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The Republic’s Growth
And crisis
• Rome began as a
small city state in
central Italy. It
expanded its power
and conquered a
large area around the
Mediterranean Sea,
but its system of
government didn’t
last.
The Punic Wars
Carthage
Result was the three
Punic Wars
264-146 BC
Carthage
had been
founded as
Phoenician
colony 500
years earlier
Dispute over control
of Sicily and trade
routes in the western
Mediterranean
brought Rome into
conflict with the
powerful North
African city-state of
Carthage
• Hannibal
Hannibal’s Invasion
– Carthage’s most successful
general
• 218 BCE
– Marched from Spain over
the Alps
– 40,000 Soldiers
– 40 war elephants
– Defeated Roman armies
but Roman would still not
give up
• Scipio 204 BCE
– Roman General attacked
Carthage in Africa
– Defeated Hannibal
Hannibal-the-Conqueror
"I swear that so soon as age will
permit . . . I will use fire and steel
to arrest the destiny of Rome."
~~Childhood Hannibal Quote
Born about 247 - Died 183BC
The End of Carthage
• Although Carthage had been defeated Romans
still feared it
• 146 BCE Roman troops burn and looted the city
to ensure it would not grow to be a threat once
again
• Rome now controls most of the land west of the
Mediterranean
– Also controls land in Asia and Greece
– Empire- country/state containing several territories
– Provinces- areas within the country governed by
magistrates
Took over Greece,
Rome
Rome
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always
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Breaking the Rules
Growing Pains
• Magistrates often became corrupt
– Became wealthy by stealing from people
– Looting from enemies over sea
• Wealth made the magistrates more
powerful
– Magistrates are willing to break the rules
– Government slowing stopped working
The Urban Poor
• Although Rome is getting Richer many
Romans are getting poorer
• Landowners and employers buy slaves to
do work that used to be done by poor
Romans!
• Poor people move to city to look for work
The Urban Poor cont.
• Government feared Rome’s poor would
incite a riot
– Began giving out free grain
• Politicians supported gangs from the two
sides and encouraged fighting
The Power of the Army
• Gaius Marius
– Reformed army by having the government
pay for equipment
– Made the army more professional
• Retirement for the army
– Relied on commandor to make the
government provide for retirement
– Soldiers became more loyal to the army
From Republic to Empire
The Army
• Military commanders used their power for
evil
– Turned armies against their rivals
– First civil war
• Civil War = war between groups from the same
country
Marius and Sulla
• 87 BCE
– Confusion in Rome
lead to Sulla and
Marius both being
elected to fight as
general for Rome
– So both men used
their armies to fight
one another
– Sulla is victorious and
rules as a dictator for
over a year
Pompey and Caesar
• After Sulla’s retirement new commanders
rose up to take his place
• Gnaeus Pompey
– Conquered parts of southwest Asia
• Julius Caesar
– Conquered Gaul
• Later the two commanders fought
– Senate sided with Pompey
– Troops were loyal to Caesar
Pompey and Caesar cont.
• A civil war began
between the two
when Caesar
marched his army
across the Rubicon
River into Italy.
• Caesar is victorious
– Declares himself
dictator for life!
• Caesar’s actions
anger many senators
– Killed March 15th, 44
BCE (Ides of March)
The End of the Republic
• In Caesar’s will his teenage relative
(Octavian) was made his heir
– Octavian became leader of Caesar’s many
followers
– Defeats Caesar’s murders in yet another civil
war
– Takes the title “Augustus” meaning greatly
honored one
• Later Octavian defeats his rival, Brutus
• The Republic is replaced with a monarchy
– The Roman Empire