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Rome
Its Rise and Fall
Fall of the Republic
• Farms
– The key to Rome’s success
– Farms = Money
– Farms = Army
• Small Farms were being taken over by
large landowners
– No small farms, no $ and no Army
Fall of the Republic Cont.
• Tiberius & Gaius Gracchus
– Two brothers that wanted to reform land
laws
– Public Land should be given to small
farmers to help them compete
– Large landowners owned the “public”
land, and they were furious with the
Brothers
– Tiberius was murdered and his body sent
down the Tibris River
– Gaius was Later Killed
– Their actions opened the door for reform
Fall of the Republic Cont.
• Marius and Sulla
– Army size = to number of Small farms
– In the late Republic, army was weak b/c of
few small farms
– Marius created a volunteer army of Poor
people and promised them land (His Land)
– This created an army that was loyal to him
– Sulla did the same
– Civil War broke out among the Two
Fall of the Republic Cont.
– Sulla wins
– Sulla Marches on Rome
– Kills all those that oppose him
– Later he returns Rome back to
Senatorial control
Collapse of the Republic
• The First Triumvirate
– Government of Three people with Equal
Power
– Crassus, Pompey, Julius Caesar
(lasted 10 yrs)
– Crassus
• Rich Man
• Syria
– Pompey
• Friend of Sulla
• Spain
Collapse of the Republic Cont.
– Julius Caesar
• Friend of Marius
• Gaul (modern France)
– These three wanted to control Rome, and they
knew that they had to work together to do so.
– In 53 BC Crassus is Killed in battle
– His death created a power struggle
– The senate wanted Pompey to Control Rome
• They asked Julius Caesar lay down his
command
Collapse of the Republic Cont.
– Julius Caesar Refused
• Caesar had become a great General
• Created a very loyal Army
– Caesar’s Army Crossed the Rubicon, and
invaded Rome
– Caesar and Pompey were in a Civil War
– Caesar won the War and thus He won Rome
– Pompey fled to Egypt, but was killed by Egypt
so that Caesar would not be mad at them
– In 45 BC Julius Caesar was named Dictator
• A Dictator is an absolute ruler
Collapse of the Republic Cont.
– Julius Caesar’s Reforms
• Gave land to the Poor
• Increased the size of the Senate form 300 to
900
• Named many loyal friends to high offices
• Many large building projects
– Death of Julius Caesar
• In 44 BC Caesar was assassinated by a group
of men
• Just like the play “Caesar” by William
Shakespeare
• Brutus was Caesar’s best friend, and he was a
leading conspirator against Caesar
Collapse of the Republic Cont.
• The Second Triumvirate
– Octavian
• Caesar’s heir and grandnephew
– Marc Antony
• Caesar’s alley and assistant
– Lepidus
• Caesar’s Calvary Commander
Collapse of the Republic Cont.
– These three gained power because after
Caesar’s death the Senate and the people
of Rome were very upset that he was
assassinated
– These three vowed to continue what
Caesar had done.
– Octavian and Antony joined together to
force Lepidus out of power
– Octavian controlled western Rome while
Antony controlled eastern Rome
– Eventually Antony and Octavian became
enemies and there was a Civil War in
Rome once again
Collapse of the Republic Cont.
– Antony had a strong ally, Egypt
• Antony’s girlfriend was Cleopatra the ruler of
Egypt
• Cleopatra was also a girlfriend to Julius Caesar
– Octavian used this alliance against Antony
• A none Roman would have power if Antony
was left in control
– Octavian Finally defeated Antony at
Actium in 31 BC
– Antony and Cleopatra Commit Suicide