Module 10, Lesson 3

Module 10, Lesson 3

Lesson 3: From Republic to Empire

The Big Idea

Julius Caesar and Augustus led Rome’s transition from a republic to an empire.

Main Ideas

•Several crises struck the republic in later years.

•As Rome descended into chaos, many called for change in government.

•Julius Caesar rose to power and became the sole ruler of Rome.

•Augustus became Rome’s first emperor after defeating Caesar’s killers and his own former allies.

Crisis Strikes the Republic

Several crises struck the republic in later years.

•As the Romans’ territory grew, problems arose in the republic.

•Rich citizens were getting richer, and many leaders feared that violence would erupt between rich and poor.

Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus_

•They both served as tribunes.

•The brothers tried to create farms for poor Romans to keep them happy and prevent rebellions.

•In two separate events, wealthy citizens opposed this idea and started riots, killing Tiberius and Gaius.

•From this point on people saw violence as a political weapon to use when they disagreed with leaders.

Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus

Among the first leaders to address Rome’s problems were brothers named Tiberius (ty-BIR-ee-uhs) and Gaius Gracchus (GY-uhs GRAK-uhs). Both served as tribunes.

Tiberius, who took office in 133 BC, wanted to create farms for poor Romans. The purpose of these farms was to keep the poor citizens happy and prevent rebellions. Tiberius wanted to create his farms on public land that wealthy citizens had illegally taken over. The public supported this idea, but the wealthy citizens opposed it. Conflict over the idea led to riots in the city, during which Tiberius was killed.

A few years later Gaius also tried to create new farms. He also began to sell food cheaply to Rome’s poor citizens. Like his brother, Gaius angered many powerful Romans and was killed for his ideas.

Multiple Choice

Why did the Gracchi propose the creation of farms on Roman public lands?

• to increase their support among unemployed Romans

• to punish wealthy Romans for opposing them

• to increase the size of the Roman army

• to prevent poor Romans from rebelling

Gaius Marius

•Consul Gaius Marius encouraged poor people to join the army in order to make up for the shortage of troops.

•The loyalty of his army gave him great political power.

* Gaius Marius (MER-ee-uhs) encouraged poor people to join the army. Before, only people who owned property had been allowed to join. As a result of this change, thousands of poor and unemployed citizens joined Rome’s army.

Lucius Cornelius Sulla

•Following this example, Lucius Cornelius Sulla sought his army’s support the same way Marius had.

•The two leaders started a civil war in which Sulla defeated Marius and became dictator.

*Lucius Cornelius Sulla (LOO-shuhs kawr-NEEL-yuhs SUHL-uh), became consul in 88 BC. Sulla soon came into conflict with Marius, a conflict that led to a civil war in Rome. A civil war is a war between citizens of the same country. In the end Sulla defeated Marius. He later named himself dictator and used his power to punish his enemies.

Spartacus

•Thousands of slaves led by Spartacus rose up and demanded freedom.

•They defeated an army sent to stop them and took over most of southern Italy.

•Eventually Spartacus was killed in battle, and the revolt fell apart.

– 6,000 rebellious slaves were killed as an example to others who thought about rebelling.

The Call for Change

As Rome descended into chaos, many called for change in government.

•In the 70s BC, Rome was chaotic and dangerous with rioting in the streets.

•In speeches, Cicero, a powerful orator, argued that the power of generals should be limited.

 – He wanted to restore the checks and balances on government.

 – He was unsuccessful.

Cicero

Some Romans tried to stop the chaos in Rome’s government. One such person was Cicero (SIS-uh-roh), a gifted philosopher and orator. In his speeches Cicero called on Romans to make Rome a better place. One way to do this, he argued, was to limit the power of generals. Cicero wanted the Romans to give more support to the Senate and to restore the checks and balances on government.

Brutus

Young senator and friend of Caesar; Brutus ultimately turned against the emperor and participated in the Ides of March attack.

