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THE CHAIRS

MINA LEE ‘18Welcome to EdgeMUN! I am a sophomore at Edgemont High School. This is my first year on Model UN, and it has been a new and interesting experience for me. Outside of Model UN, I participate in debate, in-cluding Public Forum, Lincoln Douglas, and a number of other forms. I’m really looking forward to chairing this commit-tee, and am expecting some great ideas and discussions. The fate of Rome lies in your

hands!

Salvete, delegates! This committee will be taking place in the year 43 BCE, at one of the peaks of political turmoil following the brutal assassination of the Dictator Julius Caesar. However, the delegates of this committee will come

from various time periods, each delegate bringing a unique perspective to the situation at hand. This committee has the opportunity to alter the course of history. You will be asked to take into account the consequences of the past, present, and you will be privy to knowledge of the future as well. You and

your fellow delegates will be asked to carefully draw up a course of action that you believe would bring Rome the greatest glory. Good luck, and

bonam fortunam!

SANA SALIMI ‘18Hello delegates! I am a sophomore at Edge-mont High School, and this is my first year on Model UN. Outside of school and Model UN, I like to read, travel, and swim. This committee is unique because delegates have the opportunity to alter the course of Roman history. Prior research is essential to this topic, but do not feel constrained by what actually took place. I look forward to directing this committee and wish you all

good luck!

racy, also known as the patrician class, reigned over the peasant class, also known as plebeians. A strict emphasis was put on the separation of the patricians from the plebeians. The government was run by a Senate com-posed of members of the patrician class, who elected two consuls, the highest positions of government office. Con-sequently, plebeians had little to no say in governmental affairs. As the Republic progressed, plebeians slowly

gained their rights, and were even eligible to become consuls, but the patrician class always had the ability to purchase land and power, and thus continued to dominate politics1. During the republic, there were two separate popular assemblies: the centuriate assembly and the tribal assembly2. The Comi-tia Centuriata was the military assembly, which primarily exercised power over war and peace, as well as the ability to elect con-suls, praetors, and censors, as well as being considered to be appeals of capital convic-tions. The Comitia Centuriata was composed

of both patricians and plebeians. They were assigned to classes and groups of 100, called centuriae. Groups were determined by wealth and equipment that could be provided for military duty. The Comitia Tributa was a non-military assembly that elected magistrates who did not exercise military power, otherwise known as impe-rium, a power that includes plebeian tribunes, plebeian aediles, and quaestors2. The Comitia Tributa dealt with legislating, and it functioned as a court for serious public offenses that involved monetary fines. The Roman Re-public emphasized a separation of powers, and incorpo-rated the first ideas of ‘checks and balances. Additional fundamental ideas driving law were developed during the Roman Republic, such as codifying of the Twelve

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INTRODUCTION

Salvēte. The year is 43 BCE, and we are entering debate at an extremely tumultuous time in the history of Rome. Caesar Divi Filius Augustus is on the brink of moving into the position of emperor, marking the end of the Roman Republic and the dawn of the Ro-man Empire. Although he has won the favour of the general public, the change from a republic to an empire is a drastic one. This is a crisis oriented committee. It is our duty to come together and, in accordance with each participant’s political, moral and militaristic views, open discourse and decide what action, if any at all, should be taken. You shall shape his-tory. You shall decide how the world will carry on. You are the future of Rome. The delegates of this committee are from vari-ous periods in Roman history, and each has a unique voice that is vital to the direction of the committee. The delegates have full knowledge of the events prior, during, and after their lifetimes, up until the time right after the fall of the Roman Empire. This delegation has the power and unique opportunity to remold history by discuss-ing what they feel would be the best course of action in expanding Roman history, and ultimately bringing the highest glory to Rome and her people.

REIGN AND FALL OF THE REPUBLIC

The reign of the Roman Republic began in 509 BCE, when the Romans overthrew the Etruscans who had been ruling over them for hundreds of years. It was the distaste that the Romans had for the Etruscan mon-archy that ultimately drives Roman politics away from monarchies. In the early Roman Republic, the aristoc-

1. “The Roman Republic.” Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association, n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2016.2. “Comitia Centuriata | Ancient Roman Assembly.” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2016.3. “Roman Republic | Ancient State [509 BC-27 BC].” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.Image: www.oneonta.edu/faculty/farberas/arth/ARTH209/augustus.html

