Download From Pompey to Caesar

The End of the Roman Republic:
From Tiberius to Caesar
133 BCE – 44 BCE
TIBERIUS GRACCHUS (c.168 -133 BCE) & GAIUS GRACCHUS (c.159 -121 BCE)
What was the land reform
Tiberius advocated?
Why did he want it?
Tiberius Gracchus, Tribune in133 BCE
>Enforce an old law limiting
latifundia-estates to 500 acres ...
>Sell/rent public lands to the poor
> Distribute lands of deceased king
of Pergamum to the poor/ soldiers
> wealthy landowners provoked a
riot claiming Tiberius intended to
make himself king!
> Tiberius was clubbed to death
**-1st time ever that a tribune was
attacked and killed.
Gaius Gracchus, tribune in 123 BCE
• Resurrected brother’s
land reform plans
• Give colonial lands to
retired soldiers
• Establish price controlscheap grain subsidized
by the government
• Initiate public works
projects
• Extend citizenship
The beginning of the end…
• After the Gracchus Brothers, the next
100 years was dominated by a series of
rival generals, representing the two
political parties, who engulfed Rome in
civil wars, using their troops as personal
possessions to further their own political
ambitions, undermining the constitution,
and leading to the collapse of the
Republic.
The first civil war: Populares vs Optimates
Gaius Marius
Lucius Sulla
Gaius Marius 157-86 BCE
(the Populares)
>Defeated a Germanic force of
300,000 (The Cimbri, and Teutones)
>Enlisted landless poor into his
army, supplied them and
rewarded them with his own
money- loyalty of soldiers was to
him.
>The army, no longer an instrument
of the government, became a
private possession of generals
Sulla the conservative 138-78 BCE, (the Optimates)
***Marched his army through the
gates of Rome and declared
himself dictator.
• Increased Senate to 600
• Restored Senate veto over
plebeian assembly
• Forbid tribunes from offering
legislation not approved by
the Senate
• Denied Tribunes any other
office
• Set minimum age to hold
office at 42
2nd Civil War
Caesar (the Populares)
vs
49-46 BCE–
Pompey (the Optimates)
Gnaeus Pompeii
106-48 BCE
• Gained recognition in
Spain, 77 BC then during
the slave revolt of
Spartacus (73-71 BC).
• He joined with Marcus
Crassus, the richest man
in Rome, -they marched
to the gates of Rome and
demanded consulships
(Pompey was 36!)
• As Consuls, they
canceled Sulla’s
“reforms” and retired.
Pompey returns...
• In 67 BCE, the Senate asked
Pompey to deal with Pirates
in the Med Sea and
renewed fighting with King
Mithradates
• Returning in 62 BCE, Pompey
asked for land grants to his
soldiers, which was rejected
by the Senate.
• Such shortsightedness
drove Pompey into an
alliance with Julius Caesar.
Julius Caesar, 100-44 BCE
•
His uncle was Gaius Marius
• Dad died when 15
• At 17- married Cornelius
Cinna’s daughter
• At 18- Sulla proscribed his
death!
• 20- Roman soldier in Bythnia
• 21- lawyer in Rome
• 22- Set out to Rhodes
• Career: held various
administrative posts
• At 38 – appointed governor of
Spain
• Governor of Spain, returned to
Rome in 60 BC- intending to run
for consul-Senate said no!
• Teamed up with Pompey and
Crassus to form the 1st
Triumverate and became a
consul in 60 BCE
• After his term as consul, he took
governorship over two northern
territories (Gaul) and initiated the
Gallic Wars
• Legacy: brought western Europe
into the mainstream of civilization
Caesar’s Gallic Wars,
58 – 52 BCE
Caesar’s victories
over the Gauls (Celts)
were incredible…
sending back to
Rome untold wealth
from plunder and
almost one million
slaves with another
million counted as
dead. (#’s are debatable!)
“Crossing the Rubicon”
• Fearing his rising
power and popularity,
the Senate recalled
Caesar… without his
army!
• When Caesar crossed
the Rubicon river in 49
BCE, he started a civil
war.
• Pompey was convinced
by Senate leaders to
come out of retirement
and defend the Senate
2nd Civil War
Caesar (the Populares)
vs
49-46 BCE–
Pompey (the Optimates)
Caesar defeated Pompey- Battle of Pharsalus (48 BCE) then
followed him to Egypt where Pompey hoped for allies.
• After Pharsalus, Pompey escaped to Egypt with
Caesar chasing him only to be assassinated.
Caesar & Cleopatra
Egypt was already
involved in its own civil
war between Cleopatra
and her younger brother.
Caesar restored Cleopatra
to power, “gave” her a
son (Caesarion), then
returned with her to Rome in
46 BCE
Caesar: “dictator for life”
• Pardoned Senators
but raised members
to 900
• Gave public land to
his soldiers and the
poor
• Granted citizenship
to provinces
• Raised pay of
soldiers
• Reorganized town
governments and
the courts
• Lowered taxes on
provinces
• Started building
projects
Caesar’s assassination... March 15, 44 BCE
• 23 stab wounds led
by Brutus and
Cassius, two longtime friends.
• Marc Antony joined
with Octavian and
Lepidus to create
the 2nd Triumverate
and defeat the
conspirators.
• Problem: Both
Antony and
Octavian wanted to
be number 1
Any questions?