Multiple Choice

former gladiator who led thousands of slaves in rebellion

• Brutus

• Cicero

• Gaius Marius

• Lucius Cornelius Sulla

• Spartacus

Multiple Choice

senator who was a friend of Julius Caesar before betraying him on the Ides of March

• Brutus

• Cicero

• Gaius Marius

• Lucius Cornelius Sulla

• Spartacus

Multiple Choice

consul who used poor and unemployed Romans to increase the size of the Roman army

• Brutus

• Cicero

• Gaius Marius

• Lucius Cornelius Sulla

• Spartacus

Multiple Choice

consul who caused a civil war, named himself dictator, and used his power to punish his enemies

• Brutus

• Cicero

• Gaius Marius

• Lucius Cornelius Sulla

• Spartacus

Multiple Choice

philosopher who called for limiting the power of generals and restoring the checks and balances in government

• Brutus

• Cicero

• Gaius Marius

• Lucius Cornelius Sulla

• Spartacus

Caesar’s Rise to Power

Julius Caesar rose to power and became the sole ruler of Rome.

•Admired for his bravery and skill in battle, Julius Caesar was a great Roman general.

•He conquered all of Gaul and part of Britain.

* His soldiers respected him because he treated them well.

•He became a major political figure in Rome.

*Caesar’s military successes made him a major figure in Roman politics. In addition to being a good leader, Caesar was an excellent speaker. He won many people to his side with his speeches in the forum.

•He made an agreement with Pompey and Crassus to work together to fight the Senate.

*He then went on to become Roman consul, governor of Gaul, and military leader before establishing himself as a dictator of Rome.

Conflict with an Ally

•Caesar’s power made his allies jealous and afraid.

•Pompey’s allies in the Senate ordered Caesar to give up his armies and come home. He refused.

•Even though it was against the law to enter Italy with his army, Caesar returned to Italy with his troops.

*49 BC Caesar and his troops crossed the Rubicon River, the boundary between Gaul and Italy.

*Pompey and the Senate considered Caesar’s return to Italy a sign of war. Afraid that Caesar would attack him, Pompey and his allies fled Italy. They didn’t think they had enough troops to defeat Caesar.

•Caesar and his army chased Pompey down and killed him in Egypt.

* There Caesar met Cleopatra VII, whom he made queen. As queen, Cleopatra became his new ally.

•Caesar met Cleopatra VII and made her queen and an ally.

Conflict with the Senate

•Caesar was named dictator for ten years. Then, he became dictator for life.

*Caesar changed laws so he could stay in power for life. Upper-class leaders and senators in Rome became angered by Caesar's total control of the government. 

•Romans feared Caesar wanted to be king.

•Some senators decided to attack him and killed Caesar.

– One of the attackers was his ally Brutus.

– The attack occurred on the Ides of March, March 15.

*in 44 BC, a group of senators attacked Caesar in the Senate house and stabbed him to death.

•Caesar’s killers had to flee Rome.

Augustus the Emperor

Augustus became Rome’s first emperor after defeating Caesar’s killers and his own former allies.

•After Caesar’s death, Marc Antony and Octavian, later called Augustus, emerged as political leaders.

Antony and Octavian

•Antony and Octavian avenged Caesar’s death.

*At Caesar’s funeral, Antony delivered a famous speech that turned even more Romans against the killers. Shortly afterward, he and Octavian set out with an army to try to avenge Caesar’s death.

•They defeated the killers’ army in a battle.

•The leaders of the assassination killed themselves after the battle.

Antony and Octavian

 *Antony met Cleopatra VII, the queen of Egypt, and the two fell in love. Antony divorced his wife, Octavian’s sister, to be with Cleopatra. Octavian saw this divorce as an insult to his sister and to himself.

*In response, Octavian declared war on Cleopatra VII. For her part, Cleopatra was a devoted ally of Julius Caesar and Marc Antony, but she didn’t like Octavian. After the Battle of Actium, she feared that Octavian would arrest her and take over Egypt. Rather than see Octavian running her kingdom, Cleopatra chose to commit suicide. According to tradition, she poisoned herself with the venom of a deadly snake. Marc Antony stabbed himself with a sword.

*Antony’s behavior led to civil war in Rome. In 31 BC Octavian sent a fleet to attack Antony. Antony sailed out to meet it, and the two forces met just west of Greece in the Battle of Actium (AK-shee-uhm). Antony’s fleet was defeated, but he escaped back to Egypt with Cleopatra. There the two committed suicide so they wouldn’t be taken prisoner by Octavian.

Octavian

The Senate gave him a new name—Augustus, which means “revered one.” Modern historians consider the naming of Augustus the end of the Roman Republic and the beginning of the Roman Empire.