1) What was the problem between the Rich + Poor?
In rome most people who ruled rome were patricians, rich people with large farms. These patricians run the most powerful part of the republic, the senate. They handle Rome's Finances and declares wars. Despite plebeians gaining some power, they still are unhappy with the way things are. Many are in poverty and debt because farmers fighting in one of rome's wars and damages to there farms during Hannibal's attacks during the second punic war. Small farms were brought to create latifundia or large farming estates were thousands of slaves work. When the farmers faced debt they had not choice to sell there farms. After selling there farms, jobs became hard to find and even if you did find a job it is low wage. Because of this Anger overcame the people, riots broke out, but they change the situation to there advantage. They created colosseums where the poor can be entertainment and food. They made them to get the poor people's vote.
|
2) Why did the ARMY enter politics?
This keeps heading south when the Roman Army took a new role. Until 107 BCE the roman army mostly stayed out of government affairs, but changed after 107 BCE. When a miltary leader named Marius became consul thing changed. The army is mostly made of owners of small farms, now that this type of soldiers started disappearing he took in the poor people. When recruiting the poor he promised money and most importantly land. He change volunteers to professional soldiers. The soldiers were mainly motivated by material then doing there civic duty. The soldiers felt loyal to the general then to the republic, and this influenced generals to become more involved in politics. They needed laws to be carried out to give the soldiers the land they promised.Marius new power leads to new power struggles. A rival general named Sulla drove out Marius out of rome in 84 BCE. He made himself Dictator for 3 years, changing the government. He strengthen the senate and weaken the Council of Plebs. He step out of office and hopes that Rome will heal the wounds of recent actions. This plunged Rome into Civil War for 50 years. People follow in the footsteps of Sulla by getting a army, fight anyone in there way, and gain unlimited power.
|
3) How did Julius Caesar become famous?
In 60 BCE three Miltary leaders named Crassus, Pompey , and Julius Caesar were on top. Crassus was the richest, Pompey and Julius Caesar was not the richest, but successful miltary men. These 3 men created the First triumvirate, this is a Political Alliance of 3 people. Each member had a miltary command in remote areas. Pompey is in Spain, Crassus in Syria, and Caesar in gaul(France). Julius Caesar became a hero of the Lower class by battling foreign tribes and invaded Britain. But Roman senate feared that Caesar is becoming too powerful and popular, and might seize power like Sulla. In 53 BCE the senate decided that after Crassus death in battle that Pompey should return to rome and rule. In 49 BCE the senate asked that Caesar should give up his army and return home. This was a difficult choice for caesar. On one hand he could obey the senate, give up his army, and face death in the hands of his rivals. Or on the other hand March on rome risking the chance of a civil war. Caesar decided to keep 5000 loyal soldiers and March into Italy by crossing the Rubicon river. Caesar knew that crossing the river means that he is starting a civil war and no turning back. (The phrase "Crossing the Rubicon" is still used today meaning making a decision without looking back.) Pompey tries to stop Caesar's army, but Caesar was a better genera. In 48 BCE he drove Pompey's forces out of Italy and then destroying Pompey's army.
|
4) What type of ruler was Julius Caesar?
In 44 BCE Caesar broke tradition making himself Dictator for LIFE. With this power he filled the Senate with new members that are loyal to him to strengthen his hold on power. He provided land to the landless, made work for the jobless, and forced farmers to hire more free workers. These action made caesar popular with the poor roman people. Caesar created a calendar with 12 months, 356 days, and a leap years, this calendar was called the Julian Calendar that was used until 1282 AD.( The Calendar we use today is a slight modify to become the Gregorian Calendar.) Many support Caesar but other didn't. Many believed that he was a strong leader bring order and peace to rome. But his enemies believe that he wanted to become king. Some people in senate called Brutus and Cassius plotted to kill him. Even thought Caesar was warned, he ignored the famous quote "Beware the Ides of March" referring to March 15, the day he died. On March 15, 44 BCE Caesar's enemies , the senate, each stabbed him one time. He stabbed a total of 27 times.
|
5) How did Rome become an Empire?
With Caesar's death Rome was plugged into another Civil war. On one side of the war were lead by the men who killed Caesar. On the other side was Caesar's grandnephew Octavian, who inherited the wealth, and Caesar's top two generals Antony and Lepidus. After killing the assassins, the three men crated the second Triumvirate in 43 BCE. The second Triumvirate began quarreling almost at once. Octavian forced Lepidus to retire Politics. The remaining two divide the roman world between them. Octavian took the West and Antony took the East. The two sides came in conflict. Antony fell in love with an Egyptian queen Cleopatra the VII and formed an alliance with her. Octavian told the people that Antony and Cleopatra planned to be sole rulers of the Roman Republic. Octavian declared war. In 31 BCE at the battle of Actium .off the west coast of Greece, Octavian destroyed Antony's Navy and Army. Anthony and Cleopatra ran away into Egypt. A year later when Octavian was closing in the couple killed themselves. At the age 31 Octavian stood at the top of the Roman world along. The period of civil wars and republic were over. Octavian lay out a new government system and thous the beginning of the roman empire.
|
6) Who was Augustus?
Octavian broke tradition like Julius by making himself Dictator for LIFE. He know that many people favored a Democratic form of government. One person that supported this was Cicero, a political leader, writer, and rome's greatest public speaker. Cicero had argued against dictators and called for a republic government with limited power. His speeches and Books and book per swayed the romans. ( His ideas influenced the writers of the United States Constitution) Cicero didn't see Octavian's rule, but he had supported him and hopes that Octavian can restore the republic. In 27 BCE he announced that he going to fix the republic. He also knew that the senate wanted this change, but the republic had been too weak to solve this problem. He gave the senate some power, but really put himself in charge. He titled himself as Imperator meaning "Commander in Chief," but really means "Emperor." Octavian also took the title of Augustus meaning " The revered majestic one" and from that point he was known as AUGUSTUS CAESAR.
|