Download John Green`s Crash Course on the Roman Empire

John Green’s Crash Course on the Roman Empire/Republic According to Shakespeare, Roman Senators killed Caesar because he was going to destroy the Roman Republic. Was the Roman Republic worth preserving? Did Julius Caesar actually destroy it? The Roman Republic was: a blend of democracy, aristocracy and monarchy (a blended system). Major classes of people: Patricians:​ small group of aristocratic families (highest social class of that society) Plebeians​: everyone else Roman Senate​: a body of legislators chosen from among a group of elite families. Main job of senate: set policy for the consuls 2 co-­consuls chosen each year to serve as chief executives of Rome (one to take care of Rome domestically, and one to fight wars and conquer new territory). Checks on Power​: ● 2 co-­consuls could check each other’s ambition ● 1 year term ● Once a senator had served as consul, he was forbidden to serve again for at least 10 years. Rome also had a dictator who could take over if the Republic was in imminent danger. Cincinnatus was the archetype of this, and he inspired George Washington (who invented the idea of a two-­term President). Basically, Cincinnatus was a general who would come out of retirement, raise an army, defeat an enemy of Rome, and then go back into retirement. Julius Caesar born around 100 BCE​ to a patrician family ​(the abbreviation for Before the Common/Current/Christian Era;; an alternative to Before Christ, abbreviated BC). ● Served in both the army and the senate ● served as Governor of Spain ● ran for consul (with help and funding from Crassus, one of Rome’s richest men) and was elected in 59 BCE ● aligned himself with Crassus and General Pompey (Rome’s other most powerful man) ● Pompey, Crassus and Caesar were The First Triumverate After a year as consul, Caesar became Governor of Gaul, and his four loyal legions became his source of power. Caesar also invaded Britain and gained more land/power. While he was gone, Crassus died and Pompey (who was consul) became Caesar’s enemy and wanted to strip him of his power. Caesar returned to Rome with the Thirteenth Legion (​part of his army), basically invading his own hometown, crossed the Rubicon / “The die is cast,” Pompey fled the city. By 48 BCE, Caesar was in command of all Rome’s lands/territories. Named both dictator and consul. Caesar went to Egypt to find Pompey, who was already dead. He sided with Cleopatra in the war there. She was the last Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Caesar returned to Rome and was named dictator (first for 10 years and then for life), elected consul By 45 BCE Caesar was undisputed master of Rome. He pursued reforms that strengthened his power. By 44 BCE, people were concerned that Caesar had too much power. On March 15, he was stabbed 23 times in the Roman Senate. Conspirators thought that Caesar’s death would bring about the restoration of the Roman Republic, but they were wrong. His reforms were popular with the people. Adopted son ​Octavian, Marc Antony and Lepidus become the Second Triumvirate ​(which failed). Octavian and Antony fought. Octavian won, changed his name to Caesar Augustus and had himself crowned Emperor. The Senate lost its power under his rule. Did Julius Caesar destroy the Roman Republic? ● He started a series of civil wars. ● He seized power for himself. ● He subverted the ideas of the Republic. ● He changed the constitution. BUT,​ he was not the first one to do these things: Marius​ opened up the army to the poor (who were loyal to him). He was consul five times in a row sixty years before Caesar. Sulla ​was a general who marched on Rome and became its dictator in 81 BCE. Did Rome become an Empire before it had an Emperor? ● unified system of government ● continual military expansion ● diversity of subject peoples Yes. Rome was an Empire by 201 BCE (long before Julius Caesar) after the Punic Wars (against Carthage). Remember Hannibal, a Carthaginian, crossing the Alps on war elephants to attempt to beat the Romans in the Second Punic War. Rome tended to concentrate power into the hands of one man who was usually a general. This is why it was not a ​true republic. There were so many powerful generals because as an empire, Rome needed to expand and continue to conquer new territories to have places to settle its people and land to give to retired legionnaires. Expansion created the ​all-­powerful general​, and it was easier for people to be loyal to him than the abstract idea of a state or government. Julius Caesar didn’t create emperors. Empire created emperors.