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WORLD HISTORY notes
Day 6
Ancient Roman Republic: Julius Caesar
60 B.C. Julius Caesar joined Pompey and Crassus and formed 1
• Member of the Populares
o supported reform
o supported commoners
st
Triumvirate
59 B.C.
Caesar elected Consul
58 B.C.
Caesar given command of military in Gaul
o conquered into Germania
 but Senate did not give Caesar permission for this
o wanted to be as great as Alexander the Great
o with this victory, nearly doubled the size of Rome
53 B.C.
Crassus was killed by Parthians at a “peace meeting”
 he was duped!
o Parthians cut off Crassus’ head and poured gold down his throat
o “now drink the metal for which you so lusted”
o Crassus’ head was used in a play the next day
Pompey and the Roman Senate became jealous of Caesar’s power and called for Caesar to give up
control of his legions
• Caesar viewed as an “Enemy of the State”
Jan 10, 49 B.C.
Caesar “Crossed the Rubicon”
o southern border of Gaul
o there was a law that it made it treason to cross Rubicon
o automatically declared an “outlaw”
o automatically started a war
o Caesar - ”Let us go where the omens of the gods and the armies of our enemies
summon us! The die is cast”
Aug 9, 48 B.C.
Battle of Pharsalus
• Caesar defeated Pompey
• Pompey fled to Egypt
• Egyptians gave Caesar a box with Pompey’s head in it!
Julius Caesar returned to Rome a hero
 “veni, vidi, vici” – “I came, I saw, I conquered”
46 BC
Caesar made “Dictator for 10 years”
• for all practice purposes this was the end of the Republic
• did not take title of KING to prevent its association with the tyrannical king, Tarquin
44 B.C.
Caesar – “Dictator for life”
• had supporters placed into political positions
• increased Senate to 900 members
o to support his goals and decisions
March 15, 44 B.C. “Ides of March”
• a “Seer” had told Caesar to “beware the Ides of March”
• Caesar’s wife told him not to go to the Capital, she had a vision
• when Caesar got to Capital – man gave Caesar a note that the Senators were going to kill him –
he ignored the note
• Caesar was leaving for Parthia on March 18 and the conspirators feared if they waited Caesar
would return stronger than ever
• Caesar was assassinated
CAESAR’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS
1. expanded Roman citizenship - granted citizenship to many the provinces that had helped him
2. pardoned (no “reign of terror”) many people who had opposed him
3. Julian calendar – later became basis for modern calendar
4. Public works programs to put poor to work
5. Land to poor
SECOND TRIUMVIRATE
formed to avenge Caesar’s death
• Octavian
• Mark Antony
• Lepidus
Over time, a rivalry developed among them
Octavian (took the West) and Antony (took the East) split the empire
• ”this town is not big enough for the both of us”
• Antony fell in love with Cleopatra
Sept 2, 31 B.C.
Battle of Actuim
• Octavian defeated Antony
Octavian returned to Rome the victor
• Senate gave him title “Augustus”
• Augustus preferred term “1st Princeps”
o first among equals
Augustus gradually assumes power of emperor
• regarded as 1ST EMPEROR
REASONS ROMAN REPUBLIC ENDED
1) Civil Wars / Military Loyalty to Generals
• ”Party Politics” between “Optimates” and “Populares”
• Rivalry between Marius and Sulla
• First Triumvirate
• Caesar v. Senate
• 2nd Triumvirate
2) Loopholes in the Constitution of circumventing the Senate and using Tribunes and Plebeian Assembly
• Gracchus Brothers
3) Population growth of Rome and inability of government to rule
• slaves (Spartacus)
• immigrants
• allies as full citizens
4) Inequality between classes
• Proletariat