The Crisis of the Roman Republic PDF

**The crisis of the Roman Republic** **- period of political instability and social unrest** **- optimates - wished to limit the power of popular assemblies, and to extend power to the senate, which was seen more dedicated to interests of the aristocrats** **- populists - did not champion lower c...

**The crisis of the Roman Republic** **- period of political instability and social unrest** **- optimates - wished to limit the power of popular assemblies, and to extend power to the senate, which was seen more dedicated to interests of the aristocrats** **- populists - did not champion lower classes, used their support to achieve personal goals** **- new slaves were imported from abroad, causing unemployment crisis** **TIBERIUS GRACCHUS AND GAIUS GRACCHUS** **- politicians who represented the plebs** **- tried to reform Rome´s social and political structure to help the lower classes in 2nd century BCE** **TIBERIUS GRACCHUS** **- saw the imbalance of wealth in the Roman Republic** **- a few landowners had most of the power, while majority of people were landless peasants** **- proposed that no one would be able to hold more than 500 iugera (125 acres) of land, and excess land will be given to the government to redistribute to the poor** **- wanted to reelect a new tribune to support this idea** **- was beaten to death by chairs** **GAIUS GRACCHUS** **- took up the reform issues of his brother, became tribune in** **- 3 main sources of Rome´s grain outside Italy - disrupted by locusts and drought** **- enacted a law: construction of state granaries, regular sale of grain to citizens, feeding homeless with state-owned grain** **- after one of Gaius´s political opponents was killed, the senate passed a decree that made it possible to execute anyone identified as an enemy of the state without trial** **- faced with the probability of execution, Gaius commited suicide by falling on the sword of an enslaved person** **MARIUS** **- populist, general** **- championed lower classes, abolished the property requirement for becoming a soldier** **SULLA** **- appointed as Marius´ queastor (supervisor of the financial affairs of the state, competed with Marius for supreme power)** **THE SPARTACUS REVOLT** \- most successful slave revolt \- Spartacus - ancient Roman slave, gladiator who led a rebellion \- used guerilla tactics to fight off Roman attacs \- general Crassus defeated the rebel army **FIRST TRIUMVIRATE** \- Pompei, Caesar, Crassus **CAESAR** \- Crassus died in Parthia \- Pompei vs. Caesar \- the senate became troubled by him and ordered him to return to Rome and disband his troops \- Caesar defied orders and crossed the Rubicon River with his troops - act of treason \- Caesar claimed control of Rome and named himself \"Dictator for Life\" **REIGN OF CAESAR** \- Caesar (consul, dictator, censor) \- redistributed land to his army and his supporters \- began large construction projects providing jobs and food to the poor \- offered citizenship to many non-Romans living in the provinces \- The Julian calendar, alliance with Egypt (Cleopatra) **TRIUMVIRATE 2.0** \- Octavian, Antony, Lepidus **BATTLE OF ACTIUM** \- Antony + Cleopatra vs. Octavian (Octavian victorious) **PRINCIPATE OCTAVIAN - CAESAR AUGUSTUS** \- Principate - name given to the first period of the Roman Empire from the start of Augustus in to the end of the Crisis of the Third Century , after which it was called **Dominate** \- imperator - emperor of Romans \- founded Praetorian guard, highest priest, restoration of law/peace/prosperity **THE JULIO-CLAUDIAN DYNASTY** \- army + praetorians \- Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero **THE FLAVIAN DYNASTY** \- Vespasian (wars against jews), Titus (construction of Colosseum), Domitian **THE ADOPTIVE EMPERORS** \- Nerva, Trajan (maximum territorial extent) **HADRIAN** \- cousin of Trajan, defence = Limes Romanus **MARCUS AURELIUS** \- defensive wars against Germanic tribes (Marcomannic wars) - Persians, Sarmatians **THE CRISIS (3rd CENTURY)** \- defensive wars (no expansion, no wealth), insufficient number of slaves, assasination of emperors, instability, Barbarian attacks **DOMINATE DIOCLETIAN** \- former military commander, reforms to stabilize political and economical situation \- the Tetrachy - dividing the ancient Roman Empire between two senior emperors **CONSTANTINE THE GREAT** \- after the death of Diocletian = civil war, construction of Constantinopole