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effectively ended. In February of 44 BCE, Caesar de-clared himself dictator for life, consequently turning the Senate against him. He was ultimately assassinated by sixty senators, further exacerbating political turmoil in Rome. Caesar’s assassination left the Senate in an im-mediate state of panic5. Marcus Junius Brutus, one of Caesar’s assassins, and a man whom Caesar had once regarded as a son, addresses the Senate in order to try to explain the reasons behind the conspiracy, and urged them to celebrate this deed as an act of liberation and honor. However, fearing backlash from the people, the remaining senators fled to Capitoline hill in order to hide from the potential anger of the Roman mob, but rather than struggling with overwhelming backlash from the Romans, the conspirators’ most prominent compli-cation was the execution of their plans. They had had no tangible plan for seizing power, which created an imme-diate power vacuum which spurred uncertainty and fear. In 44 BCE, Marcus Aemilius Lepidus maintained order in the streets until the Senate gathered on March 16th to try to establish a new order before Roman politics com-pletely unraveled. Lepidus, remaining loyal to Caesar, argued against the assassins, but Cicero, one of the greatest orators of time, managed to convince the Senate to compromise in attempt to preserve the Republic. Brutus, the symbolic leader behind the conspiracy, and Cassius, the driving man behind the plot, were given power over Crete and Africa respectively. Marcus Antonius, also known as Marc Antony, served as a consul for the re-mains of the Republic alongside Lucius Scribonius Libo in support of Publius Cornelius Dolabella, a man who was later superseded by Cassius after being declared an enemy of the Republic.

RISE AND REIGN OF THE EMPIRE

Tables in 499 BCE, the first Roman laws to be written down, which ensured equal protection under the law for all citizens. At the end of the 5th century BCE, Romans expanded their land into the Etruscan states. Rome’s first two wars were fought in Fidenae and Velli, a town near Rome and an important Etruscan city respectively3. The Romans were temporarily setback when a Gallic tribe sacked Rome in 390 BCE, but after paying them a ransom of gold, and forty years of fighting in Latium and Etruria, Rome’s power was restored. As they became increasingly domineering, the Latins took up arms to defend their own freedom, but the Latin war (340-338 BCE) was quickly won by the Romans, subsequently making the Romans the largest power in central Italy. Rome spent the next decade or so expanding outwards through conquest and colonization. After Rome fought three wars with the Samnites, and following the three Pyrrhic wars against the Greeks, the Romans became the primary power in Italy. Julius Caesar entered Roman politics in 77 BCE. In 67 BCE he married Pompeia, a distant relative of Gnaeus Pompeius, also known as Pompey the Great. This union, however distant, was one of the first signs of a potential alliance between Caesar and Pompey. Along with Marcus Licinius Crassus, the First Triumvirate was formed in 60 BCE. A political coalition cemented by marriages, the Triumvirate was established primarily to handle specific administrative tasks that would have normally be handled by the Roman Magistrates. The forming of the First Triumvirate, along with the rise of popular tribunes and private armies, the Roman Repub-lic began its decline4. Caesar eventually broke off from the First Triumvirate, and his crossing of the Rubicon River in January of 49 BCE launched Rome into a civil war. When Pompey lost the fight to Caesar at the Battle of Pharsalus August 9, 48 BCE, the Roman Republic was 4. “Lecture 26: Fall of the RomanRepublic, 133-27 BC.” H102_25 Fall of the Roman Republic, 133-27 BC. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.5. “Aftermath.” Aftermath. Unrv.org, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.6. Silver, Carly. “Augustus.” About.com Ancient/Classical History. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.

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ened the base of his rule by centralizing power around himself, and created a system that would allow the vast amounts of territories of the Roman Empire to be linked back to the capital. His system allowed for territories of Rome to have some independence while still controlling their subjection to Roman taxes and military control, proving to be quite efficient in the maintaining of the Roman Empire. At its height, the Roman Empire stretched from Mesopotamia in the east, to the Iberian Peninsula in the west, and the Rhine and Danube rivers in the north, to Africa in the south. The Roman Empire rested on a solid and preeminent army. Intellectual advancements

in fields such as law were also recognized. The complete codification of Roman law al-lowed it to adapt for a variety of functions, including com-merce, agriculture, mail de-livery, pedestrian traffic, and military movements7. Cities achieved unprecedented levels of hygiene, and Roman archi-

tecture flourished lavishly. Cicero’s speeches, Livy and Tactus’ histories, Terence’s dramas and Virgil’s poetry were all examples of Latin, the Roman language, playing a fundamental role in the legacy of Rome and its empire as well. Augustus Caesar laid the foundation for the 200 year Pax Romana, also known as the Roman Peace, and the 1,500 year empire8.

