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CLAS/HIST1631

Brutus. CLAS/HIST1631. The Gracchi. Brothers Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus try to reform Rome around time of Eunus' slave war Reassign 'public' land Reduce concentration of wealth in hands of few Provide settlement for dispossessed former soldiers Basis of the movement known as 'populares'

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CLAS/HIST1631

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  1. Brutus CLAS/HIST1631

  2. The Gracchi • Brothers Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus try to reform Rome around time of Eunus' slave war • Reassign 'public' land • Reduce concentration of wealth in hands of few • Provide settlement for dispossessed former soldiers • Basis of the movement known as 'populares' • Both die trying, at the hands of crowds summoned by senatorial opposition, 'optimates' • Failure to reconcile the differences they brought up leads to the Roman Revolution, changing government from rotating magistratices to autocracy

  3. The Fragmentation of the Republic • Land reforms proposed by Gracchi violently rejected • Senatorial elite react against any diminishing of their authority • Polarization of the ruling classes into Populares and Optimates • Politicians and others get used to taking sides, often with bloody results

  4. War Against Allies; War Against Slaves • War with Italian allies, who wanted citizenship • Only settled through concessions • Slave rebellion of gladiator Spartacus, 73-71 • Extensive fighting in Italy

  5. Pompey Magnus 'The Great' • Consul in 70, before proper age • Eastern command, wipes out pirates, finishes rebellious eastern monarchs, captures Jerusalem • On return (61 BC), senate won't let him settle army

  6. Julius Caesar • Related to Marius on mother's side • Made pontifex (chief priest) in 73, after distinguished military career • Spends lavishly in government • Provincial governor in Spain

  7. First Triumvirate • On return from Spain, Caesar runs for consular office; can't afford to lose (60 BC)‏ • Allies himself with Pompey • Not an official alliance, due to mutual self-interest • Sealed by marriage of Julia (Caesar's daughter) to Pompey in 59 BC • Caesar hopes to have his back covered while in his province, Gaul

  8. Caesar in Gaul • Given provinces of Gauls, this side and other side of the Alps • Starts major war, after almost a decade conquers all of modern-day France, Belgium, even reaches Britain • Needs continued power to avoid prosecution for irreg. activities in consulship

  9. Civil War • Julia dies 54 • Pompey opposes Caesar's run for office in absentia • Caesar crosses the Rubicon river • “Alea iacta est” • B. of Pharsalus • Egypt and Cleopatra

  10. Caesar, Dictator for Life

  11. Detail of Text

  12. Assassination of Caesar • Progressive measures: calendar, increasing number of Patrician families, colonies • Widespread conspiracy assassinates him in Curia, 15th March 44 BC • Conspirators believe they have restored Republic; just delay the inevitable

  13. Caesar's Two Would-Be Successors • Octavian, his barely-adult nephew to whom he surprisingly left his wealth and name, adopting posthumously • Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony), who was his lieutenant and considered himself the true successor to Caesar's glory

  14. 44 BC's 24 Hour News Cycle • Compared to most history before 18th C., we know a great deal about this year • Contemporary letters, sometimes multiple on one day • Cicero, hoping to restore Republic, but refusing to get his hands dirty in assassination

  15. The Turning Tide • Popular love of Caesar out-weighs respect for assassins • Antony and Octavian join forces and oppose the killers of Caesar • Gradual realization that they are in a corner: see letter to Brutus on p. 58-59

  16. Brutus, Traitor or Freedom-Fighter? • Sadly, this flood of information rarely informs discussion of the people involved • Brutus' life put him in the centre of the conflict between popularist dictator Caesar and the senate • His personal life with Caesar was so close that the latters last words were not 'You also, Brutus?' • They were 'You also, my son'!

  17. Son of Caesar • Julius Caesar had no male offspring • Brutus might have been destined to mary Julia, Caesar's only daughter • Brutus was like a step-son, because Brutus' mother, Servilia, was Caesar's longstanding mistress • Brutus' uncle – Servilia's half brother – was Cato, the leading optimate, and a vigorous opponent of Caesar at every turn

  18. Sic Semper Tyrannis • Lucius Junius Brutus was the last king-killer of Rome, and Brutus' ancestor • Brutus studied in Athens and saw the statue of Harmodius and Aristogeiton • One thing the defeated Greeks and Romans could agree on was the evil of tyranny

  19. Brutus' Propaganda in Coin

  20. Optimate Hypocrisy • The optimates always talked of constitutional matters, but never lost an opportunity to gain wealth and power through their position in ruling elite • E.g., Cato and Brutus' trip to Cyprus to organize as province • On return, Brutus gets a law decreed that lets him charge 48% on loan to city at Cyprus

  21. Choosing Sides • Civil War between Caesar and Pompey of 49 put Brutus, like many others in hard spot: • Family ties • Values • Pompey was chosen as weapon of optimates against Caesar, who they saw as having 'gone rogue' • Pompey had been responsible for death of Brutus' father • Yet nevertheless Brutus chose Pompey's side

  22. Caesar's Victory Over Pompey • Brutus chose the losing side at B. of Pharsalus • Pompey, Cato decide to go to Africa and continue fight • Pompey's killed by the king of Egypt, Ptolemy XIII • Cato defeated in N. Africa; commits suicide • Miraculously, Caesar decided to offer clemency to anyone who would return to Rome • Brutus takes governorship of Gaul from Caesar

  23. The War of Words • Brutus writes eulogy of Cato with Cicero • Caesar writes anti-Cato in response • Brutus became literally wedded to Cato: he divorces in order to marry Porcia, daughter of Cato • Imagine the dinner-table, with Servilia and Porcia staring daggers at each other!

  24. The Assassination of Caesar • Brutus was the man of the hour, egged on by Cassius • All these personal and self-interested reasons intersected with political: Caesar had decreed himself dictator for life • Took place at meeting of senate, but not in Senate House but rather under statue of Pompey!

  25. The Failing Counter-Revolution • Cicero says the conspirators had “courage of men and foresight of children” • Eventually they are driven from Rome and defeated at Philippi in 42 BC • Cicero is killed by agreement of Antony and Octavian

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