The Collapse of the Republic 73 - 44 B.C.

The Collapse of the Republic Spartacus, a Thracian gladiator, escapes and leads a slave revolt through the Apennine mountains.

The Collapse of the Republic After nearly 3 years of ravaging the countryside, Spartacus is captured by Marcus Crassus and GnaeusPompeius.

The Collapse of the Republic The slaves who did not die in battle were crucified all along the Appian Way.

The Collapse of the Republic Pompey, who had helped Crassus defeat Spartacus, was given an extraordinary command against pirates and then Mithridates, the King of Pontus who had been harassing the Romans for decades.

The Collapse of the Republic In 63 B.C. Marcus Tullius Cicero, a novus homo, quells the conspiracy of Lucius Sergius Catilina.

The Collapse of the Republic Cicero uses his 1st “In Catilinam” speech and later the “Senatus Consultum Ultimum” to rid Rome of Catiline and his followers.

The Collapse of the Republic Pompey returns to rome successfully from the east, but the senate refuses to grant him land that he had promised to his retiring soldiers.

The Collapse of the Republic Pompey makes a pact with the other 2 most important men in Rome, Marcus Crassus and an impoverished young patrician named Gaius Julius Caesar.

The Collapse of the Republic To cement this pact, which became known as the 1st Triumvirate, Caesar marries his daughter, Julia, to Pompey.

The Collapse of the Republic The 1st triumvirate secures land for Pompey’s troops and the consulship of 59 B.C. for Caesar.

The Collapse of the Republic Then Caesar spends the next 10 years fighting in Gaul and Britain. This adds to his monetary and political clout.

The Collapse of the Republic The triumvirate begins to fall apart in 54 with the death of Julia, who died in childbirth.

The Collapse of the Republic In the following year, Crassus, who was trying to match Caesar’s conquests, is killed in Parthia

The Collapse of the Republic Caesar, who is still with his troops in Gaul, asks to stand for the consulship in absentia.

The Collapse of the Republic The senate, afraid of Caesar’s power and wealth, grants Pompey the Senatus Consultum Ultimum to defend the city against Caesar.

The Collapse of the Republic Caesar, not to be denied, crosses the Rubicon River and leads his troops into Italy, thereby declaring civil war on the senate. This is when he famously said, “Alea Iacta Est!”

The Collapse of the Republic Caesar marches on Rome; Pompey flees to Greece. Caesar compels the senate to grant him his 2nd consulship.

The Collapse of the Republic Caesar then marches to Spain and defeats Pompey’s forces there. He then heads to Greece to confront Pompey.

The Collapse of the Republic Caesar and Pompey meet at the plain of Pharsalus, with Caesar winning a convincing victory.

The Collapse of the Republic Pompey flees to Egypt where he is assassinated by the king of Egypt.

The Collapse of the Republic Caesar returns to rome, celebrates 4 “military Triumphs,” and serves his 3rd consulship.

The Collapse of the Republic In the following year (45 B.C.) Caesar serves his 4th consulship, but without a co-consul.

The Collapse of the Republic In the following year (44 B.C.) Caesar is declared “Dictator Perpetuus.” The senate, for obvious reasons, did not like this, and a band of conspirators assassinated Caesar, Idibus Martiis, 710 AUC.