backtracking to the battle of

phillippi

The Battle of Philippi was fought in 42 BCE as one of the consequences of political turmoil that was

When Caesar declared himself dictator for life, he also appointed an heir in order to further secure his position6. While Marc Antony had expected to be named heir himself, Julius Caesar adopted Gaius Octavius, the grandson of Caesar’s sister, also known as Octavian and later as Imperator Augustus Caesar, found out only after Caesar’s death that he had been chosen as Caesar’s heir. When he first came to power, his legacy as the grand-nephew of the great political power, Julius Caesar, had minimal impact. He created a strategic union with Marc Antony, who was a very ambitious military general at the time. After defeating many enemies and opponents in Rome, and chasing the rest to Greece, Octavian and Marc Antony won the em-pire and divided the spoils. Octavian took control of Rome, while Marc Antony went to Africa, later fall-ing under the spell of the beautiful Egyptian queen, Cleopatra. After many con-flicts, battles and wars, and being consul from every year between 31-23 BCE, Octavian was named emperor on January 16, 17 BCE, marking the dawn of the Roman Empire6. Augustus established a principate, combining elements of the republic with those of a traditional monarchy7. Although the Senate was still functioning, it lost much of its power and control. As princeps, Augustus dominated control of the government. The stamp of the Roman Empire was the extensive system of imperial power, which included a complex hierarchy of magistrates and provincial gover-nors. Augustus and the position of emperor was deified, and Rome began to prosper once again. He strength-7. “Roman Empire | Ancient State [27 BC-476 AD].” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.8. “Augustus.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.9. Cartwright, Mark. “The Battle of Philippi 42 BCE.” Ancient History Encyclopedia. Ancient History Encyclopedia, 25 Nov. 2014. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.Image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/Cesar-sa_mort.jpg

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that Octavian return from fighting with Sextus Pompey, and aid him in combatting the larger threat that Brutus and Cassius posed. Both armies were composed of well functioning legions, and the first battle ended in a 1:1 draw. At the second battle, 14,000 soldiers were killed while the others managed to flee to their ships, and the Roman Republic was officially over. Julius Caesar was avenged. Although Octavian would continue to create a legacy of his own, at the Battle of Philippi he was still young and inexperienced, and Marc Antony stole the show. Antony was viewed and celebrated as an emperor by victors and losers alike, while Octavian, who was not as generous with the defeated, was not held in as high esteem. However, the question of who would take power and take charge in Rome had still not been decided, and the ultimate victory of the Battle of Philippi would belong to Octavian, and his shrewdity in politics and ability to inspire loyalty in others would ultimately bring

him to the top over Antony.

WAR WITH POMPEIus

Sextus Pompeius Magnus Pius was born in the year 67 BCE as the younger son of the general Pompey the Great10. After his father was killed in the Civil War, Pompeius fled to Spain. He returned after the assassina-tion of Caesar, and temporarily came to terms with Marc Antony. He was

given naval command, but was quickly outlawed in 43 BCE. After ravaging the Italian coast for years, by occu-pying Sicily and blockading Italy, he aided Marc Antony against Octavian, and later forced them into making a formal treaty with him when Antony and Octavian renewed their agreement. The two triumvirs were in no position to challenge the naval power of Pompeius, and the three men met at Misenum on the Bay of Naples to

stirred up by the assassination of Julius Caesar9. The all-Roman affair was fought between Octavian and Marc Antony on one side, trying to fight for power and control of Rome, and Brutus and Cassius on the other, working to defend what remained of the Roman Repub-lic. The battle involved the clash between 36 legions, the largest Roman army to ever fight. In 44 BCE, Marc Antony had formed an alli-ance in order to take revenge on Caesar’s assassins, and after reconciliation with the conspirators, Marc Antony tried to marginalise Brutus and Cassius by giving them the role of supervisors of the Roman grain supply in Asia. Both Brutus and Cassius refused the position and escaped towards the east. Meanwhile, Octavian was ad-vancing his career and his popularity among the people, while Marc Antony came under criticism from Cicero who wanted to preserve the power of the Senate. When he went to Brundisium in October, he found his troops dissatisfied with his passive ap-proach to taking action against Caesar’s killers, and that they had changed their allegiances to Octavian, who had offered them a higher financial reward. This shifted powers between Octa-vian and Marc Antony, and the assumption that one had polit-ical power while the other had military power no longer held to be true. Feeling threatened by this and the increasing number of legions who were giving their allegiance to Octavian, Marc Antony took action, and was declared guilty of tumultus by Octavian, one step short of war. Their political powers were later reconciled before the battle through the forming of the second triumvirate. When Brutus and Cassius amassed their armies and met in 43 BCE at Smyrna, Marc Antony requested 10. “Sextus Pompeius Magnus Pius | Roman Leader.” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.11. “Sextus Pompey.” Sextus Pompey. Unrv.org, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.Image: http://www.livius.org/a/1/maps/philippi1.GIF

