1. 753-509 7 Kings 509 – c. 44 BCE Republic 31 BCE – … ? Roman Empire
Ancient Rome
Kings
509 – c. 44 BCE Republic
31 BCE – … ? Roman Empire

2. Roman citizens Latin rights citizen without vote allies

3. Bacchus (Dionysus)

4. Senate’s decree (SC) against the Bacchanalia, 186 BCE

6. Polybius, a Greek statesman, came to Rome as a hostage & wrote the history
Friend of top Senators such as the Scipio family
With Scipio the Younger at the burning of Carthage (146 BCE)
An example of Greek culture and education (liberal arts) coming to Rome
His theory of a mixed constitution influenced the U.S. quite a bit:
Consuls executive like kings
Senate aristocrats
People some democratic element (remember SPQR)

7. Social stresses. The Gracchi brothers
Social stresses. The Gracchi brothers. Roman Senators divided into Populares and Optimates
Tiberius Gracchus, a reforming noble. Tribune land reform
Murdered by Senators in a mob riot; body thrown in the Tiber River
Caius Gracchus, Tribune Reform proposals.
Proposed to give Roman citizenship to Italians (who are allies & second-class citizens)
Extortion court given to equites to judge
equites (“knights”) = businessmen, tax collectors (whereas senators are old landed wealth)
Other courts: judges chosen from a panel of both equites and senators)

8. Law … or the use of force? ... Legal murder? “judicial murder”
Senatus consultum ultimum (SCU)
First used against Caius Gracchus and his supporters in 121 BCE
the Senate authorized the consuls “to see to it that the Republic suffer no harm”
 Cicero refers to this in his accusation of Catiline in 63 BCE

9. Social War, c BCE Italian allies (socii) (in yellow & orange) demand full Roman citizenship. War. Lex Iulia grants citizenship

10. Marius – Popularis Sulla - Optimate. Dictator 81-79 BCE
Lucius Cornelius Sulla takes Rome with an army in 81 BCE
Dictator
Proscriptions
Gave courts back to Senators
Increased Senate to 600
Made 7 new permanent courts (for murder, treason, bribery, etv.)

11. CATILINE, 63 BCE :
Catiline lost elections for consul in 64 [for 63] and 63 [for 62]
In 63 [elections in Summer] he ran on cancellation of debts
Conspiracy
Cicero’s accusations against him