Download 1/10 Friday-Rise of Empire Dictators and Caesar

Ancient Rome-Fall of Republic and Rise of
Dictators
The Rise of the Roman Empire:
Outcome: A Republic Becomes an Empire
A Roman Powerhouse!
Setting the Stage
With the defeat of Carthage in the Punic Wars, Rome was proving to be
the biggest and most powerful civilization on Earth at that time.
The larger Rome got, the more unstable the republic form of
government became. Too much area for a Republic?
Military Issues: Who is in
charge of the Army???
Where my $$$ at ?
The Military goes on a Conquest Spree
Rome’s expanding territories brought lots of problems…
Breakdown in military order:
Once it had been enough just to serve as a citizen, now soldiers are
demanding pay. Since generals don’t have tons of money, they
offer the land they conquered to the soldiers as payment.
This ideas is VERY popular and many soldiers start to swore
allegiance to their Generals, not the Republic of Rome. 
Why? They are traveling around the world with their Generals and
getting paid by their generals, NOT the people of Rome…
Rise of the Roman Dictators
 Once an army became loyal to their general instead
of Rome, generals found themselves with more
power – the power of force.
 Roman generals started to use their armies to gain
political power by threatening or actually invading
Rome. Most of the Generals were Patricians.
 Once this happened and generals had armies who
could take over Rome, the power of the Republic
started to crumble.
 Now generals started acting like dictators, stating
what the Republic would do. Citizens had no say.
Elected officials no longer in control.
 So when you have a strong leader backed by army
and using the threat of that army against others what
is that called?
Outbreak of Civil War
 As strong generals try to take power, other generals
with troops of their own oppose them. Now they
start to fight to see who becomes Emperor of
Rome.
 Soon there is a huge Civil Wars in Roman lands with
soldiers fighting each other for areas of the
Republic.
 Senate has no control over the situation and people
start saying that Rome needs a strong leader. This
only makes matters worse. 
 The Civil Wars make Rome weak, but there still isn’t
a power on Earth large enough to threaten the
HUGE Roman Army now that Carthage is gone. So
the civil wars continue until someone takes over all
of Rome
Age of Dictators: Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Talented Military Commander and Senator in Rome. Decides the Civil War
must stop!
Caesar joins with Crassus (another wealthy Roman general) and Pompey (a
extremely talented and popular general) to create a Triumvirate
Triumvirate = a group of three rulers
They rule together for 10 years, divided
Rome up into different regions, all had
to agree not to allow their armies into
the city of Rome. Why?
Best. Job. Ever. : Emperor of Life!
Caesar takes power, Emperor for Life!
Caesar was given the area of Gaul (France) as his part of the Empire, becomes quite
popular as a general.
Political rival Pompey wants to take Caesar’s soldiers and get rid of him in the
Triumvirate. Senate asks Caesar to dismiss his soldiers and come back to
Rome.
Caesar does not listen to the Senate, marches his armies into Italy across the
Rubicon River and attacks Rome! Takes over the city and Empire.
Pompey runs from Rome so he is not captured. Pompey runs to Egypt.
Caesar follows him, Egyptians give Caesar Pompey’s head.
Meets and falls in love with Egyptian princess, Cleopatra. He’s 50, she’s 16 
Julius Caesar returns home and the Roman Senate appoints him dictator, sole ruler
of Rome. A year later, the Senate votes and Caesar is named dictator for life.
The Death of Julius Caesar
Beware the Ides of March
Many aristocrats and senators didn’t like Caesar’s growing power,
success, and popularity; feared losing their influence. No way to get
rid of him, he was Emperor for Life! …wait we can fix that 
Caesar is stabbed to death on the Senate steps by a gang of senators
led by Caesar’s “friends” Marcus Brutus and Gaius Cassius on
March 15, 44 B.C.
Legend says that Caesar visited a “mystic” a week before who told
Caesar, “Beware the Ides of March” AKA 03/15. He didn’t and was
killed by the Senate. 
What are the Ides of March? Romans split the month into three parts the
beginning (Nones) middle (Ides), and end (Kalends)
Death of Caesar