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closed harbor at Naples. On top of that, Marc Antony contributed 120 ships in exchange for 20,000 troops that he would use in his movements against Parthia, thus re-solidifying the pact between himself and Augustus until 33 BCE. In July of 36 BCE, Agrippa led a decisive three-pronged attack, sending two fleets from Italy, and a third fleet lead by the oft-ignored Lepidus from Africa. After winning two naval battles, Agrippa successfully ended the threat of Pompeius and was awarded a golden crown for his actions. Lepidus, who had been temporarily brought back into the picture for a while, ended up losing all of his political credibility12. Once he had received news of Agrippa’s victory, he accepted the surrender of Pom-peius’ troops in Sicily, instead of following Augustus’ orders to refuse their surrender. Then, in a stroke of po-litical genius, Augustus bribed Lepidus’ men to join him and, after taking control of Lepidus’ eighteen legions, exiled Lepidus to a small Italian town. Although Lepidus held the position of Pontifex Maximus, it had essentially become nothing but a title. After his death, the role of head priest of the Roman religion was passed on to Marc Antony, then Augustus, then to all the following emper-ors. At this point, the Second Triumvirate had officially ended.

MORE ON THE SECOND TRIUMVIRATE

The official name of the Second Triumvirate was the tresviri rei publicae constituendae, which means the ‘triumvirate for reestablishing public welfare’.13 It was legally established in 43 BCE for five years, and was renewed again in 37 BCE. The second triumvirate was a political alliance formed between Octavian, Antony, and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, and they were granted an immense amount of power by the Senate, and ac-cepted the powers of a dictator14. They executed 4,700

make arrangements and hopefully end Pompeius’ ob-structions11. Pompeius was offered the ceremonial posi-tion of Consul for the year 38 BCE, as well as governing power over Sicily, Sardinia and the Greek Peloponnesus for five years, and more importantly, Pompeius’ followers and supporters were allowed to return to Rome. How-ever, Pompeius soon started to complain that the Greek Peloponnesus had been stripped of its value by taxation prior to his ruling. Additionally, Pompeius’ Sardinian governor defected to Octavian, giving Octavian control over the island, humiliating and angering Pompeius even further. Pompeius and his fleets soon started to disrupt grain supplies again, and the temporary peace that had been established within the treaty of Misenum began to unravel. Republican holdouts in Sicilian exile grew tired and returned to Rome to join either Octavian or Antony, and Pompeius had lost his support in the Senate after the treaty of Misenum. With the flood of returning Senators and leading families, Octavian was compelled to make alliances. After the birth of his daughter Julia from his wife Scribonia, a relative of Sextus Pompeius, he di-vorced her and married the wife of Tiberius Claudius Nero, Livia Drusilla, and their marriage lasted for an un-precedented 52 years. Thereby emboldened by these new alliances, and pushed to take a definitive stance against Pompeius, Octavian adopted his new name from at least 38 BCE onwards. His new name, Imperator Caesar Divi Filius, means General Caesar, son of god(s), and high-lighted his relationship to the deified Julius Caesar. When the war first began, Augustus was not faring so well. An attempt to invade Sicily in 38 BCE had to be halted due to poor weather conditions and Pompeius’ successful intervention. In the following spring of 37 BCE, Marcus Agrippa took over with a massive fleet that he had gathered and trained in an artificially en-12. “Sextus Pompey.” Sextus Pompey. Unrv.org, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.13. “Triumvirate.” The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2015. Encyclopedia.com. 19 Dec. 2015.14. “Second Triumvirate.” - Livius. Livius.org, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.15. “44-31 B.C. - The Second Triumvirate to the Principate.” About.com Education. Ancienthistory.com, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.

