1. What were the two political groups in the ancient Roman Republic?
Optimates (The Best Men)
Socially conservative
Venerates and up holds the established institutions
Supported the rights of the Patricians
Included: Cato the Younger, Sulla
Cicero and Pompey were Moderates
Populares (The Popular Men)
Socially liberal
Less interested in maintaining or respecting traditional institutions
Sought support from the Plebeians
Took advantage of government powers
Included Caesar, Marius, Gracchus Brothers,

2. What was the grave social problem of the Late Roman Republic?
Wealthy Roman landowners bought huge estates from yeomen (small independent farmers)
The plantation owners then displaced the Roman farmers with foreign slaves.
The displaced Roman citizens then flooded into cities, primarily Roma, for work and food.

3. What was the grave social problem of the Late Roman Republic?
1. WAR starts …under dubious pretexts.
6. Former generals are pressured to give land to the veterans.
2. Yeoman farmers are recruited.
5. The returning veterans are homeless and displaced into Rome.
3. The campaign drags on for years.
4. Yeoman holdings are seized by wealthier Romans.

4. 3. What was the major political reform that the Gracchi brothers pushed for?
LAND REFORM!

5. 3. What was the major political reform that the Gracchi brothers pushed for?
LAND REFORM!
Problem (As previously stated):
The Yeomen flooded Rome in search of work and bread.
Slaves replaced yeomans across Italy
Solutions?:
Populares wanted to purchase back the land and redistribute it to Roman citizens.
Optimates saw it as a power grab and continued to fund social programs.

6. What class of Romans did Gaius Sempronius Gracchus try to promote and have included in the jury selection process?
Equites
Wealthy commoners
They could afford a horse
Many pursed trade, mining, land development, and especially tax collection
(Senatorial families were restricted from such enterprises)

7. 5. In Roman politics, what does a novus homo refer to?
A “new man”
References a man from a family that had not previously been elected to consul
Cicero was the last
novus homo

8. 6. What was Gaius Marius’ base of power? How did he create that base?
The military:
here’s how
Before Marius

9. 6. What was Gaius Marius’ base of power? How did he create that base?
After Marius

10. 6. What was Gaius Marius’ base of power? How did he create that base?
After Marius

11. 6. What was Gaius Marius’ base of power? How did he create that base?
Formation
Cavalry Repellant

12. 6. What was Gaius Marius’ base of power? How did he create that base?
Formation
Testudo (Tortoise)

13. 6. What was Gaius Marius’ base of power? How did he create that base?
Formation
Orb:
When a unit is cut off

14. 6. What was Gaius Marius’ base of power? How did he create that base?
- Marius’s Mules

15. 6. What was Gaius Marius’ base of power? How did he create that base?

16. This army killed the Republic and created the Empire
6. What was Gaius Marius’ base of power?
How did he create that base?
After Marius
- Provided equipment, supplies, and arms
- Landless poor could sign-up
(in fairness, there were few yeomans left to recruit)
- Land and plunder were the rewards for loyal service
The Result
A professional army was born
Little to no loyalty to the Roman Senate
Increasingly little loyalty to Rome in general
This army killed the Republic and created the Empire

17. 7 Wait… -Marius died in his 60’s
7. How many consulships did Marius receive? 7
Wait…
-Marius died in his 60’s
-After holding the office of Consul, a candidate couldn’t run again for 10 years
Oh no…

18. - A bounty hunter could return the head for money
8. Describe the process of “proscription.”
- Basically, the names of wealthy or politically active Romans were publicly posted
- A bounty hunter could return the head for money
- The property and assets were confiscated

19. Caesar, a relative of Marius, fled to the back country of Spain
8. Describe the process of “proscription.”
This was the firestorm Pompey, Caesar, Crassus, Cato, and many others of note started their political careers.
Caesar, a relative of Marius, fled to the back country of Spain
Pompey and Crassus were officers of Sulla
Cicero was defense attorney that defended people during the proscriptions
Cato, as a teenager, publicly called for Sulla’s death…and in legend, to Sulla’s face.

20. Most of the Veto power too!
9. What power did Sulla remove from the office of the Tribunes?
Legislative Power
Most of the Veto power too!
The Gracchus brothers realized that they could simply veto everything until they got their way
Sulla wanted the loophole closed

21. Marcus Licinius Crassus Wealthiest man in Rome.
10. Who did most of the work in crushing the Spartacus revolt, and from whom did Pompey steal the credit for the victory?
Marcus Licinius Crassus
Wealthiest man in Rome.
Made money with a private fire company
…or bid on the burnt property, fixed it up with a team of slaves and then sold it for a huge profit.

22. Mediterranean Pirates Mithridates VI of Pontus
11. What two highly successful campaigns did Pompey wage and specifically against whom did he defeat?
Mediterranean Pirates
Mithridates VI of Pontus
And Spartacus …technically