1. Chapter 8 Section 3

2.  In the 100’s B.C. farmers were sinking into poverty and debt, because many of them had been unable to farm. This was due to Rome’s wars. Others suffered damage due to Hannibal’s invasion of Italy.  Faced with debts they could not pay off many famers sold their land and headed to the city for work, which was hard to find. 

3.  Tiberius and Gaius (brothers) asked the Senate to take back public land from the rich and divide it among landless Romans  In 133 B.C. a band of Senators even went as far to kill Tiberius because they did not agree  12 years later the same happened with his brother

4.  Military leader Marius became a consul in 107 B.C., he began to recruit soldiers from the poor—in return for their service he paid them wages and promised them land  Felt loyal to general not Roman Republic since they are now paid professional soldiers  In 82 B.C a general Sulla went against Marius by driving his enemies out and making himself a dictator

5. weakened the Council of Plebs/strengthened Senate He stepped down from office – hoping the Roman Republic come heal itself Rome plunged into an ear of civil wars for the 50 years

6.  In 60 B.C. Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus formed the First Triumvirate to rule Rome ( a political alliance of 3 people)

7. Crassus Syria Was killed in battle in 53 B.C. Caesar Gaul (modern France) Hero to Rome’s lower classes Senate ordered to give up army and come home Pompey Spain 53 B.C. Senate decided should return to Italy and rule alone

8.  Decided to hold onto 5,000 loyal soldiers, marched to Italy crossing Rubicon (river at a command center) and knew he was starting a civil war  Pompey tried to stop Caesar, but he drove Pompey’s forces from Italy then destroyed the army in Greece in 48 B.C.

9. 44 B.C he was declared the dictator of Rome He filled the Senate with new members who were loyal to him He started new colonies to provide land for Rome’s jobless people Created a new calendar 12 months, 365 days, and a leap year (Julian calendar) Supporters believed=was strong leader who brought peace and order to Rome Enemies believed=feared that Caesar wanted to be King Led by the senators Brutus and Cassius those opponents plotted to kill him Caesar ignored famous warning “beware the Ides of March” (March 15) March 15 th, 44 B.C Caesar was stabbed to death

10. After defeating Caesar’s assassins these 3 men created… One side=forces led by men who killed him Other side=Caesar’s grandnephew Octavian,Antony, and Lepidus Death plunged Rome into another Civil War

11. Octavian took west in Rome Antony took east in Rome Octavian forced Lepidus to retire from politics

12.  Octavian and Antony came into conflict  Antony fell in love with Cleopatra VII and formed an alliance with her  Octavian told the Romans (tattling, really) that Antony (with Cleopatra) planned to make himself the sole ruler of the republic  Alarm spread through the Romans and enabled Octavian to declare war on Antony

13.  In 31 B.C off the west coast of Greece Octavian crushed the army and navy of Antony and Cleopatra  The couple then fled to Egypt  A year later as Octavian closed in on them they killed themselves

14. Stood on top of the Roman world Alone at age 32 Period of civil wars were over--- but so was the republic He lays the foundation for a new system of government

15.  Octavian knew that many people favored a republican form of government  Cicero=a political leader, and Rome’s greatest public speaker believed in this form of government (his ideas also influenced the writers of the United States Constitution  In 27 B.C. Octavian did just that and put himself in charge and gave some power to Senate  Imperator=commander-in-chief=emperor is the title he gave himself along with….  Augustus “the revered or majestic one”  From this point he was known by this name

16. Chapter 9 brings the Roman Civilization  Life in Ancient Rome  The Fall of Rome  The Byzantine Empire