From Republic to Empire

I. Political Reforms Change the Roman Republic

A. Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus’ political reforms for Rome:1. Proposed laws limiting the size of latifundias & redistributing the land to the poor 2. Wanted to take public land held by large landowners & give back to landless Romans

3. Tiberius killed by a group of Senators in 133 B.C.

a. Senators were angry about the reforms

b. Gaius later suffers the same fate as his brother

B. Gaius Marius Reforms the Roman Army

1. Promised land to urban and rural poor for enlisting in the army

a. Soldiers took an oath swearing allegiance to the general rather than the Roman republic

C. Lucius Cornelius Sulla

1. Sulla won control in 82 B.C. after fighting Marius in a civil war

a. Conducted a reign of terror to crush opposition

b. Put power back in the hands of the Senate

II. Collapse of the Roman Republic

A. First Triumvirate is Formed 1. Between 82-31 B.C. Rome was in a variety of civil wars a. Individuals competed for power 2. Crassus, Pompey, and Julius Caesar emerged victorious (formed the First Triumvirate)- group of 3, each with equal power

The First Triumvirate

Crassus Julius Caesar Pompey

3. Triumvirate proves to be unstablea. When Crassus is killed in battle, Senate votes Pompey to lead all of Rome

b. Caesar refuses to step down

4. Caesar increases Rome’s landholdings in NW Europe

5. With Pompey’s approval, the Senate orders Caesar to disband his legions & return to Rome

6. Caesar’s next move, “Crossing the Rubicon” led to Civil Wara. At the end of 2 months Caesar had captured all of Italy b. Drove Pompey & his allies out of the country

III. Julius Caesar’s Reign

1. Takes over the government as dictator for life

2. 5 achievements of Roman government under the leadership of Caesar:a. Jobs given to unemployedb. Public land to the poorc. Citizenship to people in provincesd. Increases Senate size to 900 memberse. Adopts a 365 day calendar

3. 2 Contrasting views of how Romans viewed Caesar:

a. Wise ruler who brought peace & order to Rome

b. Tyrant who wanted to end republic & make himself king

4. Caesar is assassinated on March 15, 44 B.C.

a. Marcus Brutus & Gaius Cassius kill him as he enters the Senate

IV. Second Triumvirate Formed

1. Second Triumvirate= Octavian, Marc Antony, Marcus Lepidusa. Divided the Roman Empire among themselves

2. Second Triumvirate is not successfula. Octavian forces Lepidus to retire from political lifeb. Antony marries Cleopatra

3. War breaks out between Marc Antony & Octavian a. Octavian persuades Romans, MA wants to rule Rome with a foreign queenb. Declares war on MA in name of Rome

4. Battle of Actium- (31 B.C.)- Octavian destroys army & navy of Marc Antony

5. Marc Antony & Cleopatra commit suicide a year later in Egypt 4. Octavian becomes undisputed ruler of Rome