roman empire

collapse of republic

economic problems

• large gap between rich & poor
• too many slaves
• former soldiers can’t afford to maintain small plots of land   * sell their land to the wealth & become homeless

tiberius & gaius gracchus

==tribunes in the plebeian assembly==

• wanted to limit size of estates
• wanted to give land to poor
• wealthy senators were threatened by heir ideas
• were murdered   * ==deaths led to civil wars==

military takeover

• generals took power   * exchanged land for loyalty from the poor
• military was loyal to generals instead of republic

julius caesar

roman consul who became dictator

• ==ruled rome with Crassus (wealthy roman) & Pompey (popular general) as a triumverate==
• became governor of gaul (after ruling rome)
• invaded rome after pompey & senate ordered caesar to disband his legions & come home
• later became dictator of rome for life

changes made

• caesar had all power (absolute ruler)
• granted roman citizenship to many in the empire
• created jobs for poor
• started colonies for people w/o land to own property
• increased pay for soldiers

after

• senators were scared of caesar’s power & killed him
• civil wars after caesar’s death led to end of roman republic

second triumvirate

==octavian (augustus), lepidus, and mark antony==

toxic ruling- violence & jealousy between leaders

• octavian forced lepidus to retire
• mark antony & octavian became rivals   * octavian makes roman senate declare war on mark antony’s lover     * naval battle     * octavian captures cleopatra & wins   * proclaims mark antony a traitor

pax romana

200 year period of peace in rome

• largest & most people rome ever had

octavian (augustus)

• started pax romana
• considered strongest ruler
• created system of government that lasted a long time

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