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and Patras, but Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Octavian’s admiral, and then Octavian himself, sailed across the Ionian sea and succeeded in capturing many strategic locations on and off the coasts of Greece and Mace-donia. As Antony slowly lost more and more ground, his Roman supporters became alienated. Additionally, Cleopatra’s insistence upon being with Marc Antony at his headquarters went against the wishes of many of Antony’s Roman supporters, and they eventually left him and were accepted by Octavian. The Battle of Actium on September 2nd, 31 BCE was the deciding battle of the war. Antony, with 500 ships and 70,000 infantry met with Octavian’s 400 ships and 80,000 infantry who came from the north, and managed to cut off Antony’s southward journey by occupying Pa-trae and Corinth. Through strategic planning and the aid of Agrippa, Octavian’s fleets soon gained the upper hand. Cleopatra broke through Agrippa’s lines with 60 ships and fled to Alexandria. She was later joined by Antony, who had lost both the battle and the war, and they both committed suicide in 30 BCE after Octavian arrived in the summer. The outcome of the Battle of Actium, and thus the War with Antony as a whole secured Octavian’s power and position, and his Roman-Italian policy pre-vailed throughout the reign of the Roman Empire.

AUGUSTUS CAESAR AND THE GROWTH

OF THE EMPIRE

Augustus is most associated with three names that are marked by different periods of his life17. He was born Gaius Octavius Thurinus and was known as Octa-vius until he was adopted in 44 BCE, and thus became Octavian, and his name changed again to Augustus, meaning ‘exalted one,’ when he became Emperor. He was of a prosperous family situated in Velletri, a city around twenty miles southeast of Rome18. His father was the first of the family to be elected Roman Senator, and then

of their opponents, including Cicero, and wrote land bills for Caesar’s veterans who, from eighteen cities, had been sent away without any compensation. They waged war against the murderers of Caesar, defeating them at Philippi, and took measures against the Senate, appointing all magistrates into office. Anyone who was opposed to the triumvirate sought refuge in Sicily, where Sextus, the son of Pompey the Great, was organizing the resistance that would later be crushed the war between himself and Octavian. Lepidus was deposed in 36 BCE, and he died in 13 BCE. The remaining land was re-divided between Antony and Octavian, who took the east and the west respectively. Political strains increased between Ant-ony and Octavian. Antony’s wife, Octavia, was upset by Antony’s preference for Queen Cleopatra, and Octavian used this to his advantage by claiming that Antony’s allegiances were with Egypt rather than Rome, accusing Antony of treason15. Matters between the two leaders escalated, and matters were decided in the ensuing war.

war with antony

A conflict between Antony and Octavian was essentially inevitable due to their political rivalry and ambitious natures16. Marc Antony had brought his pow-ers to Egypt and become infatuated with the Egyptian Queen, Cleopatra. Moreover, both Cleopatra and Ant-ony recognized the political advantage of being in each other’s favor. Cleopatra needed Marc Antony to help her reestablish the old borders of the Ptolemaic kingdom, and Antony needed Cleopatra and Egypt for supplies and fundings for his attacks. The second triumvirate was formally ended in 32 BCE. Antony had the favor of the two Roman consuls, however, and under threat from Oc-tavian, they left for Antony’s headquarters in Alexandria, bringing with them numerous Roman senators. Antony then established his headquarters at Ephesus, Athens,

16. “Mark Antony | Roman Triumvir.” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.17. “Augustus.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.18. “Augustus | Roman Emperor.” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.

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Within four years of his rise to power, Augustus secured his rule. First, he secured loyalty from the troops through the treasure he had seized from Cleopatra19. To appease the Senate and the ruling class, he staged a re-turn of the law system to that of the Roman Republic. He was granted a ten year tenure of a provincia composed of Spain, Gaul, and Syria, three regions that contained the bulk of the army. Although the other provinces were allotted to other senators, Augustus had a firm faith in his ability to control and manipulate those territories through the senators, and did so effectively. Finally, to win the favor of the people, he worked to improve, expand and beautify the city of Rome. He showed a patriotic reverence for the old Italian faith by reviving old traditions and ceremonies19. In this forty-year reign, Augustus managed to double the size of the empire, adding territories from Europe and Asia Minor and making alliances that gave him power from Britain to India. He remade Rome through grand gestures, such as a new forum and lavish architecture, as well as through practical gestures, such as expanding the network of roads, founding the Praetorian Guard and Roman Postal Service, and establishing police and fire departments. In 23 BCE, he fell ill while in Gaul, and felt compelled to make constitutional changes. He threw aside his series of consulships in favor of imperium ma-jus, a new power that would place him above the pro-consuls, and he was also awarded the power of tribune for life. Throughout his reign, Augustus ends up expand-ing his empire and power through shrewd tactics and strategic alliances, all the while maintaining the favor of the Roman people. He dies on August 19th in the year 14 CE. He is said to have two final statements: ‘I found Rome of clay; I leave it to you of marble’ and ‘Have I played the part well? They applaud me as I exit’20. Augustus was one of the greatest administrative

