7.2 History Flashcards

Problems in the later Roman Republic

• Two main problems:

  • Senate was corrupt and too powerful 

  • Growing gap between the rich and the poor

Tiberius & Gaius Gracchus

• Reformers 

• Took land from the Patricians and gave it to the landless poor 

• Senators were furious about their reforms → murdered the brothers 

• Effect: Reforms were meant to stabilize, but led to more chaos 

First Triumvirate 

• What is it? 

  • rule of 3 people with equal power 

• Members: 

  • Crassus - the richest man in Rome 

  • Pompey - general 

  • Julius Caesar - general 

• Who emerged as the “winner”? 

  • Julius Caesar becomes dictator (absolute ruler) for life 

“Crossing the Rubicon” - phrase we use today to describe passing the point of no return

• References Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon River and declaring civil war on Rome

Julius Caesar - general → member of 1st triumvirate → dictator for life 

• His achievements?

  • Successful general 

  • Gave land to the poor 

  • Increased Senate membership 

  • Granted citizenship to those in the provinces 

  • Adopted the Egyptian 365-day calendar 

• What is he known for? 

  • Murdered by the Senate for gaining too much power 

  • Popular with the military and the people of Rome 

Second Triumvirate

• Members: 

  • Octavian - J.C.’s grandnephew and adopted son 

  • Marc Antony - J.C.’s ally and assistant 

  • Lepidus - J.C.’s commander of the cavalry (horses) 

• Who emerged as the “winner”? 

  • Civil war between Octavian and Antony → Octavian wins and becomes Rome’s 1st emperor and the Republic ends 

Cleopatra 

• Who was she?

  • Last pharaoh of Egypt 

•  What was her role in the end of the 1st or 2nd Triumvirate? 

  • 1st Tri 

    • Ally and lover of Julius Caesar (she had his son Caesarean) 

  • 2nd Tri

    • Ally and lover of Marc Antony 

    • She supplies Antony with ships to fight against Octavian

    • Antony dies in battle and instead of her being captured she commits suicide 

Powers of Augustus, how he controlled the empire

Achievements of Augustus

• Restructured the military 

• Assigned legates (governors) to rule the provinces 

• Expanded and stabilized Rome’s borders 

• Rebuilt and built new temples to the gods 

• Commissioned building projects around the empire 

  • Cities were built in the Roman style 

  • Ex: Amphitheatre in Alexandria, London, and Paris