Chapter 5, Section 2 From Republic to Empire Big Idea: The internal instability of the Roman Empire eventually led to civil wars and increased power for the military.
*Factors leading to the end of the Roman Republic • Growing power of the elites • Landless farmers • changes in army recruitment • Soldier loyalty to generals not the state • Generals competing for power
The Roman Senate • By 150 BC the Senate had become the governing body of Rome • Senate mostly controlled by a small group of wealthy families
Roman Army • Army recruitment changed from conscription (forced service) to a volunteer army. • Soldiers were recruited from the poor and promised land for service • Soldier loyalty was to their general, not to the government
General Sulla • In 82 BC seized power in Rome • He conducted a reign of terror to wipe out opposition. • He then restored power to the Senate • He wanted to restore a traditional Roman republic. • In reality, he set an example of generals using their armies to gain power and control
The First Triumvirate • From 82 -31 BC the Roman Republic experienced civil wars • In 60 BC, Crassus - the richest man in Rome, Pompey – military hero, Julius Caesar – military hero formed the first triumvirate. • Crassus was killed in battle in 53 BC. Leading Senators decided Pompey should rule alone. They ordered Caesar to lay down his command. • Caesar refused, he kept his army and then crossed into Italy by crossing the Rubicon River.
Julius Caesar • Caesar’s march on Rome sparked a civil war between his forces and the forces of Pompey • Pompey’s defeat left Caesar in control • Caesar was made dictator in 45 BC • Caesar gave land to the poor and increased the Senate to 900 members • In 44 BC Caesar was stabbed to death in the Senate by senators
The Second Triumvirate • A power struggle followed the death of Caesar • Octavian – Caesar’s heir & grandnephew, Antony – Caesar’s ally and assistant and Lepidus, who had been commander of Caesar’s cavalry form the Second Triumvirate • Octavian hunted down the politicians who had murdered his uncle • In 36 BC Octavian accused Lepidus of attempting to usurp power in Sicily and he was forced into exile ending the Triumvirate
Beginning of the Roman Empire • In 27 BC the Senate awarded Octavian the title of Augustus – the revered one. • Augustus Caesar was popular with the people, but his control of the army was the main source of his power. • Augustus maintained a standing army of 28 legions or about 151, 000 men, auxiliary forces of 130, 000, and a praetorian guard of about 9, 000 who guarded the emperor. • In AD 14 Augustus died.
Early Roman Empire – emperors gained power & the Senate lost power. Some of the emperors were very corrupt. • Tiberius • Caligula • Claudius • Nero – had people killed including his own mother. His legions turned against him and he committed suicide in AD 69. Then civil war broke out.
Roman Empire in the 2 nd Century • Five “good” emperors: Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius. • Pax Romana – the Roman Peace – lasted for almost 200 years (27 BC – AD 180).
*Pax Romana • Absolute rulers known for their tolerance • Treated the ruling classes with respect. • Ended arbitrary executions • Maintained peace in the empire • Building projects: aqueducts, bridges, roads and harbor facilities in Rome and the provinces (infrastructure – transportation & communication systems)
Expansion of the Empire • The empire covered three and a half million square miles (3. 5 million sq. miles) • Included modern day England, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, parts of Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco • The population has been estimated at more than 50 million people. • Roman cities contained temples, markets, baths, public buildings and law courts.
Roman Cultural Diffusion • Roman trade routes went beyond the borders of the empire and spread Roman culture beyond the empire. • Latin was the language of the western part of the empire, while Greek was used in the east as a result of Alexander the Great’s earlier conquests. • Roman culture mixed with Greek culture to form the Greco-Roman civilization.
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