Roman Republic

I. Roman Republic

                1. Concepts

                                A. Decentralized Power

                                B. Patrician Dominated Society

                                C. Elected Officials

                2. End of the Republic

                                A. Individuals wanted more control.

                                B. Military leaders rise to power.

                                                1. Marius: Created new styles of military by giving land for services.

                                                2. Sulla: Uses the army  to march on Rome which the law is that you are not to bring your army to Rome.

II. The First Triumvirate

                1. In 60 B.C. Crassus, Pompey, and Julius Caesar formed the first Triumvirate (a government in which is ruled by three people).

                                A. Crassus- Was the richest man in Rome and is believed to maybe even have been the richest person in the world at the time.

                                B. Pompey- Successful military commander.

                                C. Julius Caesar- Also a successful military commander.

                2. As leaders, each was assigned a campaign to extend the Empire:

                                A. Pompey goes to Spain.

                                B. Crassus goes Syria.

                                C. Caesar go to Gaul which is what is the current area of France.

                3. Crassus gets killed in battle.

                4. Senate want Pompey to rule alone and question for Caesar to step down.

                5. Caesar refuses and advances on Rome starting a Civil War.

                                A. His army of loyal men support him.

                6. Caesar wins the war and take complete control of the Roman government.

                7. Soon after Caesar was officially made dictator.

                                A. Reforms:

                                                1. Increased size of Senate to 900 which weakened its power.

                                                2.Gave land to the poor.

                                                3. Plans to build and expand empire in the east.

                8. Caesar is kill by a group of Senators who do not agree with his group and decisions.

                9. Upon the death of Caesar a new struggle for power occurred.

                10.The three men who wanted control were:

                                A. Octavian- Caesars heir and grand nephew.

                                B. Antony- Caesars ally and assistant.

                                C. Lepidus- Caesars Calvary commander.

                11. Within a short time Octavian and Antony have risen to hold all power.   

                12. The two: Land soon came to fighting over control of the empire which resulted in the suicide of Antony and his lover/ally the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra VII.

                13. Octavian now at the age of 32 stood supreme in Rome and thus began

III. The Age of Augustus

                1. Upon taking control Octavian tried to restore some power to the Senate knowing that it would need their support to avoid being killed.

                2. They in turn gave him the title Augustus (the revered one)

                3. Augustus was well like, because he maintained his positions through control of the army, which the Senate made him Imperator (Commander-in-chief.)

                                A. Maintained a standing army of 28 legions (150,000 soldiers) each legion contained roughly on average 5,000.

                                B. Only citizens could be legions.

                                C. Non-citizens make up the 130,000 auxiliary forces.

                4. Also having 9,000 praetorian guard protecting himself.

                5. Effectively gained more land on many fronts and secured other weak areas along the fronts.

                6. Did suffer a major loss through against Germans forces whom Augustus would never fight again.