaders
- They recruited soldiers from among
the land-less, discontented poor,
promising them land.
Consequently,
B. These soldiers
scattered throughout Rome’s
expanding conquered territory
were more loyal to their
commander…
than they were to the Republic
government back in
Rome the capital!
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CH 6: Rome – Section 2, “Rome’s Expansion Brings Change” Textbook p.147; Packet p. 6
ROME’S EXPANSION BRINGS PROBLEMS
The Republic Becomes and Empire
III. The Army situation:
C. CIVIL WAR, 88 – 82 B.C. fought between
Gaius Marius
(defending the lower classes / poor / of all Italia)
and
Lucius Sulla
(defending the Senate and the elite patrician class)
" The long smoldering fires of an Italian war were now fanned
into flame . . . all Italy took up arms against the Romans…
the fortunes of the Italians was as cruel as their cause was just;
for they were seeking citizenship in a State whose power they
were being asked to defend by their arms…“
Velleius Paterculus, History , II, XV.
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“Sulla was a man to whom, up to the conclusion of his victory
in the Civil War, sufficient praise can hardly be given,
and for whom, after his victory,
no condemnation can be adequate.” (II, XVII).
Once completely in charge of Rome, Sulla proceeded to butcher all
his political opponents on a scale unmatched in Roman history.
Plutarch describes the terror in which Sulla was held by the Rome
government itself. The city was filled with murders and a young
senator at one point asked Sulla when they could expect an end to
the murders:
"We are not asking you" he said "to pardon those whom you have decided to kill; all we ask
is that you should free from suspense those whom you have decided not to kill."
The next day Sulla posted lists of the condemned in the Roman Forum, of those to be
killed and/or those who property would revert to the state. Informers were
everywhere. Thousands perished. Informers were paid bounties for turning in the
"disloyal"; instantly, untold numbers of innocent Romans were denounced and their
property confiscated to the state and sold for a song to supporters of the current
regime. A young Gaius Julius Caesar who had fought on the side of his uncle Gaius
Marius barely escaped the list of names. In the next and succeeding generations, the
inscrutable, remarkable, bloody man Sulla became the model of a Roman tyrant. When
Caesar was commencing on his own struggle for absolute power in 49 B.C., Caesar
quite specifically stated that he did not propose to emulate the notorious Sulla, settling
instead on a policy of mercy and reconciliation.
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JULIUS CAESAR
100 - 44 B.C.
“When could they ever say, that talk’d of Rome,
that her wide walks encompass’d but one man?”
The play, “Julius Caesar,” I, ii
~ William Shakespeare
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CH 6: Rome – Section 2, “Rome’s Expansion Brings Change” Textbook p.147; Packet p. 7
IV. JULIUS CAESAR
A military hero from his campaign in Gaul, he joins forces with Crassus and Pompey
creating the
A. Triumvirate – a group of three rulers.
B. He serves as consul with Pompey.
C. Appoints himself governor of Gaul.
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CH 6: Rome – Section 2, “Rome’s Expansion Brings Change” Textbook p. 147; Packet p. 7
IV. JULIUS CAESAR
A military hero from his campaign in Gaul, he joins forces with Crassus and Pompey
creating the
A. Triumvirate – a group of three rulers.
Meanwhile, back in Rome…
B. Pompey rises to power in Rome
and fears Caesar’s rising popularity
1. The Senate orders Caesar to disband his Legions and return home from Gaul
While Julius Caesar waged war in Gaul attempting
to subdue the many tribes,
Pompey busied himself in Rome with the construction
of the mammoth complex later known as Pompey's
Theater on the Campus Martiusnot only the first permanent theater ever built in
Rome, but an eye-popping complex of lavish
porticoes, shops, and multi-service buildings.
Pompey was also busy with his new wife. At 53 he
had married Julius Caesar’s on daughter, Julia (23).
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CH 6: Rome – Section 2, “Rome’s Expansion Brings Change” Textbook p.147; Packet p. 7
IV. JULIUS CAESAR
A military hero from his campaign in Gaul, he joins forces with Crassus and Pompey
creating the
A. Triumvirate – a group of three rulers.
B. Pompey (and Senate) fear
Caesar’s rising popularity
1. Caesar is to disband his Legions
and come home
2. “Crossing the Rubicon”
with his army
"Let the dice fly high!" he said (quoting a half-line
of his favorite Greek poet, Menander), as he
crossed the Rubicon…the great gamble could now
begin; for he was starting a civil war and,
according to the view occasionally expressed in
his own works, 'Luck is the greatest power in all
things and especially in war.'
