Second Punic War (218 - 201 BCE)
29-year-old Carthaginian general Hannibal almost does the impossible: taking Rome
attacks Rome from the NORTH after crossing Iberia (Spain) and the Alps
lays siege to much of the peninsula for 15 years, but he never can get to Rome Rome 2, Carthage 0
Third (and final) Punic War (149-146 BCE)
Rome wanted to finally remove the threat of Carthage
Scipio, Tiberius Gracchus, and others mercilessly attacked the city
Carthage was burned for 17 days; the city’s walls and buildings were utterly destroyed
when the war ended, the last 50,000 people in the city were sold into slavery
the rest of Carthage’s territories were annexed, and made into the Roman province of Africa
slaves poured into Italy (50,000 Carthaginians, 150,000 Greek POWs, etc.)
by the end of the second century BCE there were over a million slaves in Italy
small farmers lost their land to aristocrats (for little or no money) if they couldn’t pay their debts, sometimes because the men of the farm were fighting battles
slaves did the work on the farms for the rich
the big farms became massive estates called latifundia
How do you keep the plebs happy (or at least keep them from revolting)?
the poet Juvenal said Rome “anxiously hopes for two things: bread and
circuses”
bread (free grain from the state) and entertainment (Circus Maximus, Colosseum), partly to keep them alive, and partly to keep them quiet, distracted, and docile
Tiberius Gracchus recognized the advantages of courting the plebeians (even though he was ultimately unsuccessful)
military generals worked that angle - lead an army that conquers a land, then give them a share in the spoils
soldiers’ loyalty was to their military leader, not necessarily to Rome or the Republic
Julius Caesar (100 - 44 BCE)
a highly successful general
he conquered the huge territory of Gaul
made common folks happy
made friends in high places
Pompey (a general who conquered Syria and Palestine)
Crassus (the richest man in Rome, one of the richest men in all history
these three men formed the First Triumvirate (“rule of three men”)
Serves as consul (one year)
Appoints himself governor of Gaul
Pompey is jealous, becomes his rival
Caesar’s armies clash with Pompey’s in Greece, Asia, Spain, and Egypt (Caesar - winning!)
In 44BC he is named dictator - first for six months, then for life
Granted citizenship to people in provinces
Expanded the Senate, adding his friends
Created jobs for the poor, especially through public works projects
Increased pay for soldiers
Started colonies where those without land could own property
Why? The senators saw Caesar’s rise in power as a huge threat to their political viability
How? They lured him into the Senate, stabbing him 23 times, making sure all were involved
Who? Even Brutus, Caesar’s ally (“et tu, Brute?”)
Senators were not punished
Octavian was named Julius Caesar’s sole heir
Basically, this is the end of the republic
Julius Caesar’s grandnephew - and adopted son - Octavian takes over at the age of 18! with his own triumvirate
Mark Antony is an experienced general
Lepidus is a powerful politician
This is the Second Triumvirate
Octavian forces the weak Lepidus to retire
He and Mark Antony become rivals
Mark Antony partners up with Cleopatra of Egypt
Militarily
Personally
Politically
Economically
Octavian defeats them at the Battle of Actium
He is now the unchallenged ruler of Rome
He was given the honorific “Augustus”
“Exalted one”
He was also given the title “imperator”
Supreme military commander
This is where we get the word “emperor”
Now Rome is an empire, not a republic
40 years of ruling as emperor (27 BC to AD 14)
He began a stable era of peace and prosperity known as the Pax Romana (Roman peace)
Pax Romana was 207 years long
27 BC to AD 180
Expanded the Roman Empire further into Africa
He set up civil service to run the government/empire
Building a network of roads
Collecting taxes
Establishing a postal service
Administering the grain supply
Building awesome public facilities
Buildings, aqueducts
Setting up a police department
Running a fire-fighting organization
Finally died of natural causes
After Octavian’s death, power was passed down to emperors
Some were good, some were horrible, some appeared to be completely insane
Let’s review some of the emperors…
Tiberius
Ruled from AD 14 to AD 37
an excellent general, but a reluctant emperor
after the death of his son, he exiled himself from Rome and left his prefects in charge
died at age 77
Caligula
Ruled from AD 37 to AD 41 (only 4 years!)
won a power struggle after Tiberius' death
known for his cruelty, extravagance, and perversity - an insane tyrant
assassinated by a group of praetorian guards, Senators, and the im
perial court, trying to re-establish the Republic
but it didn't work…
Claudius
Ruled from AD 41 to AD 54
suffered from many infirmities: a limp, stammering, shaking, slobbering... possibly because of cerebral palsy
took over because he was the last adult male in the family
ruled well - built roads, aqueducts, canals, and started the conquest of Britain
died by poisoning - it was his last wife's plan (she wanted her son Nero to rise to power)
Nero
ruled from 54 to 68
emphasized the arts
huge fire in 64 (although he DIDN'T fiddle)
he wanted to rebuild Rome to be more majestic
he hugely overspent, and even raided the temples for money
historians do not look kindly on him
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