FROM EMPIRE TO REPUBLIC

OBJECTIVES

The student will demonstrate knowledge of ancient Rome from about 700 B.C.E. to 500 C.E. in terms of its impact on Western civilization by Assessing the impact of

military conquests on the army, economy, and social structure or Rome

Assessing the roles of Julius and Augustus Caesar in the collapse of the Republic and rise of imperial monarchs

Essential Questions: Why did the Roman

Republic fail to survive challenges by Julius Caesar?

How did military conquests alter economic and social life in Rome?

How did an imperial monarchy come to rule Rome?

GROWING INEQUALITY AND UNREST

By 200 B.C. the senate was most powerful ruling body in Rome

Most senators were aristocracy (Patricians) Directed wars of 3rd and 2nd centuries and

took control of foreign affairs (consuls job) Senate really controlled by a small number of

wealthy families.

GROWING INEQUALITY AND UNREST Small farmers were angry at losing land

A large number of landless poor in Rome Brothers Tiberius and Gaius Grachhus tried to

fix the problem They urged the senate to pass a law to give

land back to farmers The brothers were killed by the senators and

the law was never passed

A NEW ROLE FOR THE ARMY

107 B.C. a new general named Marius recruited new soldiers Promised poor land in

return for service Army was know not

under government control

This created a new system that put power in the hands of Generals, not the government

82 B.C. Lucius Cornelius Sulla was given power by

the senate to command the army in Asia Minor. The council of Plebs

wanted Marius to have power.

A civil war broke out

Sulla won control of the Army

Was an example for future leaders of how to take power

REASONS FOR DECLINE OF THE REPUBLIC

Use of slaves in the production of agriculture led to food shortages

Roman currency became devalued resulted in inflation

Small farmers moved to the cities caused

unemployment rates to increase

caused food production to decrease

Civil war initiated by Julius Caesar

COLLAPSE OF THE REPUBLIC For 50 years, Rome

was in civil war

Three men emerged with power: Crassus

richest man in Rome Pompey

powerful and popular general

Julius Caesar military leader

60 B.C.E. the three joined forces to create the first triumvirate. A government with three

people who have equal power

Division of power Crassus ruled Spain (where

he died in battle in 53 B.C) Pompey ruled Syria Julius Caesar ruled Gaul

(where he won several military campaigns)

After Crassus death, Senate voted for only Pompey to rule, Caesar refused. He took his army and

crossed into Italy crossing the Rubicon River.

THE FIRST TRIUMVIRATECRASSUS POMPEY CAESAR

RISE AND FALL OF JULIUS CAESAR Caesar and Pompey

armies fought a civil war. Caesar was victorious

Caesar returned to Rome and became a dictator in 45 B.C. He reformed the economy

by giving land to the poor Increased the Senate to

900 members, which weakened its power

Planned several building projects

In 44 B.C. he was assassinated by the senators

THE SECOND TRIUMVIRATE After Caesar’s death

three men fought for power. Octavian (Caesar’s

nephew) Marc Antony

(Caesar’s friend) Lepidus (Commander

of Calvary)

Triumvirate never worked well Lepidus died Antony and Octavian

split empire

New Conflict Antony allied with

Cleopatra, the Egyptian Queen

Octavian and Antony fought at the Battle of Actium in 31 B.C. Antony and Cleopatra’s

armies were crushed and both committed suicide

Octavian at age 32 became the only leader of Rome

LEPIDUS OCTAVIAN MARC ANTONY

AGE OF AUGUSTUS The end of the civil war

between Octavian and Antony lead to the end of the Roman Republic.

Octavian renamed himself “Augustus Caesar” 1st true Emperor of

Rome He restored power to

Senate Was very popular and

the Senate gave him the title “Imperator” (commander in chief of army)

AGE OF AUGUSTUS

Maintained a standing army of 150,000 Only Roman citizens

could be legionnaires Set up a praetorian

guard of 9,000 men to guard the emperor

Expanded and unified the empire

Was defeated in Germany Proved that Rome’s

power was limited

EARLY EMPIRE Augustus allowed

future emperors to choose a successor

1st four emperors came from his family Tiberius Caligula Claudius Nero

These emperors took more power from the senate for themselves and became greedy and corrupt

EMPERORS OF THE EARLY EMPIRE Nero

Had people killed if he didn’t like them (mom)

Took more power away from senators

Finally, the Roman legions revolted Nero committed

suicide

Which led to the 5 “good” emperors

EMPERORS OF EARLY EMPIRE “Good” Emperors:

Nerva Trajan Hadrian Antonius Pius Marcus Aurelius

Created a period of peace and prosperity called the “Pax Romana” (Roman Peace)

Lasted for almost 100 years

Emperors were fair, created new programs for the public, peaceful, created public works, but also took more power from senate.

EXTENT OF EMPIRE Rome expanded

during early empire While the empire

expanded into Dacia, Mesopotamia, and the Sinai peninsula the emperors knew it was too large Hadrian withdrew

forces and strengthened defenses

Built a wall across Britain and connected the Rhine and Danube Rivers

EXTENT OF EMPIRE Empire largest

during this time Covered 3 ½ million

miles Population of 50

million Cities spread Roman

culture, law, and the Latin language Roman culture mixed

with existing Greek culture to created “Greco-Roman” civilization

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS Empire was extremely

wealthy from trade Rome participated in

the Silk Road and traded with places as far as China

Still most people were farmers

Large estates called Latifundia controlled farming in south and central Italy Used mainly slave

labor Raised sheep and

cattle

Big gap between rich and poor Small farmers became

dependent on latifundia Thousands of

unemployed poor were starving in Rome

Wealthy lived lives of leisure and luxury

IMPACT OF THE PAX ROMANA

Political Economic Social

Created many government jobs for the unemployed called “civil service jobs”

Uniform system of money helped expand trade

Life more stable

Developed uniform system of law to make justice equal throughout the empire

Safer roads helped improve and increase travel and trade throughout the empire

Increased emphasis on the family

Prosperity and stability increased for most people in the empire

OBJECTIVES

The student will demonstrate knowledge of ancient Rome from about 700 B.C.E. to 500 C.E. in terms of its impact on Western civilization by Assessing the impact of

military conquests on the army, economy, and social structure or Rome

Assessing the roles of Julius and Augustus Caesar in the collapse of the Republic and rise of imperial monarchs

Essential Questions: Why did the Roman

Republic fail to survive challenges by Julius Caesar?

How did military conquests alter economic and social life in Rome?

How did an imperial monarchy come to rule Rome?