• Through trade and conquering, the Roman Empire became incredibly wealthy.

• With this new wealth came new problems– Discontent among the lower classes of society

• As Rome grew, the gap between rich and poor grew wider.

– Many rich landowners lived on large estates and had thousands of enslaved workers.

– Small farmers found it difficult to compete

• Many of these farmers were retired soldiers• Many of these small farmers sold their lands to the

wealthy

• One fourth of Rome’s population were the urban poor• Two Tribunes set out to defend these people.

*Remember, Tribunes were the Plebeian representatives*

– Two brothers: Tiberius and Gaius

• Tiberius and Gaius spoke out against the mistreatment of the poor and especially the mistreatment of these former soldiers who could no longer make any kind of living.

– The Senate felt threatened by the two brothers’ abilities to reach the public

• Tiberius was murdered in 133 B.C.• Gaius was murdered in 121 B.C.

– A period of civil war broke out through out Rome

• The Republic was in turmoil. – Many wealthy Generals hired men to form their own

personal armies– These men were loyal only to the military leader who

was paying them. • Instead of having soldiers who were loyal to the Roman

republic, it was possible for a person to take over by using personal force

Julius Caesar

• Eventually, one man would do that.• In 60 B.C., a military leader by the name of Julius Caesar

joined forces with a wealthy Roman named Crassus, and a popular General named Pompey.– The three men formed the first triumvirate.– Triumvirate: a group of three leaders

• Caesar was a strong leader and a genius at military strategy. – He served one year as a Consul

• He appointed himself governor of Gaul (now France)– From 58 – 50 B.C., Caesar conquered all of Gaul

• Caesar’s successes in Gaul made him very popular to the Roman citizens.

• Pompey, who had become Caesar’s rival, was nervous about Caesar’s support from the Roman civilians

• In 50 B.C., Pompey and the senate ordered Caesar to disband his army and return to Rome

• Caesar refused– January 10, 49 B.C., Caesar and his army marched toward

Rome

• Pompey fled the city, but Caesar and his forces followed.• The two forces met in Greece, Asia, Spain, and Egypt

– Caesar was victorious

• In 46 B.C., Caesar returned to Rome and was greeted with a celebration

• In 44 B.C., Caesar was named dictator for life.

• He governed Rome as an absolute ruler

– One who has total power

Caesar’s Reforms• Caesar granted citizenship to many people in the

Roman provinces– Territories that Rome claimed after battles

• He expanded the senate by adding supporters from other regions outside of Rome.

• He helped the poor by creating new jobs through construction and public buildings

• He started new colonies where people without land could afford it.

• He also increased pay for Roman military men

• Though Caesar became a popular figure with the Roman public, many senators feared the power he was gaining

– Some feared that they’d lose their authority– Others thought Caesar was simply a tyrant

• A number of senators decided that it was time to remove Caesar from office.

– His best friend Marcus Brutus and a senator name Gaius Cassius plotted Caesar’s assassination

• On March 14, 44 B.C., Julius Caesar was stabbed multiple times in the senate chamber.

• Civil War broke out once again after the death of Caesar (just like the deaths of Tiberius and Gaius)

– What remained of the republic was pretty much destroyed.

• Three of Caesar’s supporters joined forces to crush his assassins

The Second Triumvirate

• Octavian: Caesar’s 18 year old Grandson• Mark Antony: an experienced General• Lepidus: a powerful politician

• The three men joined forces and ruled Rome for the next ten years.

• Their alliance ended in jealousy and violence

Octavian forced Lepidus to retire

Octavian and Antony went to war

• While at war in Anatolia, Mark Antony met the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra– The two fell in love Antony followed Cleopatra back to

Egypt • Octavian accused Antony of plotting to rule Rome from

Egypt– Another civil war broke out in Rome

• In 31 B.C., Octavian defeated the combined forces of Antony and Cleopatra– Later Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide

• Octavian became the unchallenged ruler of Rome– He restored some aspects of the Republic, but still chose

to rule as a dictator

• Octavian accepted the title Augustus– Augustus means the “Exalted one” – He also kept the title of imperator which means “supreme

military commander” the term emperor derives from this word

• Rome was now an empire ruled by one man– First time since Tarquin the Proud

• Rome was at the peak of its power from the beginning of Augustus’s rule in 27 B.C. to A.D. 180

• For 207 years, peace reigned throughout the empire.

• This 207 year period of peace is known as the Pax Romana (Roman Peace)

• During Pax Romana, the Roman Empire included more than 3 million square miles.

• Its population numbered between 60 and 80 million people.

• About one million people lived in the city of Rome itself