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From Empire to Republic

From Empire to Republic. Objectives. The student will demonstrate knowledge of ancient Rome from about 700 B.C.E. to 500 C.E. in terms of its impact on Western civilization by Assessing the impact of military conquests on the army, economy, and social structure or Rome

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From Empire to Republic

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  1. From Empire to Republic

  2. Objectives • The student will demonstrate knowledge of ancient Rome from about 700 B.C.E. to 500 C.E. in terms of its impact on Western civilization by • Assessing the impact of military conquests on the army, economy, and social structure or Rome • Assessing the roles of Julius and Augustus Caesar in the collapse of the Republic and rise of imperial monarchs • Essential Questions: • Why did the Roman Republic fail to survive challenges by Julius Caesar? • How did military conquests alter economic and social life in Rome? • How did an imperial monarchy come to rule Rome?

  3. Growing Inequality and Unrest • By 200 B.C. the senate was most powerful ruling body in Rome • Most senators were aristocracy (Patricians) • Directed wars of 3rd and 2nd centuries and took control of foreign affairs (consuls job) • Senate really controlled by a small number of wealthy families.

  4. Growing Inequality and Unrest • Small farmers were angry at losing land • A large number of landless poor in Rome • Brothers Tiberius and Gaius Grachhus tried to fix the problem • They urged the senate to pass a law to give land back to farmers • The brothers were killed by the senators and the law was never passed

  5. A New Role for the Army • 107 B.C. a new general named Marius recruited new soldiers • Promised poor land in return for service • Army was know not under government control • This created a new system that put power in the hands of Generals, not the government • 82 B.C. Lucius Cornelius Sulla • was given power by the senate to command the army in Asia Minor. • The council of Plebs wanted Marius to have power. • A civil war broke out • Sulla won control of the Army • Was an example for future leaders of how to take power

  6. Reasons for Decline of the Republic • Use of slaves in the production of agriculture led to food shortages • Roman currency became devalued • resulted in inflation • Small farmers moved to the cities • caused unemployment rates to increase • caused food production to decrease • Civil war initiated by Julius Caesar

  7. Collapse of the Republic • For 50 years, Rome was in civil war • Three men emerged with power: • Crassus • richest man in Rome • Pompey • powerful and popular general • Julius Caesar • military leader • 60 B.C.E. the three joined forces to create the first triumvirate. • A government with three people who have equal power • Division of power • Crassus ruled Spain (where he died in battle in 53 B.C) • Pompey ruled Syria • Julius Caesar ruled Gaul (where he won several military campaigns) • After Crassus death, Senate voted for only Pompey to rule, Caesar refused. • He took his army and crossed into Italy crossing the Rubicon River.

  8. The First TriumvirateCrassus Pompey Caesar

  9. Rise and Fall of Julius Caesar • Caesar and Pompey armies fought a civil war. Caesar was victorious • Caesar returned to Rome and became a dictator in 45 B.C. • He reformed the economy by giving land to the poor • Increased the Senate to 900 members, which weakened its power • Planned several building projects • In 44 B.C. he was assassinated by the senators

  10. The Second Triumvirate • After Caesar’s death three men fought for power. • Octavian (Caesar’s nephew) • Marc Antony (Caesar’s friend) • Lepidus (Commander of Calvary) • Triumvirate never worked well • Lepidus died • Antony and Octavian split empire • New Conflict • Antony allied with Cleopatra, the Egyptian Queen • Octavian and Antony fought at the Battle of Actium in 31 B.C. • Antony and Cleopatra’s armies were crushed and both committed suicide • Octavian at age 32 became the only leader of Rome

  11. Lepidus Octavian Marc Antony

  12. Age of Augustus • The end of the civil war between Octavian and Antony lead to the end of the Roman Republic. • Octavian renamed himself “Augustus Caesar” • 1st true Emperor of Rome • He restored power to Senate • Was very popular and the Senate gave him the title “Imperator” (commander in chief of army)

  13. Age of Augustus • Maintained a standing army of 150,000 • Only Roman citizens could be legionnaires • Set up a praetorian guard of 9,000 men to guard the emperor • Expanded and unified the empire • Was defeated in Germany • Proved that Rome’s power was limited

  14. Early Empire • Augustus allowed future emperors to choose a successor • 1st four emperors came from his family • Tiberius • Caligula • Claudius • Nero • These emperors took more power from the senate for themselves and became greedy and corrupt

  15. Emperors of the Early Empire • Nero • Had people killed if he didn’t like them (mom) • Took more power away from senators • Finally, the Roman legions revolted • Nero committed suicide • Which led to the 5 “good” emperors

  16. Emperors of Early Empire • “Good” Emperors: • Nerva • Trajan • Hadrian • Antonius Pius • Marcus Aurelius • Created a period of peace and prosperity called the “PaxRomana” (Roman Peace) • Lasted for almost 100 years • Emperors were fair, created new programs for the public, peaceful, created public works, but also took more power from senate.

  17. Extent of Empire • Rome expanded during early empire • While the empire expanded into Dacia, Mesopotamia, and the Sinai peninsula the emperors knew it was too large • Hadrian withdrew forces and strengthened defenses • Built a wall across Britain and connected the Rhine and Danube Rivers

  18. Extent of Empire • Empire largest during this time • Covered 3 ½ million miles • Population of 50 million • Cities spread Roman culture, law, and the Latin language • Roman culture mixed with existing Greek culture to created “Greco-Roman” civilization

  19. Economic and Social Conditions • Empire was extremely wealthy from trade • Rome participated in the Silk Road and traded with places as far as China • Still most people were farmers • Large estates called Latifundia controlled farming in south and central Italy • Used mainly slave labor • Raised sheep and cattle • Big gap between rich and poor • Small farmers became dependent on latifundia • Thousands of unemployed poor were starving in Rome • Wealthy lived lives of leisure and luxury

  20. Impact of the Pax Romana

  21. Objectives • The student will demonstrate knowledge of ancient Rome from about 700 B.C.E. to 500 C.E. in terms of its impact on Western civilization by • Assessing the impact of military conquests on the army, economy, and social structure or Rome • Assessing the roles of Julius and Augustus Caesar in the collapse of the Republic and rise of imperial monarchs • Essential Questions: • Why did the Roman Republic fail to survive challenges by Julius Caesar? • How did military conquests alter economic and social life in Rome? • How did an imperial monarchy come to rule Rome?

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