Reasons for the End of the Roman Republic
1. Huge gap between the rich and the poor.
a. Small farmers couldn’t compete with large farms manned by slave labor
b. 1/3 of Rome’s population was made up of slaves
c. 1% of the Republic controlled almost all the military, government, and wealth
2. Breakdown of loyal army
a. Soldiers were angry that they couldn’t make a living after the army
i. Page 160 primary source quote from Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus - explain
1. The savage beasts have their….dens,…but the men who bear arms and
expose their lives for the safety of their country, enjoy…nothing more in
it but the air and light…and wander from place to place with their wives
and children.”
ii. Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus – tried to institute reforms for the plebeians
1. Limit size of estates
2. Give land to poor
In your opinion are these reforms appropriate or inappropriate for a
government to engage in? Explain your answer.
b. Boarders became too large and hard to control
c. Soldiers became more loyal to generals than to the republic
i. Generals promised them land.
3. 1st Triumvirate – Three people took over – each got a section of the military – 60B.C.
a. Pompey(popular general) – allied with the Senate
b. Caesar(popular general)
c. Crassus(wealthy patrician) – killed in battle in 53B.C.
i. Pompey and Caesar became rivals – fought a civil war
ii. Senate ordered Caesar to return from Gaul with his troops and surrender
iii. Caesar refused to listen to Senate and marched into Italy to defeat Pompey
iv. Caesar was popular and was appointed dictator for life – end republic
v. Several senators decided to kill Caesar
1. Assassinated on Ides of March – March 15th
2. Why would the senators murder Caesar? – explain
Questions to ponder
1. How strong is our constitution? Where does it get its power?
2. Why might it be helpful to have a freely elected leader in charge of a country and not a
military figure? Explain.