1. Republic to Empire

2. Roman Senate 200 B.C. Roman senate and Patricians controlled Gov’t
Plebeians gained right to elect tribunes (10) to protect their interests
Tribunes could veto (block) laws

3. Unrest The senate bought out small peasant owners land
Caused a number of poor individuals to drift to the city of Rome.
Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus- Tribunes who were killed by senators for urging them to give land back to the poor

4. Marius and Sulla
General Marius promised land to the poor if they joined army and swore allegiance to him
Senate employs General Sulla to seize control of the army and defeat Marius  Civil War!
Sulla wins with better trained Army

5. First Triumvirate
Three Men- Crassus, Pompey, and Julius Caesar divide power over empire
Triumvirate- a Gov’t ruled by three people.

6. Power struggle Caesar commanded in Gaul Pompey commanded Spain
Crassus commanded Syria
In 53 B.C. Crassus was killed in battle
Leads to senate asking Pompey to rule Rome and Caesar to surrender
Caesar is popular with Plebs

7. Caesar takes control
Caesar Crosses the Rubicon river heading back to Rome no turning back
In 45 B.C. Caesar won a civil war in Rome and became the first dictator

8. Death of Caesar While dictator Caesar gave land to the poor
Kept senate but added members to diminish power
In 44 B.C. he was assassinated
- Senators believed Caesar wanted to remain dictator for life.

9. The second triumvirate
Octavian, Mark Antony, and Lepidus formed the second triumvirate
Eventually Octavian (Caesars nephew) and Antony took control

10. Battle for Rome
Antony allies himself with the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra VII
Battle of Actium- Octavian Crushes Antony’s navy and army.
Antony and Cleopatra return to Egypt where they commit suicide.
Octavian becomes Emperor Augustus