praetorship, and his mother was Caesar’s niece, Atai. Oc-tavian made his first national debut at the age of twelve when he spoke at his grandmother’s funeral. Three or four years later he became a member of the board of priests. In 46 BCE, he accompanied Caesar to Africa in his victory over his opponents in the Civil war. Augustus married three times; first to Mark Antony’s stepdaughter Clodia Pulchra, then to Scribonia with whom he had his only child, Julia the Elder. Finally, he divorced Scribonia and married Livia Drusilla who had had two sons, Tibe-rius and Drusus, by her first husband. After Caesar’s assassination, with Octavian having been made Caesar’s heir, he was thrown straight into messy politics18. He faced a political rivalry with Marc Antony, who had expected to be made heir him-self, and was essentially ignored by Brutus and Cassius at the beginning of his career. Cicero had had hopes to use Octavian, but had underestimated Octavian’s abilities. Octavian integrated himself with the Roman populace by celebrating public games as Caesar had done, and he succeeded in winning the allegiance of many of the dic-tator’s troops. The Senate ends up breaking with Antony and siding with Octavian, making him a Senator despite his young age, and when the consuls who commanded the Senate’s forces died, Octavian’s troops convinced the Senate to give him the vacant position of consul. Then, under the name of Gaius Julius Caesar, he solidified his status as the adopted son of Julius Caesar, winning even greater favor with the Roman people. After his victories at Philippi and the formation of the second Triumvirate, followed by the conflicts with Pompeius, Lepidus and Antony, Augustus Caesar finally had full control of the Roman Empire. He was extremely clever and crafty in his political prowess, and climbed his way to the top, not just through force, but through gaining the favor of the Roman people, the allegiances of the troops, and the blessings of the Roman Senate.

19. “Augustus | Roman Emperor.” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.20. “Augustus.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.21. “Augustus.” Encyclopedia of World Biography. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 19 Dec. 2015

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sickness, and increased rates of crime and malnutrition. The Eastern Empire, however, was prospering from spice trades, and when Theodosius died in 395 CE, the Roman Empire split into the quickly declining Western Empire, and the flourishing Eastern Empire, which later became the Byzantine Empire. The city of Rome was sacked by the Visigoths, and wandering Germanic tribe, in 410 CE, severely shaking up the Western Empire. The year 476 CE marked the completed fall of Rome, after the last standing Roman emperor, Romulus Augustulus, was overthrown by the Germanic chieftain Odoacer. Although the Eastern Empire continued, the original Roman Empire had been centered around Italy and the city of Rome, and thus when it fell, the Roman Empire fell with it, and thus the time period that would come to be known as the Dark Ages began24.

CONCLUSION

It cannot be disputed that, with the murder of Julius Caesar and the fall of the Roman Republic, the dawn of the Empire brought peace and stability to Rome under the shrewd politics of Augustus Caesar. However, many would have wanted to see Rome restored to its traditional republican government. Others would argue that the glory of the Empire justifies the transition from the republic. Others still would argue that the decline of the Roman Empire, and Pax Romana, the splitting of the Empire into the East and the West, could have been prevented had Rome reverted to its traditional Republic after the assassination of Julius Caesar. Some would place the fault neither on the transition to the empire, nor the failure to maintain the old republican structure of gov-ernment, but rather within the greed and corruption of those who were allowed to rise to power. The delegation is meeting right at the climax of political turmoil that followed the assassination of Julius Caesar, but the delegates will have full knowledge of the

geniuses in history, and through this his legacy was able to live on. A time period known as the Pax Romana, the Roman Peace, developed under his rule, and allowed Greco-Roman culture to be carried forward, and pro-vided a means for the transfusion of Judaism and Chris-tianity, even though the Roman Peace did create a gilded sense of peace19. The phrase ‘panem et circenses’ was sup-posedly coined to describe the way that Roman Emper-ors tried to keep their people happy through ample food and entertainment. Regardless, Augustus also reinstilled the old sense of morality from the early Roman Republic, and he tried to improve morals by passing laws.21 Fur-thermore, it can be argued that it was only through his stroke of genius was he able to stay in power and in favor for so long. Rather than declare himself dictator as Julius Caesar had, he worked more tactfully in order to slowly gain ultimate control of the government and then the empire.

