The Late Republic

Unit 8

1. During Rome’s expansion, they based much

of their society (history, philosophy, rhetoric) off of which present-day country

2. This man was considered the most well-known senator of his time, even called the “Roman Demosthenes”. He wasn’t a big fan of Carthage

130-137 QUIZ

Roman Empire is born (almost)

150 B.C. – Andriscus wants to reunite Macedon

Quintus Metellus Macedonicus defeats Macedon Both Macedon and Epirus

are part of the Roman Empire

146 B.C. – Corinth rebels against Roman control and lost Corinth burned to the

ground, women and children sold into slavery

Third Punic War 146 B.C.

Carthage’s wealth is quickly regained following Second Punic War

Ask to pay off Roman debt, but Rome refused Why would Rome refuse to allow

this

Carthage was supposed to be allowed to hold onto their African lands Who in Africa would pose a threat to

Carthage?

Carthage raises an army, finally pay off indemnity to Rome

CATO THE ELDER

“Delenda est Carthago!!!”

149 B.C. – Rome sends 80,000 men to finally destroy Carthage

Rome demands Carthage abandon their city and army and

move 10 miles inland….naturally, Carthage refused

Plague hit the Roman camp, they laid siege for 2 years

Scipio Aemilianus invaded 10 day street battle Only 50k of original 700k were still there Many taken into slavery, other allowed to become citizens City was burned to the ground Tiberius Gracchus fought in this battle – Remember this name!!

LEGEND: Rome plowed the fields with salt so nothing could ever grow there again This was written later, and it makes sense that Rome supported

this legend Why would Rome support this legend? How can it benefit them

in the future?

Third Punic War

PERCEPTION:- Romans viewed this as a dishonorable war.- Scipio himself was ashamed of its destruction

“Siege of Carthage”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1-913gAAvI

Siege of Carthage – Rise of Tiberius Gracchus

Rome began to profit greatly off overseas expansion

Rome began to become greatly influenced by Greek culture

Cato the Elder “Novus Homo” Consul and censor Best speaker in Rome; called the “Roman Demosthenes” Always subordinated Greek culture to Roman

Cato and others helped to define what it meant to be Roman, and began to instill a Roman pride that centered around politics, warfare, and running of the household.

Imperialism and Culture

148 B.C. – Scipio Aemilianus won consulship Under age and never been a praetor 134 B.C. - Also won second consulship – technically illegal

143 B.C. – Appius Claudius Pulcher – held a triumph even though senate refused

Conflict between consuls and tribunes Consuls wanted large armies, tribunes naturally did not…

Larger land plots +more slaves = growing economic divide Some estimate that there were 2-3 million, over 1/3 of the

population! Many soldiers would return home to find that their land was

confiscated

Tribunes began to take an active role on behalf of the people

Decline in the prestige of the Senate

For the last 350 years, Rome was determined to

keep it a republic and not an empire or monarchy

Increasing amounts of landless poor and patrician ambition began to slowly destroy this tradition

All the new wealth of these overseas expansion was ending up in the hands of a few. As they became so successful, they no longer had an interest is what was “best for the Republic”

Who can this trend all be traced back to?

Soldiers began to follow the leader who was best at securing riches This was mercenary work in the guise of state policy

Taking Stock….

Setting the Stage…

Military/Social Problems

Decline in birth rate

Lower quality troops

Poor training/lack of leadership

Urbanization = unemployment, poor housing

Slave uprisings = SPARTACUS!!

Economic problems

Influx of wealth from provinces. Controlled by upper class

Boom in building, reduction in public spending

Shortage of grain = high price of bread

TIBERIUS GRACCHUS

162-133 B.C.

Son of a well-known politician, successful soldier Especially well know for being the first

over the wall in the siege of Carthage

Brother-in-law of Scipio Aemilianus and grandson of Scipio Africanus!

Insulted by the senate, turned to people

134 BC – elected tribune of the plebs

Agrarian reform

Begins the formation of the Optimates and Populares

**Keep in mind, people were not eligible for military service if they did not own land!

Some historians still today question his motives…

“You fight and die to give luxury to other men…but you have not a foot of ground to call your own.”

Ager publicus – land owned by the state

Maximum allotment of 500 iugera, many had more than that “Give the rest to the poor!” Would be overseen by three men, a

“triumvirate” How does he get this passed?

ANY tribune could veto a proposed bill Of course, this was implemented to favor

the will of the people…

Marcus Octavius vetoes the measure, Tiberius throws him out! What the what?! He’s sacrosanct!!

What precedent is Tiberius setting that will threaten the Republic?

LAND REFORM!FYI: 1 iugera = .25 hectare = .625 acresEx: 500 iugera = approx. 300 acres

Why was his proposed bill so politically clever?

- Did not threaten private property

- Wealthy broke the laws

- Empowered the people

DEATH OF TIBERIUS GRACCHUS

Tiberius held Senate hostage Threatened to veto everything

Senate allocated no budget!

133 B.C. - King Attalus III of Pergamon gave land to “Roman people”

Ran for re-election, in clear violation of tradition

Senate thought he was trying to become a king

Murdered him with benches, stools and other objects at hand

Senate sets an even scarier precedent… MIGHT = RIGHT

“So perish all who do the like again.”- Scipio Aemilianus

GAIUS GRACCHUS 154-121 B.C.

