Download Roman Republic`s Problems

Republican Rome’s
Many Issues
Learning to Manage an Empire
Values (Roman Republic)
Piety
Discipline
Frugality
Not greedy
Righteous wars
Never quit
As the empire grew, Romans began to have
identity issues
Roman values weren’t working as well in the
new system
Learning to Manage an Empire
Structure of the "empire"
Still a republican form of government
Checks and balances
Two parties emerged
Optimates opposed change
Populares encouraged change
The system of elected officials, assemblies
and a citizen army were too inefficient to
meet the needs of the Rome’s growth
Something had to change, but nobody
was willing to change it
Learning to Manage an Empire
Army
Farming
 Citizen soldiers were being
kept from home for
increasing intervals
 Men were not home to
have babies, plough the
harvest or participate in
civic life
 Many small farms were
foreclosed on for debt
 Homeless families left the
countryside for Rome
 Wealthy landowners bought
foreclosed farms for cheap
prices
 Created huge plantations
(latifundia)
 Hired homeless families to
work for very low wages or
to pay off debts
 Focused on one cash crop
(usually wheat)
 Looking for cheaper sources
of labor
Learning to Manage an Empire
The Solution? Slavery!!
Conquests increased
the
number of slaves
Cheap labor
Families now out of work move to Rome
Slaves ultimately make up 40% of the
population
Romans always nervous about uprising
Countryside is depopulated of Roman citizens
Learning to
Manage an
Empire
Rome begins to overcrowd
Not enough work for
everyone
Politicians nervous about the
mob
 Begin supplying free bread to
citizens
 Use games and entertainment
to pacify the people
By 140 BCE, the need for
social reform is overwhelming
 Populares politicians get it
 Optimates don’t
Political Problems
Populares
Gracchi Brothers




Pushed land reforms
Pushed social reforms
Pushed economic reforms
Encouraged citizenship in
the provinces
Marius
 Pushed military reforms
 Encouraged citizenship in
the provinces
 Attempted to reduce power
of the Senate
Optimates
Sulla
 Attempted to retain power
of the Senate
 Fought to maintain status
quo in citizenship rule
 Pushed for legal reforms
Cicero & Cato
 Pushed to maintain the mos
maorum (status quo)
Political Problems
Politicians stop trying to solve problems and simply
try to make money
Many populares politicians are demagogues and try
to rule through the mob
For the first time, political conflicts became bloody
affairs
 Exile, assassination, and proscription lists became
common ways of dealing with political opponents
Civil unrest reigned from 140 – 31 BCE
Civil war occurred from 91-80 BCE, 63-62 BCE, 49-45
BCE, 37-31 BCE
The Empire continues to
churn….
Roman armies keep winning….
The provinces keep yielding
incredible profits….
But Rome’s government will
have to change….or the whole
thing will fall apart…