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Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar. And the end of the Roman Republic. Changes in Roman Life. Slavery—upper class was afraid—treated slaves badly  to slave revolts Food/Farming—Not enough food for growing population  tension between classes, slaves took jobs  desperate Plebs

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Julius Caesar

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  1. Julius Caesar And the end of the Roman Republic

  2. Changes in Roman Life • Slavery—upper class was afraid—treated slaves badly to slave revolts • Food/Farming—Not enough food for growing population  tension between classes, slaves took jobs  desperate Plebs • Gracchus Brothers—Tribunes that tried to take land from the wealthy and give it to the poor. They are killed in the streets. • Sulla—General that takes over the dictatorship by force New Idea in Roman Society: • Violence can be used to get the political result that you want

  3. Early Life: Gaius Julius Caesar • Born 100 BCE • Patrician Family • Strict school training, private tutors • Age 16, forced to flee- Marius is his uncle • Returns to Rome and begins a career as a lawyer—very interested in politics • Inspired by Alexander the Great

  4. What does Caesar want? Who likes him? • Wants to get into politics—one method is increase fame and fortune through military. • Senate doesn’t like him. Realized the key to power in Rome was the masses of plebs • Political office—entertainment officer (the perfect job) • Borrows money to throw games for the poor • Elected Consul 59 BCE

  5. WAS HE A GOOD CONSUL? Depends who you asked • Often acted illegally—made decisions without his co-consul, had senators arrested if they disagreed with him, used bribery to get his way. • Uses Consul to advance his own agenda • Plebs love him, Senate hates him, Soldiers admire him • After his consulship—he heads back out to war

  6. Who is Pompey? • Powerful Military General • Helped defeat Spartacus’ slave revolt • Helped defeat Mediterranean Pirates • Patrician and believed that the wealthy should have more power than the masses— • BUT was still popular with the crowd because of his victories • Very popular with the Senate because he supports their power

  7. Caesar + Pompey = Trouble? • After his successful military battles, Pompey wants to reward his soldiers with land. The Senate refuses to allow it—making Pompey mad. He decides to make an alliance with 2 other leaders so he can get his way. One of the other leaders is Caesar • Idea was to use Pompey’s money and military reputation and Caesar’s power with the crowd to influence government policy. It Works! • Caesar returns to Rome to rally the support of the people. Pompey wins the consulship. Pompey rewards Caesar with high-powered military commands (The Senate hates this!)

  8. Stop and Discuss… • Is the Alliance with Pompey a good idea.. • for Caesar? • For Pompey? • For Rome?

  9. Are Caesar and Pompey friends? • NO! • Potential rivals: both military leaders with political goals. Pompey is at the top of his game, Caesar is still rising • The Alliance is temporarily good for both of them but…will it last? • To cement the alliance, Caesar’s daughter marries Pompey

  10. Where does Caesar end up? Caesar ends up in Gaul (modern day France) for a 5-year stretch He wins great victories and great wealth Soldiers LOVE him Some methods were VERY harsh—unapproved by the Senate

  11. MEANWHILE….years pass… The alliance between Pompey and Caesar is weakening • Caesar’s daughter, (Pompey’s wife) dies in childbirth • Pompey’s consulship is over, he is back in the field as a military general with limited political power • Caesar’s victories in Gaul make him more popular than Pompey.

  12. Stop and Predict… • What is going to happen?

  13. Civil War Caesar’s 5 year term for ruling Gaul was up. The Senate was worried he would return to Rome and get into politics again Some Senators wanted to prosecute him for War Crimes he committed in Gaul and illegal actions when he was a Consul Caesar was told to return to Rome without his armies, he refuses Caesar comes to Rome WITH his armies (huge breach of Roman law—act of war) The Senate calls their other master general (Pompey) to fight Caesar

  14. Stop and Analyze… • Why would the Senate want Pompey to be the one to fight Caesar? • Why would Pompey do it?

  15. What happens? • Pompey and many of the Senators are forced to flee Rome • Caesar controls the city • Pompey finally raises his troops and he and Caesar fight • Pompey flees to Egypt where he is killed

  16. Stop and think… • Why is it important that the Senators were forced to flee the city?

  17. Does Caesar end the Republic? • NO! He’s too smart! • He doesn’t get rid of the system---he works within it. How? • He becomes consul 4 times in a row and his co-consul is his best friend Marc Antony • He fills the Senate vacancies with his own supporters and friends

  18. Caesar and the People • The crowd had always loved Caesar and he does more of the same. • What does he do… • Free food • Reduces the population of Rome by setting up colonies with incentives • Land to soldiers, farms back to farmers • Huge games and banquets for very poor • Builds libraries, public buildings, canals, roads, changes the calendar—all without approval from anyone

  19. Stop and Analyze… • Was Caesar wrong to give the people what they wanted and needed? Doesn’t this make him a good leader?

  20. How does he consolidate his power? • He appoints himself ‘dictator’ and renews his own ‘dictatorship’ for several years—the people approve • 44 BCE—People approve his ‘dictatorship for life’ He acts like the Republic is still the same as ever but with the support of the Plebeians and the army—he really has all the power

  21. Stop and Analyze • Were the people right or wrong to trade their freedom and their voice in the government in order to have safety and security?

  22. The End of Caesar… • The Ides of March(15th of March), 44 BCE • Senators are upset with his power—they have been edged out of the ‘Republic’. Some fear a king and the end of the Republic, others fear loss of influence • Conspiracy to assassinate Caesar: 60 Senators, including his good friend Brutus, plot to kill him

  23. How does it happen? • Caesar goes to the Senate Chamber • Session starts and the Senators surround him, knives hidden under their togas • One Senator stabs him and the others join in • The Senators who weren’t in on it are terrified • Those who were—stab Caesar 23 times, he dies in the Senate house • Body lies there for 3 hours as everyone else flees

  24. Stop and discuss… • Do you feel bad for Caesar? Did he deserve what he got? • Were the Senators right to kill him? Smart to kill him?

  25. Response to Caesar’s Death • Brutus and others who thought they were protecting Rome from a tyrant were shocked. Crowd goes wild, burns the homes of the Senators • Power struggle for control of Rome leads to 3-way Civil War • Octavian (Caesar’s adopted son and heir) • Marc Antony (Caesar’s Best Friend and long time co-consul) • Brutus and Cassius (the leaders of the Senate plot who want to return Rome to a real Republic) Octavian and Antony join together to defeat Brutus and Cassius Then Octavian turns against Antony and defeats him—leaving Octavian in complete charge of Rome  First Emperor

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