Lesson 8.3 “The Fall of the Republic”

Trouble in the Republic

What was the main problem that Romans faced

after the Punic Wars?

Crops failed and farms were ruined because the farmers were away from their farms for so long because they were off fighting in the wars.

How were many other farms destroyed in Rome?

During the 2nd Punic War Hannibal had raided and

destroyed them.

What do you call the large faming estates that were owned by patricians in

Rome?

latifundias

Who did patricians have to work on the latifundias?

Enslaved prisoners

Why could the patricians sell their crops for cheaper prices than the plebeians?

They didn’t have to pay the prisoners who worked on

their latifundias.

What did the farmers do to try to get out of debt?

Sold their farms and moved to the cities.

What did the Roman politicians do to try to keep the

plebeians in the city happy?

Provided them with “bread and circuses”

(cheap food and entertainment)

What did Tiberius and Gaius do to try to help the

poor in Rome?

They tried to get the Senate to take public land from the rich and give it to the poor.

What did Marius do to try to recruit new soldiers?

He paid them for their work and promised them land.

How did Marius change the Roman army?

He changed them from citizen volunteers to paid soldiers.

Who was the general who defeated Marius and drove his enemies out of Rome?

Sulla

What did Sulla do while he was dictator of Rome?

He took power away from the Council of Plebs and gave more power to the Senate.

What do you call a war where both sides fighting

are from the same country?

A civil war

Julius Caesar

After Sulla left office, what type of people vied

(competed) for power in Rome?

Generals from the military

Who were the 3 men who formed the first triumvirate in Rome?

Caesar, Crassus and Pompey

What is a triumvirate?

A political alliance ofthree people

Which member of the triumvirate was popular

with the plebeians?

Julius Caesar

Why did Crassus and Pompey try to take power

away from Caesar?

They were afraid he was getting too powerful.

What idiom, from ancient Rome, means to

do something that you can do something that you can never take backnever take back?

To “Cross the Rubicon”

Why did Caesar lead his disobey the order to give

up his army?

He feared that the Senate would put him in prison or

have him killed.

What happened when Caesar marched his troops

across the Rubicon?

It started a civil war.

What happened to Caesar after he destroyed

Pompey’s army and drove them from Italy?

He made himself dictator for life.

What were some changes that Caesar as dictator that made him

popular with the poor?

1. He started new colonies to give land to the landless.

2. He crated jobs for poor3. He made landowners pay the people

who worked the farms

What is one of thing created during Caesar’s rule that is

still used in most parts of the world today?

A new calendar with 12 months, 365 days

& a leap year

What happened to end Caesar’s dictatorship?

He was murdered

Julius Caesar

What caused the 2nd civil war in Rome?

Caesar’s death

Who took control of Rome after Caesar’s death?

Octavian (Caesar’s nephew),Antony and Lepidus

(2 of Caesar’s top generals)

Why didn’t the 2nd Triumvirate last very long?

The three members started fighting over power

What did Antony do that scared many Romans and convinced

Octavian to declare war?

He married an Egyptian queen named Cleopatra and many feared he wanted to become sole ruler of

the republic.

What was the system of government created under

Octavian?

The Roman Empire

Who was Cicero?

A popular political leader, writer and public speaker

from Rome.

What type of government did Cicero want to see in Rome?

A representative government with limited

powers

How did Octavian “trick” the people who helped put in into

power?

He said he was going to form a representative

government but didn’t.

Why didn’t Octavian live up to his promise to create a more representative government?

He thought it would be too weak to solve Rome’s

problems.

What title did Octavian give himself?

Imperator(which means commander

in chief)

What modern term is derived from the term imperatorimperator?

emperor

How did Octavian come to be known as AugustusAugustus?

He gave himself that title (which means the majestic

one.)