THE FALL OF THE ROMAN REPUBLIC
133BC - 27 BC
Social War leads to powerful leaders
• With the ending of the Social War in 287 BC plebs
now had political equality in Rome.
• Plebs can now pass laws for all Roman Citizens,
one Consul has to be a Pleb and the Tribune of
the Plebs could veto any law.
• As a result future Roman leaders and generals
saw the power of the Plebs and aligned with
them.
• These men included – Tiberius and Gaius
Gracchus, Gaius Marius, Lucius Cornelius Sulla,
Pompey and Julius Caesar.
• These men and their actions would destroy the
Republic and usher in the Empire.
CRISIS IN THE REPUBLIC!!
• In times of Crisis, Rome would suspend
democracy in the republic and appoint one
military dictator.
• 458 BC – “Cincinnatus leaves his plow.”
• His example of civic duty and returning power to
the senate made him a hero to the republic.
• 390 BC – The Gauls (northern barbarians) invade
Rome and burn and loot the city.
• For now on Rome would choose security over
liberty and live in constant fear of enemy
invasion.
RISE OF POLITICAL PARTIES
• Two political parties would form in Rome
• The “Populares” meaning “favoring the
people” who were rich aristocrats that gained
power through the Assembly of the Plebs and
Tribune.
• The “Optimates” meaning “Best Men” which
wanted to limit the power of the Assembly
and Tribune and wanted to keep power in the
hands of the Senate and wealthy Patricians.
RISE OF POWERFUL LEADERS
• Four leaders would rise to power and break
from Roman tradition.
• By breaking from Roman tradition their
actions would lead to the destruction of the
republic.
• These men were Tiberius Gracchus, Gaius
Gracchus, Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelius
Sulla.
TIBERIUS AND GAIUS GRACCHUS
• Tiberius and Gaius were brothers that both served as
Tribune of the Plebs.
• As Tribune they wanted to redistribute land.
• Meaning take land from rich Patricians and give it to
poor Plebs.
• Went to the Assembly and bypassed Senate to pass
their law.
• Senate very upset!!
• Tiberius- murdered by senate mob and clubbed to
death
• Gauis – Committed Suicide on Aventine.
• Lasting impacts – Violence and murder solves disputes.
The Gracchus Brothers
GAIUS MARIUS
• Roman General and Consul – 7 times consul
• War hero – provided new lands, riches and
security.
• Famous for reforming army
• “Client Armies.” – welcome poor Romans!!
• Lasting impacts – Armies more loyal to
generals then to Rome.
Gaius Marius
LUCIUS CORNELIUS SULLA
• General, Consul and Dictator
• Famous general put down rebellions in
Italy.
• War in Asia Minor – Who leads? Marius
or Sulla?
• Senate appoints Sulla, Assembly appoints
Marius.
• Sparks Rome’s first civil war
• Sulla marches his Army on Rome in 88
BC!!! And takes power.
Lucius Cornelius Sulla
SULLA CONT.
• Sulla was named “Dictator until the republic is
restored.”
• Sulla posts his “Proscription Lists.”
• Any name on it considered enemy of the state and
stripped of their Roman citizenship.
• Kill them and you get their money and land as a
reward!!
• Thousands of Sulla’s enemies would be slaughtered.
• Reforms – Sulla hated Tribunes and Assembly. He
strengthened the Senate and weakened the power of
Tribune and Assembly.
LASTING IMPACTS OF SULLA
• With absolute power Sulla still stayed true to
tradition and resigned as dictator in 81 BC
returning power to senate.
• Showed weakness of Senate, Armies still loyal to
generals.
• Ushered in future Generals – Pompey and Caesar.
Their civil war would destroy the republic
Provided Caesar on how to gain power and become
dictator for life.
POMPEY MAGNUS
• General and politician
• Rose to power under Sulla
• Famous for conquests and finishing off the Spartacus
slave revolt.
• The Plebs loved Pompey!!!!
• Ignored the Senate and refused to disband his army.
(Tradition)
• Restored some power to the plebs lost under Sulla.
• 70 B.C. Elected Consul at age 35 without even being a
senator. (Tradition)
• Served with Caesar and Crassus on the First
Triumvirate. (Military, political alliance between the 3
most powerful people in the republic.)
Pompey Magnus
POMPEY MAGNUS
• Alliance falls apart when Crassus dies in battle and
Pompey’s Wife Julia (Caesar’s daughter) dies in child
birth.
• With Caesar becoming more and more popular with the
Plebs after his conquest in Gaul, Pompey resents this.
• Sides with “Optimates” and the senate and decrees
Caesar an enemy of Rome.
• In response, Caesar crosses the Rubicon with his army
and marches on Rome. (Illegal)
• Pompey forced to flee city.
• Caesar wins the war, Pompey flees to Egypt where he is
assassinated being greeted at the city gates.
JULIUS CAESAR
- General, Consul, Dictator. “Populares”
- Famous for conquering Gaul (France) and
defeating Pompey.
- Gaius Marius was Caesar’s uncle as a result
Sulla considered executing Caesar but didn’t.
- Battle of Alesia skyrockets Caesar’s popularity
with the Plebs and brings new riches to Rome.
- Defeats Pompey in a civil war and named
HIMSELF dictator for life.
Gaius Julius Caesar
JULIUS CAESAR
• Caesar now had total control of Rome with an
army to back it up.
• He even had a golden chair for himself in the
Senate. (King’s throne)
• Fearing a tyrant, he was assassinated in 44B.C. on
the Ides of March by a group of senators led by
Marcus Brutus and Gaius Cassius.
• The republic was indeed not saved and sparked
another bloody civil war between Brutus and
Cassius against Octavian (Caesar’s Heir) and Mark
Antony.
REPUBLIC DIES
• After the death of Caesar Rome falls into even
more civil wars.
• The senate is powerless and backs whichever
general is seen to be most powerful.
• Octavian and Antony defeat Brutus and
Cassius avenging the death of Caesar.
• However, the peace does not last.
• Octavian and Antony turn on each other and
go to war.
Octavian (Caesar Augustus)
REPUBLIC DIES CONT.
• Octavian defeats Antony at the Battle of Actium.
• Antony commits suicide along with his allied wife Egyptian
Queen Cleopatra.
• Octavian now is the sole ruler of Rome.
• Octavian takes on the name Caesar Augustus and ordains
Julius Caesar as a God.
• Augustus markets himself as the savior of the republic and
takes on the title “Princeps” meaning “First Citizen.”
• In reality, Augustus in the first emperor and the republic is
dead.
• Under Augustus, Rome enters a long period of peace known
as the “Pax Romana” or “Peace of Rome” where the empire
grows even larger and richer and is free of internal civil wars
for 200 years.
The empire under the “Pax Romana”