1. END OF THE ROMAN REPUBLIC AND THE RISE OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE
Dr. Afxendiou
AP World History 9
Sachem North High School

2. Rome grew during the time of the republic
Stable government allowed Rome to grow
It conquered the Italian peninsula then turned to neighboring lands
Carthage
7RwmL4Cjg
Conquered lands around the Mediterranean “nostre marrum” – “our sea”
So, in reality, Rome was an empire before it came to be called one.

3. Problems in the Late Republic
By the mid-100s BC, Rome had no rival anywhere in the Mediterranean world. However, the responsibilities of running their vast holdings stretched the Roman political system to its limits.
Revolution began in political, social institutions
Tensions grew between classes of Roman society
Gracchi brothers tried to resolve tension
Social Unrest
Tribune Tiberius Gracchus noted mistreatment of soldier-farmers
Many reduced to poverty
Tiberius, brother Gaius tried to help soldiers
Soldier-Farmers
Gracchi tried to redistribute public land to farmers
Had public support, but Senate feared Gracchi trying to reduce its power
Senate urged mobs to kill brothers
Public Land

4. The Military in Politics
107 BC, social unrest reached new level
General Gaius Marius elected consul
Eliminated property restrictions
Accepted anyone who wanted to join army
Armies, private forces devoted to general
Poor hoped to share plunder at end of war
Ruthless generals realized loyalty of troops could be used as political tool

5. Civil War Social War revealed talent of General Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Sulla became consul, 88 BC; after consulship ended, Marius tried to prevent Sulla from taking military command
Sulla marched on Rome, won civil war, became dictator
Carried out program of reforms to protect power of Senate
Civil War

6. Rome Becomes an Empire The First Triumvirate End of Triumvirate
Sulla paved the way for major changes in Rome’s government. The end of the Republic resulted from the ambitions of a few individuals.
Julius Caesar, Gnaeus Pompey, Licinius Crassus helped bring end to Republic
Caesar, Pompey successful military commanders
Crassus one of wealthiest people in Rome
60 BC, the three took over Roman state, ruled as First Triumvirate
The First Triumvirate
Crassus died; Pompey, Caesar fought civil war
Caesar defeated Pompey, took full control of Rome, became dictator for life, 44 BC
Caesar brought many changes to Rome, popular reforms
Senate feared he would destroy Roman Republic, murdered him, Ides of March
End of Triumvirate

7. The Second Triumvirate
Caesar’s murder did not save the Republic
43 BC, Second Triumvirate took power—Caesar’s adopted son, Octavian; loyal officer Marc Antony; high priest Lepidus
Lepidus pushed aside; Antony, Octavian agreed to govern half the empire each, Octavian in west, Antony in East
Civil War
Civil war between Octavian, Antony broke out
Octavian defeated Antony and his ally, Egypt’s Queen Cleopatra
Cleopatra, Antony committed suicide; Octavian alone controlled Rome
Republic effectively dead; new period in Roman history beginning

8. From Octavian to Augustus
Octavian Takes Power
Octavian faced task of restoring order in empire
Had no intention of establishing dictatorship when he took power
New Political Order
Octavian decided it impossible to return Rome to republican form of government
Created new political order, known today as the empire
Principate
Octavian careful to avoid title of king or emperor
Called himself princeps, “first citizen”
Government called Principate
New Title
27 BC, Senate gave Octavian title Augustus, “the revered one”
Title a religious honor; able to wear laurel and oak leaf crown

9. The Augustan Age New Imperial Government Foreign Affairs Legacy
Augustus head of state more than 40 years, made smooth transition to new imperial government with power divided between him and Senate
Most financial, administrative matters under Augustus’s control
Foreign Affairs
Started program to bring peace to west, particularly to Gaul, Spain
Began series of conquests that pushed border eastward to Danube River
Also took special care of Rome itself
Legacy
Created police force, fire brigades; stockpiled food, water
Began building program; presided over moral, religious reforms
Great period of cultural creativity; great writers like Horace, Ovid, Virgil

10. Empire grew tremendously under Good Emperors
The Good Emperors
Empire grew tremendously under Good Emperors
Reached limits of expansion under Trajan
Added what are now Romania, Armenia, Mesopotamia, and the Sinai Peninsula
Successor Hadrian thought empire too large
Withdrew from almost all eastern additions
Built defensive fortifications to guard against invasions
Built wall 73 miles long in northern Britain

12. The Pax Romana
The period from the beginning of August’s reign in 27 BC until the death of the last of the Good Emperors in AD 180 is often called the Pax Romana—the Roman Peace. This era was characterized by stable government, a strong legal system, widespread trade, and peace.
Roman government strongest unifying force in empire
Maintained order, enforced laws, defended frontiers
Aristocracy participated, but emperors made all important decisions
Government
Empire divided into provinces ruled by governors appointed from Rome
Provincial government fair, efficient
Government in Rome kept close check on governors
Any citizen could appeal unfair treatment directly to emperor
Provinces
Empire brought uniformity to the cities of the Mediterranean world, which were governed in imitation of Rome.

13. Advances made during the Pax Romana
Laws
Roman law unified the empire
Laws specified what could, could not be done; penalties for breaking law
Same laws applied to everyone in empire, wherever they lived
Agriculture
Agriculture remained primary occupation throughout Pax Romana
Most farms, independent with little, no surplus to sell
Tenant farmers began to replace slaves on large farms
Manufacturing
Manufacturing increased throughout empire
Italy, Gaul, Spain—artisans made cheap pottery, textiles
Fine glassware made in eastern cities like Alexandria

14. Opportunities for Trade
Italy imported grain, meat, raw materials from provinces
Merchants brought silks, linens, glassware, jewelry, furniture from Asia
Rome, Alexandria became commercial centers
Transportation
Commercial activity possible because of empire’s location around Mediterranean and extensive road network
Ultimately about 50,000 miles of roads bound empire together
Military and Merchant Routes
Most roads built, maintained for military purposes
Cheaper to transport grain by ship from one end of Mediterranean to other than to send it overland; most goods went by sea

15. But… what have the romans done for us?