The Roman EmpireThe Roman Empire

The Gracchi•Tiberius and Gaius

Gracchus tried to reform the republic.

•Tiberius was elected Tribune in 133 BCE. He limited the amount of land senators could use.

•He also confiscated some of their land.

You don't mess with the Senate

•Tiberius also suggested moving the landless citizens to work on the confiscated lands from the senators.

•A mob of angry senators clubbed Tiberius to death. (ouch).

You don't mess with the senate, part 2

•Gaius was elected Tribune in 123 BCE and tried to introduce measures such as using public funds to provide food and grain for the poor of Rome.

•Gaius too, was murdered by the senate.

Marius

•Marius, a consul, reformed the Roman army. (107 BCE)

•Marius removed the land requirement on the military, signing up any citizen.

•Soldiers served for pay and booty.

Marius

•Marius' idea made soldiers faithful to their commanders, rather than to Rome.

Sulla

•Consul Lucius Cornelius Sulla was elected consul on 88 BCE.

•After his term expired, soldiers of Consul Marius prevented him from taking a post that would have given Sulla fame and honor.

•In response, Sulla marched his army towards Rome, and civil war erupted.

•82 to 79 BCE, Sulla ruled as dictator of Rome.

•Sulla retired peacefully and died in his villa.

Gaius Julius Caesar

•Julius Caesar, a nephew of Marius became really popular.

•He was an opponent of Sulla.

•He had stayed away from Rome during Sulla's dictatorship, and returned after his death.

•He was very popular as a general, so much that he gained enemies in the Roman senate.

•He was a great speaker, and his oratory and spending on the public gained him a following among the poor of Rome.

•To protect himself from the possible wrath of the senate, Caesar allied himself with Gaius Pompey and Licinius Crassus. They formed the First Triumvirate in 60 BCE.

•With the Triumvirate's support, Caesar became consul in 59 BCE.

•Caesar obtained a command post in Gaul, where he became really popular as a general.

•Through the next 10 years, he would bring Gaul to its knees.

•Crassus died and Pompey became increasingly jealous of Caesar.

•He became consul and convince the senate to order Caesar back to Rome without his army.

•Caesar disobeyed his order and instead marched unto Rome with his army.

•Once Caesar crossed the Rubicon (a river), he knew he would be declared a traitor.

•Pompey and his followers ran away to Greece, leaving Rome alone to be conquered by Caesar.

•Caesar first dominated Italy and Spain, then defeated Pompey in Greece.

•From Greece, Caesar moved to Egypt, where he put Cleopatra, of the Ptolemy line in power as an ally.

•In 46 BCE, Caesar returned home to Rome, where he was declared 'Dictator for Life'.

•Caesar kept the republican structure, but he was king in everything but name.

•He reduced the role of the Senate as an advisory body.

•Caesar established the 365 1/4 calendar that was used in Europe until AD 1592.

•The senate was less than thrilled with their new lame role, so a conspiracy was hatched to get rid of Caesar.

Stabby, Stabby!•On March 15,

44 BCE, Caesar was stabbed to death by members of the senate, including his two friends Gaius Cassius Longinus and Marcus Brutus.

The Second Triumvirate

•Caesar had chosen his nephew Octavian as heir. (18 yrs. of age at the time). Nevertheless, a struggle for the control of Rome erupted.

•While Octavian was in Greece, Marc Anthony drove the conspirators away and took control in Rome.

•Octavian, Marc Antony and Caesar's second in command, Lepidus, formed a second triumvirate in 43 BCE.

•Marc Anthony reconquered Asia Minor from Brutus and Cassius.

Octavian

•Antony and Octavian divided the Roman world.

•Marc Antony joined with Cleopatra in Egypt.

•Octavian forced Lepidus out of office and took power in Italy.

•Octavian convince the senate to declare war on Antony and Cleopatra.

•In the battle of Actium (Greece), Octavian defeated their fleet.

•Within a year, Octavian captured Alexandria.

•Octavian was careful no to end like his uncle.

•in 27 BCE, Octavian was named Augustus (revered one).

•After that, he was known as Augustus Caesar.

The Roman Empire

•Although Augustus never used the title Emperor, the Roman empire begins with him.

•Rome expanded greatly during Augustus' Reign.

•However, he was not able to expand past Germany, and in the battle of the Teutoburg Forest, three of his legions were defeated.