Julius Caesar' Rise and Fall
- Kept Plebeians from revolting by giving them bread and circuses
- Bread was free grain from the state
- circuses was the Colosseum and Circus Maximus
- Government did this to keep plebeians alive, as well as keep them distracted and docile
- Soldiers(who were plebs) loyalty was only to their military leaders, not Rome or the Republic
- Tiberius Gracchus recognized the power of the plebeians aka the soldiers
- military generals would lead their soldiers and conquer a land, then give plots of the land to the soldiers in return for their loyalty
- Julius Caesar was the best at this strategy
- Lived 100-44 BCE)
- highly successful general
- He conquered the huge territory of Gaul
- JC could also play politics
- He tried to always please the common folk
- He had high class friends
- Pompey( a general who conquered Syria and Palestine)
- Crassus( the richest man in Rome, and in all history)
- These three men made up the first Triumvirate
- Triumvirate(Rule of three men)
- Pompey couldn't understand how JC was conquering and gaining so much power
- He crossed the Rubicon
- crossing to the point of no return
- Caesar seized power
- Serves as consul for 1 year
- Then appoints himself governor of Gaul
- Pompey is jealous
- becomes JC's rival
- Caesar and Pompey's armies clash in Greece, Asia, Spain, and Egypt(Caesar winning all)
- Caesar is named dictator of Rome
- at first for only 6 months
- the for life
- Caesar makes many reforms
- Gave citizens in provinces citizenship
- Expanded the Senate
- by adding his friends
- Created jobs for the poor
- through public works projects
- Increased soldiers pay
- Started colonies where those without land could own land
- Sic semper tyrannis!
- translates to: Thus always to tyrants!
- JC's Assassination
- Why?
- Senators were threatened by JC's rise in power
- How?
- Got JC to the Senate and stabbed him 23 times( so everyone was involved)
- Who?
- Brutus, Caesar's friend
- (Et tu, Brute?)
- Senators were never punished
- Octavian was named as JC's sole heir
- End of the Republic
Happy Wednesday everyone!
No comments:
Post a Comment