Download Late Roman Republic




After the death of Gaius Gracchus in 121,
people hoped that the period of violence and
turmoil in Rome would end
Unfortunately, challenges still faced Rome
throughout the end of this century and into the
next
Sketchy accounts of this period




Numidian adopted by King Micipsa (successor to
Masinissa – ally of Rome)
At his death, Micipsa left his kingdom to his two
sons and Jugurtha
Jugurtha killed one brother and drove out the
other (Adherbal)
Rome (Opimius) intervened and divided the
kingdom giving Jugurtha the West and Adherbal
the more developed East (117)


Bordered Africa – Rome wanted stability
Juguertha invaded Adherbal’s land

Eventually Adherbal surrendered and was killed (112)






Diplomacy failed
Roman forces were not very effective
Began improving around 109-108 under
Metellus, and then under Gaius Marius
In 105, Lucius Cornelius Sulla, quaestor to
Marius, persuaded Jugurtha’s ally to betray
him
Jugurtha was executed
Roman honor was restored




Migration of German peoples south
In 113, they defeated a Roman consul and army
who had been sent to observe them
Roman legions continued to be defeated over
the next few years
Marius was reelected consul in 104 and sent to
Gaul



And subsequently reelected every year until 100
Defeated tribes and removed the threat
Hailed as Rome’s savior






No longer three ranks divided by age and
equipment
One unified body of heavy infantry
Calvary and light-armed troops were made up
of allies
Cohesive fighting power
Eagle made the legions principle standard
(Aquila)
Javelins made so that it would buckle after
landing



In 107, Marius was authorized to draft for his
campaign, but instead he called for volunteers and
promised them rewards (lowest classes)
Given plots of land in Africa (with the help of
tribune Saturninus)
In 100, Marius needed help again rewarding
veterans with land
Saturninus again planned to settle veterans in Gaul
He also proposed sending colonies to Greece and Sicily
Additionally, Marius was allowed to grant citizenship to
a small number of settlers in each colony
 Hostility arose against the extension of citizenship
 Proposal passed only after a violent uprising






Each provincial community was locally
autonomous
Paid a tax to Rome, but usually not required to
provide manpower
Governor was supreme in his province




Issued edicts to deal with immediate concerns
Language and cultural barriers
Corruption was easy to get away with
Quaestio de repetundis



Jury court to hear complaints again a governor
Only held in Rome
Governor could only be charged after his office ended





Tribune in 91
Proposed the foundation of colonies and the
distribution of public lands to poor citizens
Wanted to grant Roman citizenship to all
Latins and Italians
Opposition to these legislations gained enough
support that it rendered them invalid
Drusus was killed by an assassin







Italians hopes of citizenship had been once again destroyed
Began organizing to claim rights of citizenship by force
100,000 men with experience fighting in the Roman army
(primarily Samnites and Lucanians)
Latin communities, and many other Italian cities remained loyal to
Rome
Rebels caught Rome by surprise, inflicted some severe defeats
Eventually, Rome gained the upper hand and defeated the rebel
allies
Rebels effectiveness proved to the Romans that they had to be
granted the rights that they desired





Fall 90 – offered citizenship to all communities of allies that remained loyal
and those who would defect from rebels by a certain date
89 – extended citizenship to those who were not eligible in 90 and gave
Latin status to others
Allied communities gained right to vote, run for office
Latin spread and other languages died out
Encouraged urbanization





Tribune in 88
New citizens from Social Wars were restricted to a small
number of tribes which could only vote after all the other 35
tribes voted
Sulpicius was determined to gain full voting rights for the
new citizens
Opposition from both consuls (including Sulla)
Gained support from Marius in return for Sulla’s command
against Mithridates




Used intimidation and violence
Consuls declared a iustitium (suspension of public business)
Street fighting broke out and Sulla agreed to lift iustitium
Redistribution proposal passed and reassigned Mithridates
to Marius while Sulla was in Campania tying up the Social
Wars


Very successful in the Social Wars
Elected to consul in 88



Well earned
If he accepted reassignment, he ruined all of his
hard-earned political prospects
Knew that if he opposed it, he would have to
take the law into his own hands

Marched on Rome with his 6\six legions






Change in Military philosophy under Marius created a new
class of citizens and created a loyalty to generals as opposed to
Rome itself
Took Marius, Sulpicius, and the senate by surprise
Once in control, Sulla made the senate declare Marius,
Sulpicius, and ten others (Marius’ son) enemies of the
state because of their violent and rebellious behavior

Only Sulpicius was killed, all others escaped Rome


Restored Sulla to Mithridatic command
New citizens were not redistributed
Canceled all measures passed by Sulpicius after the
iustitium
The consuls elected in 87 were not supported by Sulla,
but promised that they would uphold his measures
Sulla set out for Asia Minor




Consul elected in 87
Took up cause of redistributing new citizens again
Octavius, the other consul was opposed
Cinna decided to leave Rome and travel around Italy gaining
support


Marius came back from exile to support Cinna



Gained support of Samnites who were still dragging out the Social Wars
Attacked Rome


The senate removed him from consulship and declared him an enemy of
Rome
Octavius was killed and Sulla was outlawed
Sulla had success in Mithridates, but saw that it was advantageous
to make peace with him
Cinna planned to meet Sulla in Greece, but Cinna was killed
before an major confrontation



Sulla returned to Italy and was joined by Crassus
(32) and Pompey (23)
Rome and most of Italy were initially hostile to
Sulla
Gaius Marius (“Young” Marius) was elected to
consul – resistance against Sulla
Made a stand against Sulla at Praeneste, and fighting
raged all over northern and central Italy during 82
 Sulla won a narrow victory at Colline Gate (Rome) in
November of 82
 Pompey won in each province gaining the nickname
“Young Butcher”
 Resistance came to an end

Sulla
•Opposed Redistribution
Anti-Sulla
•Supported Redistribution
•Sulla
•Sulpicius
•Octavius
•Marius
•Cassus
•Cinna
•Pompey
•Samnites
•“Young” Marius


The senate recognized all Sulla’s past actions as
legal
Appointed him as dictator
Charged with bringing order back to the state and
formulating laws
 He could execute anyone without trial
 He was not required to submit any legislative proposal to
a citizen assembly
 No time limit


His goals were to return the state to the condition
from over 50 years before (until Tiberius Gracchus)





List of individuals who were condemned to
death without a trial
Anyone could kill them for a reward
Penalties for those who helped the proscribed
to get away
Purpose was to root out those who had
opposed Sulla (especially Senators and equites)
500-1500 people were killed



150 members of the senate left
Sulla introduced 450 new members from the
equestrian class that had been loyal to him
Doubled the number of quaestors, increased
praetors from 6 to 8, left number of consuls at 2


Reinstituted restrictions on number of offices held
in a row and age limits


10 year interval between holding any particular office
(impossible to repeat careers of Marius and Cinna)
Lessened the power of the Tribune


Cursus honorum became much more competative
Couldn’t run for any other office
Revived restrictions on governors



To gain support, he redistributed all citizens
granted citizenship in Social wars into the 35
tribes
Confiscated land to settle his veterans (80,000
men)
Sulla believed that Rome’s greatest threat was a
commander who could persuade his troops to
attack their own city – the shorter the
command the better




He resigned dictatorship by the end of 81
Elected consul in 80
Retired and died in 78
Strengths: Sulla regarded the senate in the
Rome of the 1st century to be weak



Reinforced certain Republican ideals
Wanted to equip the state with stable leadership
Limitations: proscriptions and land
redistribution created huge social dislocation