Download The Roman Empire

The Roman Empire
Chapter 6.2
Pfeiffer
The Republic is growing, but there
is a problem
The rich get richer and the poor get
poorer
 Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus (wealthy
brothers) try to help the poor, but
the wealthy see to it that they are
killed (133 BC and 121 BC)
 Eventually, Civil War begins for a
looooooooooooooooooooooooong
time.

A big change – The Marian Reforms

Old System

◦ Legionaries were
Roman citizens (Had
to own land)
◦ Drafted
◦ Defensive
◦ Why was this good?
Marian Reforms in
80BC (not in your
book!)
◦ Series of reforms to
hold growing Republic
together
◦ Now Legionaries are
paid professionals
 Paid by their Generals

Why is this a
problem?
Generals grow in power

Eventually we see the first triumvirate
◦ Julius Caesar, ambitious general
◦ Crassus, wealthiest man in Rome
◦ Pompey, most famous general of his time

Share power for 10 years, but then
Crassus dies
Julius Caesar

For 5 years Caesar and Pompey fought back
and forth across Italy, Spain, Greece, and Asia
until Caesar triumphs

Slowly Caesar wins the support of most
Romans. (Senate wanted Pompey)

He is named dictator in 46 BC, and then
dictator for life in 44 BC
Caesar cont.
Caesar is intensely popular
with the people and
although he is an absolute
ruler, he issues many
reforms including expanding
citizenship and creating jobs
 However….


He is killed by the Senate
Beginning of the Empire

Rome again falls into Civil War (I
know, its like a broken record, get it
together people!)

Octavian and Mark Antony
emerge first as partners and then
as rivals for the throne of Rome

Around this time the whole Mark
Antony, Cleopatra thing happens and
while it makes for a nice love story
movie, it’s not something you super
need to remember
Pax Romana

Octavian becomes the
undisputed leader of
Rome and accepts the
title of Augustus or
exalted one, which
would later become
emperor

Pax Romana is a period
of Roman Peace that
lasts for 207 years!
The Emperors

The Pax Romana and the period following
it is a time that is categorized by good
and bad emperors.
Good Emperors
Nerva
 Trajan
 Hadrian
 Antonius Pius
 Marcus Aurelias - last emperor of
the Pax Romana


Page 164 for more info
Bad Emperors…Like Really Bad

Caligula loved his horse…like really loved his
horse…no you’re not getting me…this guy
REALLY LOVED his horse (made it a senator)

Domitian
Nero  At the time was so bad, he was thought
by Christians to be the Antichrist, where the
number 666 and it’s association with the devil
comes from.


Page 164 for more info