1. His role in the collapse of the Roman Republic
Julius Caesar
His role in the collapse of the Roman Republic

2. Decline of the Roman Republic
Spread of slavery in the agricultural system
Increased due to conquests and wars
Migration of small farmers into cities and unemployment.
They lost everything
Were forced to leave their lands and wealthy people bought them
Now slaves worked their lands
Devaluation of Roman currency – inflation.
Social and Economic Effects:  Conquests and control of busy trade routes brought incredible riches into Rome. Generals, officials, and traders amassed fortunes from loot, taxes, and commerce. A new class of wealthy Romans emerged. They built lavish mansions and filled them with luxuries imported from the east. Wealthy families bought up huge estates, called latifundia. As the Romans conquered more and more lands, they forced people captured in war to work as slaves on the latifundia. 
The widespread use of slave labor hurt small farmers, who were unable to produce food as cheaply as the latifundia could. The farmers' problems were compounded when huge quantities of grain pouring in from the conquered lands drove down grain prices. Many farmers fell into debt and had to sell their land. 
In despair, landless farmers flocked to Rome and other cities looking for jobs. There, they joined a restless class of unemployed people. As the gap between rich and poor widened, angry mobs began to riot. 
The new wealth also increased corruption. Greed and self-interest replaced virtues such as simplicity, hard work, and devotion to duty so prized in the early republic.

3. Government Corruption
Politicians were out for personal benefits and wealth.
Popular discontent threatened politicians.
Due to constant fighting for power, political factions emerged.
Optimales – patricians and wealthy
Wanted to keep all the power and keep it away from popular discontent
Populares – all the people, including the plebeians.
Advocated interests of everybody
Attempts at Reform:  Two young patricians, brothers named Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus (gay uhs grak uhs), were among the first to attempt reform. Tiberius, who was elected a tribune in 133 b.c., called on the state to distribute land to poor farmers. Gaius, elected tribune 10 years later, sought a wider range of reforms, including the use of public funds to buy grain to feed the poor. 
The reforms of the Gracchus brothers angered the senate, which saw them as a threat to its power. The brothers, along with thousands of their followers, were killed in waves of street violence set off by senators and their hired thugs.

4. Civil Wars
Unable to resolve its problems peacefully, Rome was plunged into a series of civil wars.
The two factions fought for control of the Senate.
Assassinations were frequently used to eliminate competition.
Unable to resolve its problems peacefully, Rome was plunged into a series of civil wars. At issue was who should hold power—the senate, which wanted to govern as it had in the past, or popular political leaders, who wanted to weaken the senate and enact reforms. 
The turmoil sparked slave uprisings and revolts among Rome's allies. Meanwhile, the old legions of Roman citizen-soldiers became professional armies whose first loyalty was to their commanders. Rival generals marched their armies into Rome to advance their ambitions.
In the 1st century B.C. situation between “warlords” intensified. They were tyrants (generals) who had their own armies (armies were loyal to them and not the state).
This led to civil war because the warlords wanted to conceive all the power. One of the greatest generals was Julius Caesar.

5. Julius Caesar
Was born in 100 B.C. to a patrician family with a good name, but no money.
He entered politics and joined Populares
He was an ambitious military commander, great lawyer, and politician (became a Consul).
He grew up among the poorest.
Learned many languages from foreign neighbors - People loved him.
He was not popular among other politicians - they were intimidated by him.
He became the greatest general, the Warlord
The struggle for power continued in Rome.

6. Evolution of Imperial Rome
First triumvirate - the alliance of Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Marcus Crassus formed in 60 B.C.
Triumvirate is a ruling board or commission of three men.
The three men were able to control Rome, and the alliance aided Caesar’s rise to power.
He seized power after Pompey turned against him and declared himself a dictator.
After 10 years he proclaimed himself a dictator for life – it was against Roman constitution.
For a time, Caesar dominated Roman politics with Pompey, another brilliant general. Then, in 59 B.C., Caesar set out with his army to make new conquests. After nine years of fighting, he completed the conquest of Gaul—the area that is now France.
Fearful of Caesar's rising fame, Pompey persuaded the senate to order Caesar to disband his army and return to Rome. Caesar defied the order. Swiftly and secretly, he led his army across the Rubicon River into northern Italy and then headed toward Rome. Once again, civil war erupted across the Roman world. 
Caesar crushed Pompey and his supporters. He then swept around the Mediterranean, suppressing rebellions. “Veni, vidi, vici”—“I came, I saw, I conquered”—he announced after one victory. Later, returning to Rome, he forced the senate to make him dictator. Although he kept the senate and other features of the republic, he was in fact the absolute ruler of Rome.
While Caesar was gone, many politicians conspired to have him arrested if he returned. So, he instead came back with his army. He marched on Rome -this began civil war (Greece, Asia Minor, Egypt).
Pompey was defeated and fled to Egypt. But a pharaoh’s agent assassinated him, thinking they were doing a favor for Caesar.

7. Rome
His successes:
Caesar conquered gaulic tribes (Celtic tribes from Gaul).
Took 5,000 troops to Gaul and it took him 10 years to conquer the lands; as a result, he became immensely rich from the loot.
His status was elevated and he now outweighed his greatest rivalry, general Pompey. Pompey wiped out the whole Mediterranean of pirates.

8. Caesar and Cleopatra Caesar met Cleopatra in Egypt (pharaoh of Egypt).
She had interest in common people of Egypt
They had an affair and then a son.
He later took them both to Rome, where they were staying when he died

9. Assassination A group of Senators conspired against Caesar
They wanted to return to the old ways
On March 15, 44 B.C., 23 Senators assassinated him.
They stabbed him extensively
They were led by Marcus Brutus.
Wanted to put an end to the tyrant and to restore the Republic
But it was too late for the Republic to ever return!

11. From Republic to Empire
Civil War broke out after Caesar’s murder between Marc Antony and Octavian.
Octavian defeated Mark Antony and became Rome’s first emperor.
He changed his name to Augustus Caesar.
Failure to provide for peaceful succession of Emperor later becomes a problem.
Empire – unified and enlarged territory, ruled through imperial authority and the military.