the roman republic in decline

Decline of the Roman Republic

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Read the two quotes on page 331…

Which do you think is more accurate?

Rome in the 2nd C. BCERome in the 2nd C. BCEIronically, as Rome expanded outward, Ironically, as Rome expanded outward,

inside Rome the problems grew.inside Rome the problems grew.Widening gap between rich and poor Widening gap between rich and poor

led to serious social unrest and vicious led to serious social unrest and vicious power strugglespower struggles

Senate’s chief magistracies had Senate’s chief magistracies had become the patrimony of a few become the patrimony of a few wealthy patrician familieswealthy patrician families

Competing factions arose within SPQRCompeting factions arose within SPQR

What were the Roman attitudes toward luxury?

How was LUXURY seen in 2nd Century Rome?

• “Asian” or “Eastern” (i.e. Hellenistic) influences ran against traditionally simple, rustic Roman aesthetic•Some wealthy senators appreciated the Hellenistic arts, philosophy, literature - it was stylish among the wealthy• Others saw it as as decadent, impure and disorderly • Powerful senators accused one another of using luxury to gain support unjustly•This was also a way to discourage imports form the east, keeping the domestic economy strong

Conquest, Control, and Cash!

• Conquered lands were run by Roman magistrates and enforced by standing armies

• Some of these magistrates got greedy for more slaves, booty, $ from yearly tributes and taxes

• The conduct of generals and magistrates abroad was loosely regulated

• There were slave revolts in Italy and wars in Gaul, North Africa, Spain, and Asia Minor

• Populist factions arose in the republic who wanted real reform for the common citizens

Important figures in the late Roman Republic:

A few good men?

Cato the Elder

• Born in the provinces of the Latin League, wealthy but not political family• Arrived in Rome as a “new man” and rose through

the ranks of the republic • Served as Consul in 195 BCE• Eventually became Censor in 184 BCE• Fought in the 2nd Punic War as well as the Siege of

Tarrentum - enemy of the Greeks and Carthaginians• Wrote many books, some of which are lost• Ancestor of Cato the Younger and Nero

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Cato the Elder

• Man of integrity - highly principled, which sometimes made him unpopular among the other senators

• Lived simply, preached austerity and asceticism• As censor, he passed stringent regulations against

luxury were very stringent. He imposed a heavy tax upon dress and personal adornment, especially of women, and upon young slaves purchased as ‘favourites’

• Protector of public works: fixed aqueducts, cleaned up the sewers and prevented people from drawing water from public fountains

• Discouraged tax farming

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Cato vs. Carthage

• Cato was a strong advocate for the 3rd Punic War

• His motto was “Carthago Delenda Est” - Carthage must be destroyed!

• Rome needed a feared enemy so they don’t get too comfortable and indulge in luxuries and frivolity

Polybius

• Greek, from a prominent family in the Achaean league

• Deported to Rome in 167 BCE as a hostage suspected of anti-roman hostility

• When in Rome, befriended Scipios and other important Romans

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Polybius• Pan-Mediterranean perspective

gained through extensive travel

• Pragmatic history– Focus on how events effected

people and cities– Based on first-hand experience,

interviews, and study of primary documents

– Still, he included divine destiny in his histories

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Polybius • Admirer of Xenophon’s histories• Thought that there was a constitutional

cycle that would play itself out in Rome– Monarchy - Oligarchy - Democracy -

Mob rule - Monarchy…• Anti-luxury - promoted a version of

“Spartan” values of restraint, patriotism, and austere order

• Believed that Rome was changing for the worse after conquest of Greek territories in 167 BCE

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Tiberius Gracchus

• Noble ancestry but concrned about widespread poverty in Italy• Served as a Tribune - represented the people• Land reforms: limited amount of land one

family could own or rent• Released land to the public for redistribution

to landless peasant farmers• Rural commoners were happy but old school

senators were opposed

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Tiberius Gracchus

• His reforms passed in the Assembly but the senate wouldn’t allocate the funds he needed to carry out the plan -> fiscal matters were traditionally in the hands of the Senate

• When he stood for re-election, the Senators started a riot, claiming he wanted to be king, and killed him on Capitol Hill along with 300 followers

• They said his killer was a liberator and a hero fighting for freedom of SPQR

Gaius Gracchus

• Tiberius’ brother, also wanted more equality for the poor• Elected as Tribune in 123 BC, ten years after his brother is killed• Tried to take control of the judicial system away from the Senate

(mixed juries, secret ballots)• Set up subsidies for grain• Proposed making some of the overseas territories Roman

colonies for the poor• Extending citizenship rights to all Italians• He and 3000 supporters were murdered

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After the Gracchi…

• Deified by their supporters

• Traditionalists (optimates - “the best”) reacted in the wake of these populist attempts at reform

• Further polarization of the republic

Gaius Marius

• Military man, (not a patrician) held the consulship 5 times in a row

• Military reformer– Non-landowning citizens could serve– Full-time professional force, 16 year terms– All soldiers got pay, uniforms, weapons, and training

• Soldiers wanted a share in booty and land upon return - appealed to generals rather than the state - shift in the balance of power and control of the army

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Cornelius Sulla

• Noble, his family hated Marius’ reforms

• Backed by traditionalists• Conflict over who would lead the

army against the Italian revolts - Marius was chosen, and in response Sully marched on Rome

• After this, Sully went on to ravage Athens and other Greek cities

• A new consul, Cinna, banished him but after Cinna died, Sulla came back and started a civil war

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Sulla’s Reforms

• Sulla won, and became Dictator to ‘settle the state’ after the emergency

• Handed juries back to Senators• Doubled the number of senators and installed his

supporters• Regulated the channels through which magistrates

could rise to the Senate• Tribunes could no longer go on to hold magistracies• Gave Italian land to his veteran soldiers• Created civil courts and fleshed out legal code

So long, Sulla!

• Sulla retired as dictator and went back to being consul

• Felt that he had been chosen by Venus and prophesy that he would die at the height of his good fortune

• Died in 79 BCE of disease• Lavish public funeral• After his death, the Senate was corrupt,

violent, and full of turmoil

Spartacus

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZO2QrDzcHc