Mr. King J110

 133 BC Rome is the most powerful state in the Mediterranean because it controls all Greek city-states and Asia Minor  The Romans even call the sea “Mare Nostrum” which means “Our Sea”

RRoman soldiers were actually farmers, merchants, and laborers when not at war BBecause Rome gained so much new territory, soldiers had more land to protect WWhen soldiers did return home, they found their homes were sold by the government because they did not pay taxes

 Another big problem existed:  Jobs were hard to find because slaves were doing most of the work in Rome  At this point in time, slaves actually made 1/3 of the entire Roman population  Some people received money to vote for people running for office: this made the poor stay poor and the rich become even more rich

 134 BC tribune Tiberius Gracchus gives public land to the poor and stands up for the rights of soldiers  Plebeians support Gracchus, but patricians in the senate do not  They start a riot and Gracchus is killed

 The brother of Tiberius, named Gaius, is elected tribune in 123 BC  He lowers the price of grain for the poor and assists people who wish to be citizens  Again senators do not approve of his behavior and oppose the reform  Gaius Gracchus is killed with his followers

 Plebeians and tribunes want reform  110 BC general Marius forms an army of the poor  He promises to share profits from conquering others  His army has victories in North Africa and in Gaul; these soldiers are now more loyal to Marius than to Rome

 88 BC general Lucius Sulla challenges Marius; the result is a civil war  Thousands of people die  Sulla defeats Marius and becomes dictator  Law stated that dictators could only rule for 6 months at a time; Sulla changes the law so he can rule longer

Lucius SullaGaius Marius

 60 BC 3 men agree to rule Rome: Crassus, a wealthy politician Pompey, a general Caesar, a general

PPompey is scared of Caesar and makes the senate limit his power; they order him to return to Rome without his army CCaesar marches his army through the Rubicon River back to Rome CCaesar now has more power than Rome because people fear him and his men

 Caesar: gives jobs to the poor, orders rich people to stop wearing extravagant items, and passes tougher laws for criminals  Caesar makes the Roman calendar more accurate; this is used for the next 1500 years in Europe  Caesar forgives his old enemies and hires them as government officials

 44 BC senate makes Caesar a dictator for life  Statues of him are all over Rome and his face is even on coins  Senators fear because of his popularity with the people, he might try to become king and this would end the republic  On March BC he is assassinated in order to “save the republic”

 Caesar’s adopted son Octavian and two generals, Mark Antony and Marcus Lepidus form the second Triumvirate  They divide Rome into 3 areas: Octavian rules the west Antony rules the east Lepidus rules North Africa

 Lepidus retires as a leader which leaves Mark Antony and Octavian to fight for total control of Rome  Antony forms an alliance with Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt  Octavian fears these two will form their own empire so he asks the senate to take power away from Antony  Octavian declares war on Antony and Cleopatra

 Antony and Cleopatra find out about the plans of Octavian who will attack Egypt  They decide to kill themselves  Then in 31 BC the Romans defeat the Egyptians  The Roman Republic ends in 27 BC  The senate appoints Octavian the Emperor of Rome; kings rule Rome for the next 500 years