the breakdown of the roman republic

THE BREAKDOWN OF THE ROMAN REPUBLIC

From Oligarchy to Empire

In this book, Christopher S. Mackay recounts the last century of the Roman Republic in a readable narrative treatment. Within this narrative he analyzes the breakdown of the traditional Republican form of government as a result of the administrative and political crises brought about by the Roman conquest of the Mediterranean basin in the Middle Republic. He also shows how the many reforms instituted by Augustus, which effectively created the new imperial form of government, were a reaction to the failings of the Republic. Illustrated with an extensive collection of coin images that document the changes in contemporary political ideology, this volume also focuses on the political significance of the key personalities, includ-ing Marius, Sulla, and Caesar, who played a large role in the events that led to the demise of the Roman Republic.

Christopher S. Mackay is a professor in the Department of History and Classics at the University of Alberta.

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Cambridge University Press978-0-521-51819-2 - The Breakdown of the Roman Republic: From Oligarchy toEmpireChristopher S. MackayFrontmatterMore information

http://www.cambridge.org/9780521518192

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THE BREAKDOWN

OF THE ROMAN

REPUBLIC

FROM OLIGARCHY TO EMPIRE

Christopher S. MackayUniversity of Alberta






cambridge university pressCambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, São Paulo, Delhi, Dubai, Tokyo

Cambridge University Press32 Avenue of the Americas, New York, ny 10013-2473, usa

www.cambridge.orgInformation on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521518192

© Christopher S. Mackay 2009

This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press.

First published 2009

Printed in the United States of America

A catalog record for this publication is available from the British Library.

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication dataMackay, Christopher S., 1962–

The breakdown of the Roman republic : from oligarchy to empire / Christopher Mackay.

p. cm.Includes bibliographical references and index.isbn 978-0-521-51819-2 (hardback)1. Rome – History – Republic, 265–30 b.c. 2. Rome – Politics and government – 265–30 b.c. I. Title.dg254.m25 2009973 .05–dc22 2008048943

isbn 978-0-521-51819-2 Hardback

Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of urls for external or third-party Internet Web sites referred to in this publication and does not guarantee that any content on such Web sites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.






Kelliae meae

coniugi atque adiutrici

optime de me merenti






vii

Abbreviations page ixMaps xi

Introduction 1

1 Historical Background 10

2 Tribunate of Ti. Gracchus 36

3 Tribunates of C. Gracchus 58

4 Numidia, Senatorial Failures, and the Rise of C. Marius 84

5 Ascendancy of C. Marius 100

6 The Italian Allies, M. Livius Drusus, and the Social War 118

7 Sulla, Marius, and Civil War 134

8 Roman Territorial Expansion before the First Mithridatic War 147

9 First Mithridatic War 161

10 Sulla’s Victory in Civil War 173

11 Sulla’s Settlement 185

12 The 70s b.c.: Attacks on the Sullan Regime and the Rise of Pompey 196

13 Third Mithridatic War, War with the Pirates, and the Ascendancy of Pompey 210

14 The 60s b.c.: Rome in the Absence of Pompey 222

Contents






viii

– Contents –

15 Consulship of Cicero 229

16 Consulship of C. Caesar 238

17 Caesar in Gaul 252

18 Last Decade of the Free Republic 263

19 Civil War and Caesar’s Victory 285

20 Caesar’s Domination and Assassination 304

21 Turmoil after the Ides of March 315

22 Struggle of the Warlords 337

23 Final Showdown 351

24 The Augustan Settlement and the “Restored” Republic 362

Epilogue 397

Appendix: Roman Nomenclature 405Chronology 413Suggestions for Further Reading, Ancient and Modern 421Bibliography 433Index 435

Illustrations of Roman coinage follow page 294.






ix

BMCRR: Grueber, Coins of the Roman RepublicOGIS: Dittenberger, Orientis Graeci Inscriptiones SelectaeRRC: Crawford, Roman Republican CoinageRS: Crawford, Roman Statutes

Abbreviations






BRITAIN

IRELAND

GALLIACOMATA

(58)

NEARERSPAIN(197)

FURTHERSPAIN(197)

NARBONENSIS(CA. 120)

CISALPINEGAUL

(CA. 80)

AL P S

S A H A R A

SARDINIA(227)

CORSICA

SICILY(227)

CRETE(67)

EGYPT(30)

SYRIA(64)

CYRENAICA(74)

AFRICA(146) CYPRUS

(ANNEXED TOCILICIA, 57)

CILICIA (CA. 102)

GALATIA (25)

MACEDONIA(146)

PANNONIA)61(

ASIA(133)

BITHYNIA AND PONTUS

ILLYRICUM(59)

