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Section Two: From Republic To Empire
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Objectives 1. Characterize the internal instability of the Roman Empire 2. Summarize the event in which Octavian, titled Caesar Augustus, was named emperor.
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I. Growing Inequality & Unrest Landed aristocracy governed Rome Wealthy, powerful families Senate & political offices
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Growing Inequality & Unrest Small farmers losing land to large, wealthy landowners New urban class of landless poor Economic & social unrest
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Growing Inequality & Unrest Tiberius & Gaius Gracchus, reform-minded aristocrats Called for laws giving public land back to the landless poor Both brothers eventually killed Discontent & unrest grew
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II. A New Role for the Army Traditionally small landowning farmers made up the army Marius recruited soldiers by promising land for allegiance to him Generals began gaining political & individual power
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A New Role for the Army Sulla & Marius fight to gain control Sulla seized power in 82 B.C. Restored power to the Senate & took away most of the powers of the assemblies
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III. The Collapse of the Republic Civil Wars 82 - 31 B.C. Crassus, Pompey & Julius Caesar emerged as victors combined wealth & power to dominate the political scene
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A. The First Triumvirate 60 B. C. first triumvirate – a government by three people with equal power Crassus, Pompey & Caesar Crassus killed in 53 B.C.
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The First Triumvirate Caesar crossed the Rubicon, the river Caesar and Pompey start a civil war against each other to gain power
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The First Triumvirate Caesar defeats Pompey’s forces Caesar become a dictator – an absolute ruler gave land to poor & increased the Senate to 900 members
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Julius Caesar
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The First Triumvirate 44 B.C. a group of leading senators assassinated him
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B. The Second Triumvirate Octavian, Antony & Lepidus Octavian took the west & Antony, the east soon came into conflict
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The Second Triumvirate Antony allied himself with the Egyptian queen Cleopatra VII Like Caesar before him, Antony had fallen in love with her
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Mark Anthony
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Cleopatra VII http://sangha.net/messengers/cleopatra_vii.jpg
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The Second Triumvirate At the Battle of Actium, Octavian’s forces smashed the army & the navy of Antony & Cleopatra Both committed suicide a year later
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IV. The Age of Augustus 27 B.C. Octavian became “Augustus” the revered one Imperator – or commander in chief, gave us the word emperor
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Octavian
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The Age of Augustus Maintained a huge army stabilized the frontiers Failed to conquer Germany Taught Augustus that Rome’s power was not unlimited
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V. The Early Empire A.D. 14 a series of new emperors ruled Rome ending in A.D. 180, is called the Early Empire
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A. Emperors of the Early Empire Nero, had people killed if he wanted them out of the way - including his mother Roman legions revolted Nero committed suicide by stabbing himself in the throat
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Nero
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Emperors of the Early Empire Five good emperors: Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius & Marcus Aurelius Pax Romana, “Roman Peace” lasted 100 years
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Pax Romana Treated ruling classes with respect ended arbitrary executions maintained peace in the empire supported domestic policies
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C. Extent of the Empire Trajan extended into Dacia (modern Romania), Mesopotamia & Sinia Peninsula Hadrian strengthened the fortifications along a line connecting the Rhine & Danube Rivers
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C. Extent of the Empire Hadrian built a defensive wall (Hadrian’s Wall) across northern Britain 2nd century Roman was at it’s height 3 1/2 million square mile & 50 million people
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http://itsa.ucsf.edu/~snlrc/encyclopaedia_romana/britannia/ruins/hadrianswall.jpg
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C. Extent of the Empire Cities spread Roman culture, law & the Latin language Freely mixed with Greek culture Greco-Roman Civilization
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D. Economic & Social Conditions high levels of trade & commerce farming still the basis of Roman prosperity latifundia, large landed estates raised sheep & cattle
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Economic & Social Conditions Upper class lived in villas & vast estates poor worked in shops & markets thousand of unemployed depended on the emperor’s handouts
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http://www.camelotintl.com/romans/images/villa.jpg
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Roman Villa in England
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