11.3 The End of the Republic

Why did Roman plebeian farmer fall into poverty and debt around 100 BC?

• They couldn't pay the new taxes passed by the Senate

• Their farms were either destoryed or abandoned, since they went to fight in the Punic Wars

• The Carthaginians had poured salt all over their fields

• Many refused to work after winning the Third Punic War

What is a latifundia?

• a type of dip

• a type of ship

• a large farming estate

• a type of religious monument

Why couldn't poor farmers find jobs on latifundias?

• Because they didn't have the skills for the job

• Because the job required citizenship, and many farmers were not citizens

• Because the latifundias had been destroyed

• Because the owners prefered to use slaves for all the work

What happened over time with the latifundia system?

• It gave lots of plebeian job opportunities

• They continued to grow in size, putting many small farms out of business

• It was declared illegal by Marius

• Slave labor was banned so many plebeians could get jobs on these large farms

How did Roman leaders try to prevent a plebeian rebellion?

• They stopped using slave labor

• They gave them cheap food and entertainment - "bread and circuses"

• They made they swear an oath of loyalty to Rome

• They kept them busy by making them serve in the army

Which two brothers worked for reforms to benefit the poor of Rome?

• Gracchus and Graemes

• Tiberius and Gaius

• Sulla and Sullo

• Faramir and Boromir

Why didn't the Senate approve the latifundia reforms proposed by the Gracchus brothers?

• Because many Sen's owned latifundias themselves and didn't want to lose power or $$

• Because they didn't think the reforms went far ENOUGH to help the poor

• Because they thought the reforms would weaken democracy

• Because they didn't have the time to do it

What did Marius do to help the poor of Rome?

• He gave them each a latifundia

• He granted them patrician status if they were veterans

• He recruited the poor into the army and paid them a wage / promised them land

• He allowed them to become generals in the army

Why did the development of a professional army weaken the Republic?

• Because it meant that their navy grew smaller

• Because the Senate had no army for Rome itself

• Because now there were armies loyal to generals, but not loyal to Rome

• Because there weren't enoug generals to comman the large army

Which general was the first to march into Rome with his army as a way of getting more power?

• Marius

• Caesar

• Tiberius

• Sulla