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Warm-up


What was the motivation behind the setup of the
Roman Republic?
How did it influence our government today?
JULIUS CAESAR
End of the Republic

Huge difference between lives of rich and lives of
poor
 Rich
patricians did no work, had slaves for that
 Poor plebians were losing land, living in rundown
apartments (tenements) in Rome

Why is gap between rich and poor such a big
problem?
Slavery in Rome


Rome relied on slaves – up to 33% of people in
Rome were slaves
Most of them people conquered in war
 Property
of owners – owners could do whatever they
wanted with them
 Killing them legal

Spartacus – led famous slave revolt
Julius Caesar



Military leader – very
successful
Conquers territory,
becomes a hero of
Rome
Forms triumvirate –
group of three rulers
splitting power
Triumvirate
•
Instead of three branches of government, Rome has
three people dividing power
–
Why is this a problem?
Julius Caesar
Pompey
Crassus
Rise of Caesar
•
•
•
Crassus dies, rivalry
between Caesar and
Pompey
Caesar has more
support from people
of Rome, Pompey from
Senate
Senate orders Caesar
back to Rome,
abandon army
Civil War
•
•
•
•
Pompey vs. Caesar – Caesar wins
Caesar chases Pompey into Egypt, is given Pompey’s
head as a sign of Egypt’s loyalty to Caesar
Meets Cleopatra while there
Caesar returns to Rome, names himself dictator for
life
–
–
Becomes ruler who helps out the poor, improves their
lives – man of the people
Who is going to be upset about all of this?
The Senate

Once in power, Caesar takes power
away from Senate





Says he is temporary dictator until
republic is ready to work for Rome
again
Says they weren’t doing their jobs,
looking out for Romans
Allows more people into Senate – so
many people nothing gets done
Senate angry at Caesar, believe
they will never get power back
44 BCE – Caesar declares himself
dictator for life

How is Senate going to react?
Death of Caesar



Senate doesn’t like all
of this
Power taken away by
a ruler who looks out
for the poor
Assassinated March
15, 44 BCE – The Ides
of March