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Fall of the Roman Republic

Fall of the Roman Republic. Fall of the Roman Republic. 1. Agricultural Crisis. Fall of the Roman Republic. Agricultural Crisis Small landowners were: Major producers of food and Majority of the soldiers in the legions. Fall of the Roman Republic. Agricultural Crisis

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Fall of the Roman Republic

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  1. Fall of the Roman Republic

  2. Fall of the Roman Republic 1. Agricultural Crisis

  3. Fall of the Roman Republic Agricultural Crisis • Small landowners were: • Major producers of food and • Majority of the soldiers in the legions

  4. Fall of the Roman Republic Agricultural Crisis • War brought problems they could not deal with • Destruction of farms by Hannibal • Neglect • New provinces (Sicily and Spain) flooded food markets with inexpensive products • Slave labor • Patricians investing in land caused the price of land to skyrocket

  5. Fall of the Roman Republic Agricultural Crisis • Formation of latifundia • Small farmers who sold moved to cities • Looking for jobs • Unemployed • Resentful, class warfare • Larger gap between rich and poor

  6. Fall of the Roman Republic 2.Land reform failed

  7. Fall of the Roman Republic 2. Land reform failed Increased geographic size of Republic strained government Roman Society = SPQR Roman Senate Roman People patricians vs. plebeians

  8. Fall of the Roman Republic 2. Land reform failed Increased geographic size of Republic strained government Roman Senate: • Original patrician families • Responsible for government= stress/strain: • Conflict with plebeians and other patricians • Increased size of Republic= Rome plus provinces

  9. Fall of the Roman Republic 2. Land reform failed Increased geographic size of Republic strained government Roman Senate: • Unwilling to admit “new men” to the inner circle of power • Dominated the political process • Adopted a narrow “us vs. them” approach to government and the Republic

  10. Fall of the Roman Republic 2. Land reform failed Increased geographic size of Republic strained government Roman People: • Manpower for “citizen militia” army • Land owning farmers • Decreasing supply of soldiers when needed most • Assemblies: less representative, participation

  11. Fall of the Roman Republic 2. Land reform failed Owning land and farming were basics of Roman society, culture and economy • Individuals used booty to buy out smaller farmers (straight or default loan/tax sales) • Ex-farmers moved to big cities or the provinces • Reduced: • social status • participation in decision making

  12. Fall of the Roman Republic 2. Land reform failed Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus tried • remove a portion of public land from patricians • distribute land to “landless” plebeians • eligible for military service

  13. Fall of the Roman Republic 2. Land reform failed Conflict between Senate and Gracchi brothers • All agreed reform was necessary, but … • Uncertainty and doubt about proposal • Methods to be used to enact proposal were new, untried and often bordered on being illegal

  14. Fall of the Roman Republic 2. Land reform failed Conflict between Senate and Gracchus brothers • Real intentions of the Gracchi • Created divisions in Senate which worked for their own gain • Create “winners” and “losers”- involved land, but really about power/clients • Threatened nobles’ control of government

  15. Fall of the Roman Republic 2. Land reform failed Conflict between Senate and Gracchus brothers Results: • Reforms failed • Political violence by all sides • Brothers murdered by patricians • Open divisions in Republic: Senate vs. people, landed vs. non-landed, patrician vs. patrician, etc

  16. Fall of the Roman Republic 2. Land reform failed Conflict between Senate and Gracchus brothers Results: • Benefits from success of Republic • Support of “people” reforms • Source of power and wealth to exploit for personal gain

  17. Fall of the Roman Republic 3. Politics became corrupt and violent

  18. Fall of the Roman Republic 3. Politics became corrupt and violent • Threat of foreign warfare removed • Patrician vs. Plebeian warfare • Unemployed plebeians rioted • Patricians assassinate Gracchi brothers

  19. Fall of the Roman Republic 3. Politics became corrupt and violent • Patricians sought wealth and power rather than protecting Rome • Plebeians followed leaders who promised free food and entertainment

  20. Fall of the Roman Republic 4. Slave Revolts

  21. Fall of the Roman Republic 4. Slave Revolts • 135 B.C. first slave revolt in Sicily • Spartacus led slave revolt of 90,000 • 1 out of every 4 people in Rome was a slave

  22. Fall of the Roman Republic 5. War plunder decreased

  23. Fall of the Roman Republic 5. War plunder decreased • Territory added before 100 B.C.: • Central Italy, Northern Italy, Southern Italy, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Spain, Portugal, Northern Africa, Greece, Turkey, Syria • Territory added 100 B.C. – 0: • Gaul

  24. Fall of the Roman Republic 5. War plunder decreased • Refocus: • Away from foreign threat to threats at home • Centered on power/clients and wealth • Patrician vs. patrician • Optimates vs Populares

  25. Fall of the Roman Republic 6. Generals gained power

  26. Fall of the Roman Republic 6. Generals gained power Period of: political confusion social unrest political violence mass assassination

  27. Fall of the Roman Republic • 6. Generals gained power Gaius Marius: • Plebeian novos homo • Common soldier to military tribune • Uneducated, rough, vulgar, but skilled commander • Hero of the lower classes • Elected consul 7 times