Looking Forward to the Fall of

the Roman Empire

One of the most pivotal events in history is the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth, the Jewish leader of the Christians. During Tiberius’ rule, Jesus was killed, and Christians were tolerated at best, and tortured and bru-tally persecuted at worst, until the rule of Constantine22. In 303 CE, Constantine passed an edict for toleration of all religions, and by the year 320 CE, Christianity was favored by the Romans. But, the empire was on a steep decline, and Theodosius, the last of Constantine’s line, was the last emperor to rule a united Rome. At this point in time, the Roman Empire had overexpanded, overspent on military excursions, and had allowed political cor-ruption and instability to breed and brew23. The Western Empire had grown weak from constant invasions. All the peasants had fled into the cities, over-concentrating city populations, allowing for easy proliferation of disease,

22. “Roman Empire | Ancient State [27 BC-476 AD].” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.23. “8 Reasons Why Rome Fell.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.24. “Western Roman Empire Falls.” History.com. History, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.

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QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

1. What immediate benefits and harms did the tran-sition to the empire bring? What long term benefits and harms did the transitions to the empire bring?

2. Should action be taken to prevent the rise of the empire? Is it even a viable option?

3. What are the problems that you have with the em-pire, if any at all?

4. Do you believe that the rise of the empire is for the ultimate benefit of Rome, its cultures and its ideals?

5. Does the empire violate traditional Roman ideals? Do you agree with the ideals and functions of em-pire?

events prior to and following this point in history. Times are tumultuous, with strong emotions clashing over the fall of the republic and subsequent rising of the empire. Ultimately, the future path can take a number of different twists and turns, and you as a committee must decide how to progress. Should the transition from a republic to an empire be made and supported?

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CoMMITTEE ROLES

Julius Caesar Marcus Licinius Crassus Pompey CiceroLucius Sergius Catilina (Catiline)Gaius Marius Gaius Cassius LonginusAugustus CaesarMark Antony LepidusBrutusMarcus AgrippaGaius MaecenasCleopatraLucius Cornelius SullaSextus PompeiusAttiaLiviaFulviaLucius ScipioLucius Domitius AhenobarbusCato (the Younger)Titus LabienusLucullusSulla

EDGEMUN IIIAUGUSTUS CAESAR

TopicCommittee Name

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WORKS CITED

“Aftermath.” Aftermath. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2015.Andrews, Evan. “8 Reasons Why Rome Fell.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2015.“Augustus.” Encyclopedia of World Biography. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 19 Dec. 2015“Augustus.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2015.Badian, E. “Mark Antony | Roman Triumvir.” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2015.Cartwright, Mark. “The Battle of Philippi 42 BCE.” Ancient History Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2015.“Comitia Centuriata | Ancient Roman Assembly.” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2015.“Comitia Tributa | Ancient Roman Assembly.” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2015.“44-31 B.C. - The Second Triumvirate to the Principate.” About.com Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2015.Grant, Michael. “Augustus | Roman Emperor.” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2015.“Lecture 26: Fall of the RomanRepublic, 133-27 BC.” H102_25 Fall of the Roman Republic, 133-27 BC. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2015.“Roman Empire | Ancient State [27 BC-476 AD].” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2015.“Roman Republic | Ancient State [509 BC-27 BC].” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2015.“The Roman Republic.” Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association, n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2015.“Triumvirate.” The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2015. Encyclopedia.com. 19 Dec. 2015“Second Triumvirate.” - Livius. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2015.“Sextus Pompeius Magnus Pius | Roman Leader.” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2015.“Sextus Pompey.” Sextus Pompey. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2015.Silver, Carly. “Augustus.” About.com Ancient/Classical History. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2015.“Western Roman Empire Falls.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2015.

EDGEMUN IIIAUGUSTUS CAESAR