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CH 6: Rome – Section 2, “Rome’s Expansion Brings Change” Textbook p.147; Packet p. 7
IV. JULIUS CAESAR
A military hero from his campaign in Gaul, he joins forces with Crassus and Pompey
creating the
A. Triumvirate – a group of three rulers.
B. Pompey (and Senate) fear
Caesar’s rising popularity
1. Caesar is to disband his Legions
and come home
2. “Crossing the Rubicon”
with his army
Pompey flees
Caesar defeats Pompey’s armies in
Greece, Asia, Spain, and Egypt
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Pompey intended to fight
Caesar in Asia, an area of the
Roman world in which he had
strong connections and many
client-kings. Unfortunately, in
the scramble to evacuate
Rome, neither Pompey nor
the Senators thought to take
charge of Rome's treasury,
stored under the Temple.
Caesar arrives and impounds
the treasury for his use.
CH 6: Rome – Section 2, “Rome’s Expansion Brings Change” Textbook p. 147; Packet p. 7
IV. JULIUS CAESAR
A military hero from his campaign in Gaul, he joins forces with Crassus and Pompey
creating the
A. Triumvirate – a group of three rulers.
B. Pompey (and Senate) fear
Caesar’s rising popularity
1. Caesar is to disband his Legions
and come home
2. “Crossing the Rubicon”
with his army
Pompey flees
Caesar defeats Pompey’s armies in
Greece, Asia, Spain, and Egypt
46 B.C. Caesar returns to Rome and is appointed dictator.
Bronze statue of Caesar
today in the Roman forum.
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CH 6: Rome – Section 2, “Rome’s Expansion Brings Change” Textbook p.147; Packet p. 7
Cleopatra in Egypt becomes his Ally
After he supports her side in a feud with her young brother Ptolemy for the throne.
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CH 6: Rome – Section 2, “Rome’s Expansion Brings Change” Textbook p.147; Packet p. 7
IV. JULIUS CAESAR
In 44 B.C. is named dictator for life.
F. His REFORMS:
- grants broader citizenship to even conquered peoples
- expands the size of the Senate to 300 men
- helped the poor with jobs, creating government work
programs and building projects
- the dole (welfare)
- started colonies
- increased pay for the legions
- the Julian calendar
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CH 6: Rome – Section 2, “Rome’s Expansion Brings Change” Textbook p.
; Packet p. B.B
February, 44 B.C.
The young Mark Antony –
a distant relation of Caesar’s and a star general
in his own right – is said to have offered Caesar
a make-shift “crown” one day in the Senate.
Caesar refused it, but doubts remained that he
had personally arranged for the public offer
simply to feel out the reaction the crowd.
Other historians think he staged the incident
simply to destroy the rumors
that he desired kingship.
As Napoleon noted succinctly,
"If Caesar wanted to be king,
he would have got his army
to acclaim him as such."
Mark Antony
Still, doubts in Rome lingered.
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CH 6: Rome – Section 2, “Rome’s Expansion Brings Change” Textbook p.
; Packet p. B.B
March 44 B.C. - Two tribunes were seen
pulling down crowns that had been placed on
Caesar’s statues around the city. They were
dismissed from office.
By dismissing them, Caesar attacked the
protected position of Tribune of the plebs,
the very point for which he claimed he fought
in beginning the Civil War.
ASSASSINATION PLOT:
Marcus Brutus was felt out
Marcus Brutus
to remove the tyrant;
stated that he
Cassius joined;
“loved Julius
the conspirators grew,
Caesar, but I
including Caesar’s
loved Rome more.”
most trusted subordinate
and friend, Decimus Brutus.Brutus.
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CH 6: Rome – Section 2, “Rome’s Expansion Brings Change” Textbook p.
; Packet p. B.B
IV. JULIUS CAESAR
G. The Assassination Plot : Marcus Brutus & Gaius Cassius
The Ides of March (March 15), 44 B.C.
Julius Caesar is stabbed to death in the Senate Chamber.
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“Et tu Brute?”
"When he saw that he was beset on every side by drawn daggers, he muffled his
head in his robe, and at the same time drew down its lap to his feet with his left
hand, in order to fall more decently, with the lower part of his body also covered.
And in this wise he was stabbed with three and twenty wounds, uttering not a word,
but merely a groan at the first stroke, though some have written that when Marcus
Brutus rushed at him, he said in Greek, 'You too, my child?'"
~ Suetonius Life , LXXXII
What does this artist’s rendition of Caesar’s assassination say about the incident?
Who wears the traditional white of the “good guys” and who wears black?
In your view, who is “good” and who is “bad in this event?
Or should this event be described in such “black and white” terms?
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Caesar is alleged to have said in
the year before his murder,
"It is more important for Rome
than for myself that I should
survive. I have long been sated
with power and glory; but,
should anything happen to me,
Rome will enjoy no peace.
A new Civil War will break out
under far worse conditions than
the last."
~ Suetonius
His words were prophetic.
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