Rome (Day 3)

- Gov grew unstable as territory enlarged
- Increasing wealth and expanding boundaries brought problems
- Discontent among lower class of society
- Breakdown in military order
- Lead to shakeup of republic and emergence of new political system
- Gap between rich and poor grew

- Slaves were forced to work on rich peoples large estates
- By 100 BC- enslaved people made up one third of population
- Many farmers were former soldier
- Many sold land for money and became homeless/jobless
- Joined the urban poor- group made up one fourth of society

- Tiberius and Gaius Cracchus (brothers) tried to help poor
- Tribunes who tried to lift the size of estates and wanted to give land to the poor
- Made enemies with senators who felt threatened by their ideas
- Tiberius died in 133 BC
- Gaius died in 121 BC
- Both had violent deaths during civil war
- Generals began to seize power
- Recruited poor people to be soldiers by promising land
- Replaced citizen-soldiers who's loyalty was to republic
- Now possible for military leader supported by troops to take over by force

- 60 BC- Julius Caesar and Crassus (wealthy Roman and Pompey general)
- Caesar elected consul in 59 BC
- Dominated Rome for next 10 years as triumvirate (group of three rulers)
- Caesar served for one year as consul
- Appointed himself gov of Gaul (now France)
- 58-50 BC- Caesar led his legions to conquer all of Gaul
- Won his mens loyalty and devotion
- Became very popular with people of Rome
- Took his army across Rubicon River in Italy and marched toward Rome
- Popey fled after telling him to go back home
- Troops defeated Popey's army in Greece, Asia, Spain, and Egypt
- 44 BC- Appointed dictator for life
- Granted Roman citizenship to people in provinces
- Expanded senate
- Created jobs and constructed new public buildings
- Increased Soldiers pay
- Nobles concerned about his growing power and popularity
- Some considered him a tyrant
- Many senators plotted his assassination
- March 15, 44 BC- Stabbed to death in senate chamber

- Civil war broke out again and destroyed Roman Republic
- Caesar's nephew and adopted son Octavian joined with an experienced general and ruled Rome for 10 years as the Second Triumvirate
- Alliance ended in jealousy and violence
- Octavian forced Lepidus to retire and became rivals with Mark Anthony
- Mark Anthony met Cleopatra and fell in love
- Got accused of trying to rule Rome from Egypt and another civil war started
- Anthony and Cleopatra committed suicide
- Octavian became unchallenged ruler fo Rome
- Accepted title of Augustus

- Romes power peaked during Augustus's rule in 27 BC to 180 AD
- Peace reigned throughout empire except for tribes fighting along border
- Period of peace called Pax Romana
- Roman Empire included more than 3 million square miles and had 60-80 million people

- Augustus stabilized frontier
- Added public buildings
- Created system of gov that survived for centuries
- Set up a civil service
- Died in 14 AD and system of gov remained stable

- 90% of people engaged in farming
- Romans survived on local produce
- Additional food and other items were obtained through trade

- Emphasized values of discipline, strength, and loyalty
- Person with these qualities had gravitas
- Honored strength more than loyalty
- Most lived in countryside and worked on farms
- In Rome and smaller cities people from all walks of life cam together and formed a diverse society

- Slaves made up one third of the population
- Most slaves were conquered people put into slavery
- Children born into slavery became slaves
- Slaves were the property of their owners
- They could be punished, rewarded, set free, or put to death if their masters wanted
- Worked in the city and farm
- Treated badly and worked long days
- Some strong and healthy men were forced to be gladiators
- Slaves in wealthy homes were treed better
- More than 1 million slaves were killed attempting to gain freedom

- Romans worshipped powerful divine spirits called numia
- Lares were the guardian spirits of each family
- Honored gods and goddesses through rituals to gain favor
- Gov and religion were linked
- Romans honored them in private and public rituals
- Jupiter- father of the Gods
- Juno- his wife, watched over women
- Minerva- Goddess of wisdom, arts, and crafts

- Rich lived extravagantly
- Spent money on homes, gardens, slaves, and luxuries
- Had long banquets with rare and expensive foods
- Most in Rome barely had the necessities of life
- Most of the population was unemployed
- Gov supported these people with daily rations of grain

- Fire was common and constant danger
- Gov distracted people with games, races, mock battles, and gladiator contests
- By 250 AD, there were 150 holidays
- On holidays the Colosseum would fill with rich and poor
- Watched animal shows where animals fought to the death
- Gladiators engaged in combat with animals and each other until one was killed

- Christianity emerged slowly
- Early followers would meet with hardship for their beliefs
- Religion spread throughout the empire and into the rest of the world

1. Civil War- Conflict between groups within the same country
Julius Caesar- Strong and smart military leader of Rome who served one year as consul and became dictator of Rome.
Triumvirate- A group of three rulers
Augustus- Octavian, a leader of romaine who accepted this title, meaning "exalted one"
Pax Romana- A period of peace and prosperity

3. Factors the contributed to the fall of the roman Republic are the discontent among the lower classes of society and the lack of military order.

4. The reasons that Rome's empire was so successful was because of the good government they had and very good rulers.

5. The government had free games, races, events, and gladiator battles to distract the people of Rome and control them.