Quaestor in Sardinia

123 B.C. – elected Tribune

Grain prices!! Plague of locusts in N. Africa “Buy high and sell low”

PROPOSED LAWS: 1. Couldn’t re-stand for tribunate if

against will of people 2. No capital punishment without

approval of assembly Senate killed Tiberius’ associates Ex-post facto!

3. Minimum age and maximum service time of military, govt. provided clothing

DEATH OF GAIUS GRACCHUS 122 B.C. – Second term as Tribune

Rights of non-Roman Italians Why would the Senate be afraid

of this?

Sailed to Carthage, senate begins plotting against him

Ran as tribune a third time!

Lost third election, repealed his laws

Gracchi supporters killed his enemy, charged with treason

Ran with a slave and his slave killed him

Full blown populists campaign mode:

- Lived with the poor- Tore down risers in the gladiatorial stadium

Provincial Government and Corruption

Corrupt tax practices How did taxes work in Roman provinces?

Publicani – wealthy individuals who undertook public contracts

Equites – order of the “knights” most publicani belonged to Needed to have excess of 100,000

denarii to qualify

Gaius Gracchus filled provincial courts with knights instead of senators How would this potentially help

Gracchus?

Marius’ Military reforms

“Rome: Rise and Fall of an empire” – Part 1/14

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB732wBSTvw

21:15 - END

“Marius’ mules” Legionary standards Cohorts

Rotating lines

Where did Marius get his troops from? Why was this so radical?

Why was Marius elected consul so many times in a row?

What types of things did Marius do to better train his soldiers?

How did Marius “cut out the heart of the republic” when settling his political differences?

Marius and Military Reforms

Problems in Africa

Numidian king Jugurtha rebelled against Roman control

107 B.C. - Gaius Marius was elected as consul 1. No property requirements2. provincial command in Africa3. volunteers as opposed to conscription

105 B.C. – Marius defeats Jugurtha 105-101 B.C. – elected consul 5 times!

Defeated the German tribes Teutones and Cimbris the north

No land for his men! Eventually exiled

Rome also began to expand into Transalpine Gaul

• Rome built roads and towns throughout this area

SOCIAL WAR

90-88 B.C.

Marius relied heavily on Northern allies… Why would this cause a problem?

Oct. 91 B.C. – consul Livius Drusus assassinated for proposed citizenship for the wealthy

“State of Italia” Government, 100k soldiers

Rome 150k soldiers Offered citizenship to those that stayed loyal

RISE OF SULLA

Lucius Cornelius Sulla 138 B.C. – 78 B.C.

Mithridates of Pontus invades Bithynia He is tired of Roman rule Knows Rome is busy with Social War

Calls for murder of Romans 80,000 Romans killed in one night!!

88 B.C. – Sulla elected consul, travels to Africa

Marius and Cinna take over Rome and declare Sulla enemy of the state

Sulla is successful in the East, returns to Rome

SULLA’S PROSCRIPTIONS

Proscription Killed between 2,000-9,000

names of political enemies

82 B.C. – Sulla declares himself “dictator for life”

Cursus Honorum – established minimum age limits and experience for govt. positions

No tribune could hold any other magistracy How did this help prevent men

like the Gracchi brothers from rising to power again?

Political system is corroded Armies fought

within Rome Constitution

subverted by force

Massive confiscation of land

Restoration of the senate was artificial

Marcus Licinius Crassus 115 – 53 B.C.

Wealthiest man in Rome Sulla’s proscriptions and

firefighting service

Military glory during the Civil War Battle of the Colline Gate

Rival of Pompey the Great Never gets the credit he

hoped to deserve!

Worth $180 BILLION dollars!!

SLAVES

Found in every area of Roman society; usually captured or kidnapped

Urban slaves often had a close relationship with owners Nannies, tutors, wetnurses Some were highly educated

Freed slaves were indebted to their former owners Slaves also were trained to

fight in the arena and provide entertainment

SPARTACUS! 73 – 71 B.C.

Spartacus led 70 slaves in a revolt in Capua Eventually gained 70,000 more men!

Won 3 battles in a row against Roman forces

Forces grew and were successfully trained

Marcus Licinius Crassus Decimation!

Crassus defeats the slave army

Pompey Magnus takes all the credit!!

Crassus crucified 6,000 slaves along the Appian Way to send a message to other slaves in Rome…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIsg7rgnghM

Why was Crassus so determined to defeat Spartacus?

Why is Spartacus much more well-known today than Crassus?

Crassus v. Spartacus

POMPEY THE GREAT

106 B.C. – 48 B.C. Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus

83 B.C. – supported Sulla and led 3 legions VERY self-consumed Skipped the Cursus Honorum Early triumph at 25 “The teenage butcher”

Put down revolts in Etruria and Spain Defeated Spartacus

“Won’t you stop citing laws to us who have swords by our sides?”

POMPEY THE GREAT

67 B.C. – Destroyed the Cilician pirates

66 B.C. – Finally defeated Mithridates

Created a HUGE eastern Empire for Rome – riches, wealth, and fame

62 B.C. - Returned to Rome, but failed in authorizing Eastern land for his troops

Took control of:- Jerusalem- Parthia- Bithynia- Seleucid empire