(64)

liN

e

Danube

Rhine

English Channel

Baetis

Maeander

Don

Black Sea

RedSea

CaspianSea

M e d i t e r r a n e a n S e a

A T L A N T ICO C E A N

0 250 500 kilometers

0 250 500 miles

Map 1. Major Provinces






0 50 100 kilometers

0 50 100 miles

SARDINIA

CORSICA

SICILY

A

L

PS

CISALPINE

GAUL

UMBRIA

ETR

URI A

PI C

EN

I U

M

PAELIGN I

VESIT

IN

M ARRUNIC

I

NERF-T

NAI

SAMNITES

MARSI

AILUPA

LUCANIA

BU

RT

TUI

M

CALABRIA

LATIUM

IL

LY

RI

CU

M

TyrrhenianSea

IonianSea

M e d i t e r r a n e a nS e a

A

d r i a t i cSe a

FucineLake

Tiber

Po

Rubicon

AFRICA

Rome

BovillaeSacriportus

MinturnaeTeanum Sidicinum

PuteoliMisenum Mt. Vesuvius

Ostia

Brundisium

Tarentum

Syracuse

CarthageUtica

Ancona

Ariminum

Asculum

Corfinium

Praeneste

Velitrae

Arpinum AeserniaBorianum

Beneventum

Grumentum

Naulochus

AusculumVenatrumFregellae

Bononia

Luca

Mutina

Vercellae

Perugia

Clusium

Volaterrae

Naples

NolaCapua

Map 2. Italy






0 100 200 kilometers

0 100 200 miles

M e d i t e r r an

ea

n

Se a

ATLANTICOCEAN

NorthSea

Adr i at i c Sea

English Channel

Loire

Seine

Rhine

Elbe

SARDINIA

Corsica

HELVETII

PANNONIA

GAULCISALPINE

ITALY

AE

DU

I

LLA

SEGORBO

NUMIDIAAFRICA

TRIPOLITANIA

S A H A R A

MAURETANIA

S P A I N

G A U L

G E R M A N Y

BRITAIN EA

GL

EB

CELTIBERI

SU

LT

IA

IN

SICILY

BAL EARI C I S.

AL P S

QA UIINAT

ILLYRI CUM

Rome

Syracuse

Cirta

Brundisium

Carthage

Utica

ThapsusHadrumentum

TarentumNaples

Arausio

Narbo Martius

Numantia

Massilia

Vercellae

Gergovia

AquaeSextiae

TeutoburgForest

Uxellodunum

Tolosa

Munda

VENETI

Danube

Map 3. Western Europe






Map 4. Greece and the Near East

0 50 200 kilometers

0 50 200 miles

BALKANS

C A U C A S U S

CYPRUS

CRETE

C Y R E N A I C A

A R A B I A

AEOBUE

RHODES

JUDAEA

ITALY

THRACE

MACEDONIA

THESSALY

LYCIA

ISA

A

IRUASI

APELOPONNESUS

EPI RU

S

C I L I C I AP

AMPHYLIA

AIGYRHP

CAPPADOCIAASIA MINOR

BITHYNIA

AITaLAG

syria

ARMENIAPONTUS

NORTHMESOPOTAMIA

P A R T H I A / P E R S I AM

ES

OP

OT

AM

IA

MEDIA

C O L C H I S

PAPHLYGONIA

Crimea

PH

OE

NI C

IA

I LLYR I CUM

Lemnos

Lesbos

Delos

CnidosLaodiceaRhodes

Mytilene

B l a c k S e a

M e d i t e r r a n e a n S e a

aeScitai

rdA

R e dS e a

P e r s i a nG u l f

Ca

s

pi a

nS

ea

Euphrates

Tigris

Oro

nte

s

Nil e

Tyre Damascus

Antioch

CarrhaeNisibis

Tigranocerta

Cabira

Zela

Heraclea

AncyraCyzicus

Brundisium

Tarentum

NicopolisActium

Dardanus

Philippi

Sparta

Pharsalus

Athens

Pergamum

Apollonia

Dyrrhacium

ThyatiraPitane

Smyrna

Byzantium Dastira/Nicopolis

Phraaspes

Ctesiphon

Seleucia

JerusalemCyrene

Alexandria

Danube






Aegean Sea

IonianSea

AmbracianGulf

CopiacLake

LEMNOS

EUBOEA

CORCYRA

BO EOT I A AT

TI

CA

T HE S S A L Y

MA

CE

DO

NI A

Corinth

Megara

Chaeronea

Pharsalus

Philippi

Orchomenos

Sparta

Methone

NicopolisActium

Piraeus

Patrae

Athens

Eleusis

0 50 100 kilometers

0 50 100 miles

P E L O P O N N E S O S

Map 5. Greece






THE BREAKDOWN OF THE ROMAN REPUBLIC

From Oligarchy to Empire






the breakdown of the roman republic

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