From Julius Caesar to Nero

 

pp. 136 - 141 (6)         

p. 139 Assassination

 

FALL OF THE ROMAN REPUBLIC

 

  • Nobile (noble) = elite circle of wealthy and powerful Plebian/Patrician families that controlled the senate and the magistracies.
  • Latifundia= large aristocratic estate (added to the decline in numbers of small farmers)
  • Tiberius and Gauis Gracchus= aristocratic brothers who had bills passed to distribute public land of large landowner to landless Romans. The brothers were killed by senators, the murders occurring twelve years apart.
  • Marius= General who reformed how to recruit armies. The soldiers swore an oath to the general instead of the senate. This system placed a great deal of power with the generals
  • Lucius Cornelius Sulla= next general to use the new military system. Used new system to eventually seize Rome, an event which would seem appealing to ambitious men from then on

 

THE JULIO-CLAUDIAN DYNASTY

 

JULIUS CAESAR

            -formed the FIRST TRIUMVIRATE with CRASSUS and POMPEY

            -killed POMPEY in order to become emperor

-Deeds as emperor:

·        gave land to the poor

·         increased size of senate

·        reformed calendar(Egyptian Solar Year)

            -is killed by group of senators

 

AUGUSTUS (Octavian)

-killed MARC ANTONY in order to become emperor

-Deeds as emperor:                                                                                                  

·        Set up praetorian guard of 9,000

·        new system for governing provinces(some provinces were  given to emperor, who assigned deputies to them)

·        Conquered central & maritime Alps, and expanded Roman control of the Balkan Peninsula.

-is killed by wife, Livia

 

 

 

 

 

TIBERIUS

-mother, Livia, kills AUGUSTUS in order for him to become emperor

-Deeds as emperor:

·        TIBERIUS is a pedophile

·        Banishes Agrippina

·        Puts Lucius in prison

·        Germanicus starves to death

-is killed by Caligula

 

CALIGULA

            -killed TIBERIUS

-Deeds as emperor:

·        Declares himself God

·        Rapes Lesbia, who then commits suicide

·        Orders CLAUDIUS to be thrown off bridge(however CLAUDIUS survives)

·        Has sex with all his private guards, has sex with horse

·        Kills Drusilla

-is killed by guards

 

CLAUDIUS

            -chosen by guards who have killed CALIGULA

-Deeds as emperor:

·        Good emperor in the beginning

·        Knowledgeable, b/c of years spent reading books

·        1st wife Messalina, was a hooker who embezzled money from him, so he had her thrown down the capital steps

·        Tries to restore the Republic, however fails b/c most prominent senators are dead and the living ones are stupid.

            -killed by 2nd wife Agripirilla

 

NERO (Lucius Domitius)

            -mother, Agripirilla, kills NERO in order for him to become emperor

            -Deeds as emperor:

·        kills Christians, scapegoats them for the fire he started

o       dips them in tree sap, ties them to post, sets them on fire

o       Fills arena with water, put them on boat then sets it on fire. They jump and swim to an island where he placed guards to kill them

o       dressed children up as sheep, then lions, tigers and elephants killed them

            -kills himself

 

 

 

 

AUGUSTAN SOCIETY

 

  • Imperator = Commander-in-Chief, “the revered one” Latin for emperor
  • Legion= military unit of about 5,000 troops
  • Senatorial=ruling class for the empire, held most important posts, needed 1,000,000 sesterces in property value
  • Equestrian= all Roman citizens in good stand with 400, 000 sesterces in property value. They could hold political power, however it was limited compared to the senatorial order.
  • Lower Classes= majority of free Romans, could move to Equestrian class by attaining wealth, and being a lower officer in the Roman Legion.

 

BBR: THE ASSASSINATION OF JULIUS CAESAR

  • Foot of Pompey’s statue: site where Caesar was murdered
  • Gauis Cassius and Marcus Brutus: leaders of conspirators against Caesar
  • Casca: first to stab Caesar

 

 

Genevieve Flores

Per. 4

1/3/05