Population of Rome 5 th Century – 120,000 male, adult citizens 4 th Century – 160,000 3 rd Century – 300,000 1 st Century – 900,000 1 st Century AD – 4,000,000-7,000,000
BC – Entrenched Problems Latifundia – large estates (and labor problems, filled by POWs out of Rome’s wars) Slave Revolts (134-31, , 73-71) Grain Dole Unemployment at Rome Italian Allies – Franchise issue Large Standing Army – spread around the Mediterranean Difficulty of Administrating Empire e.g. Jugurtha in Numidia/Mithradates in Asia Minor Maintenance of Mos Maiorum
Gracchus & Gracchus – Power of the Tribune T.*challenged authority of Senate *appealed to people for support (Populares) *tried to give franchise to Italians *redistribution of land (Agrarian Reform) G.* redistribution of land * voting rights for Italians * control price of grain in Rome * jury pool from Equites (Knights) class * soldiers clothing bought with public expense
Marius vs Sulla Jugurtha, King of Numidia Massinissa, J’s grandfather Micipsa, J’s uncle 134 BC Assisted Scipio Aemilianus 112 J & 2 cousins inherit kingship War with Rome Marius (quaestor, Sulla) comes to fore
Marius in North Africa and Gaul New Army Successive consulships Political efforts “Social Wars” BC Sulla is hero and elected consul Mithridates in Asia Sulla given command, but Marius mingling in politics again with Sulpicius Rufus Sulla recalled from command
1 st Civil War - Sulla marches on Rome 2 nd Civil War – Marius & Cinna march on Rome Reign of Terror Sulla marches back – takes Rome and initiates longer Reign of Terror with PROSCRIPTIONS BC Sulla holds continuous dictatorship
Sulla’s Changes Military colonies (filled with his veterans) Restoration of Senatorial powers Weakening of Assembly (requires Senatorial approval for any legislation) Weakening Tribuneship – limited to intercession Reformed judicial system – standing courts and Senatorial juries
48 years of struggle left - Triumvirates 1 st Triumvirate – Pompey, J. Caesar, Crassus (60-49 BC) 2 nd Triumvirate – Octavian, Mark Antony, Lepidus (43-31 BC) Power lies with the army.
Octavian left alive. Pax Augusta