  28. Fall of the Roman Republic • 6. Generals gained power Lucius Cornelius Sulla • Old patrician family- but no wealth- removed from Senate • Fanatical supporter of the anti-Gracchi group • Legate for Marius • Elected consul 2 times • Dictator in 81 BC

  29. Fall of the Roman Republic Conflict Jurgurtha/German Wars Optimates vs. Populares Command of the East/ Civil Wars

  30. Fall of the Roman Republic 6. Generals gained power • Jurgurtha/German Wars: • Africa (Numidia) against Jurgurtha • Southern France against migrating German Cimbri and Teutones Threat allowed Marius to be elected consul 5 consecutive years

  31. Fall of the Roman Republic 6. Generals gained power Gaius Marius: • Sulla was legate under Marius • Negotiated betrayal of Jurgurtha, capturing him personally • Triumph given to Marius • Destroyed statue honoring Sulla- commemorated Jurgurtha’s capture by Sulla

  32. Fall of the Roman Republic 6. Generals gained power Gaius Marius: • Created professional army of volunteers from landless, unemployed plebeians • To be given land or bonus after 16 year term was completed • Became loyal to leader rather than to republic- commander recruited and paid soldiers personally- paid in loot (Marius’ Mules)

  33. Fall of the Roman Republic 6. Generals gained power Optimates vs. Populares • Groups of patrician/senatorial politicians organized for personal gain (nobility vs. nobility)

  34. Fall of the Roman Republic 6. Generals gained power Optimates Ruthless conservatives willing to defend: Property Privilege At all costs • Defenders of: • Constitution • Law and order • Roman tradition

  35. Fall of the Roman Republic 6. Generals gained power Populares • Selfless reformers: • Supported Republic and People • What was best for Republic • Ambitious politicians: • Establish personal • power • tyranny

  36. Fall of the Roman Republic 6. Generals gained power Optimates vs. Populares Marius Identified with: Populares

  37. Fall of the Roman Republic 6. Generals gained power Optimates vs. Populares Sulla identified with: Optimates

  38. Fall of the Roman Republic 6. Generals gained power Command of the East/Civil Wars • 88 BC, Sulla elected consul, given command of the East • War against Mithridates • Marius, with support of the tribune of the plebs, took command away and had it given to himself

  39. Fall of the Roman Republic 6. Generals gained power Command of the East/Civil Wars • Sulla’s reaction: • Gathered army, marched on City of Rome • Had tribune of plebs, Marius and their supporters outlawed • Marius fled, tribune and many supporters killed • Command of the East given back to Sulla • Sulla left for the East with legions

  40. Fall of the Roman Republic 6. Generals gained power Command of the East/Civil Wars • Return of Marius: • Pro-Marius consul (Cinna) elected, exiled by Senate • Consul put together an army • Marius returned, put together an army • Marian/consular armies took Rome

  41. Fall of the Roman Republic 6. Generals gained power Command of the East/Civil Wars • Return of Marius: • Marius massacred opponents who were leaders of Senate

  42. Fall of the Roman Republic 6. Generals gained power Command of the East/Civil Wars “In a word, so insatiable, a passion for bloodshed seized Marius that, when he had killed most of his enemies and because of excitement could remember no one else he wished to destroy, he passed the word to his soldiers to slay every passer-by, one after another, unless he extended his hand to him…. Naturally in the great crowd and confusion… many whose deaths he did not in the least desire died needlessly.” Dio Cassio 30, 102.10

  43. Fall of the Roman Republic 6. Generals gained power Command of the East/Civil Wars • Return of Marius: • Marius and Cinna elected consuls next year • Marius died 14 days into term

  44. Fall of the Roman Republic 6. Generals gained power Command of the East/Civil Wars • Return of Sulla: • Returned with 40,000 veterans • Defeated consular armies • Took Rome and began to persecute/slaughter his enemies: • Enemies names posted in Forum: • Could be killed, possessions taken

  45. Fall of the Roman Republic 6. Generals gained power Command of the East/Civil Wars • Return of Sulla: • Rewards given to informers • “outlaws” could be killed without fear of punishment • 2,600 equestrians including 90 senators killed • Land taken used to reward Sulla’s 150,000 veterans • Sulla declared dictator for life-restore authority

  46. Fall of the Roman Republic 6. Generals gained power Command of the East/Civil Wars • Next generation of Roman leaders and generals: • Lived through Civil Wars • Sided with Sulla or with Marius • Patterns of leadership (Marius/Sulla) established

  47. Fall of the Roman Republic 6. Generals gained power • First Triumvirate • Gnaeus Pompey, Crassus, and Julius Caesar • Pompey – Hispania, Crassus – Syria, Caesar – Gaul • All opposed the Senate • United to elect Caesar consul • Why 3 leaders with “equal” power?

  48. First Triumvirate

  49. Fall of the Roman Republic • Most powerful and wealthy patrician • Military commander • Put down slave revolt led by Spartacus • Eager to prove brilliance as commander • Killed in Parthia

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