Reformers and Generals

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Reformers and Generals
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I. The Gracchi

• Tiberius Gracchus was the grandson of Scipio.
• Won the office of tribune in 133 BCE.
• Proposed a law that would give the landless some
  land of their own.

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I. The Gracchi

• Despite some opposition he did pass it through
  the Plebeian Assembly of Tribes.

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I. The Gracchi

• Those who opposed organized a riot where Tiberius
  and 300 followers were killed.
• This marked the beginning of a trend in Rome.

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I. The Gracchi

• A decade later Tiberiuss brother was elected to
  office, Gauis.
• He would push for more reforms.

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I. The Gracchi

• Gaius would make such reforms like lowering the
  price of grain and food.
• He also won land back to the farmers.

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I. The Gracchi

• In 121 BCE he too met a violent end as one of his
  enemies planned a riot and he was killed.
• By 111 BCE the Senate had put an end to land
  reforms.

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II. Marius and Sulla

• General Gaius Marius was elected consul in 107
  BCE.
• A reformer, who gave the poor jobs by enlisting
  them in the army.

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II. Marius and Sulla

• Marius promised his men money and land once they
  were discharged.
• This led to the first professional army in Rome.

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II. Marius and Sulla

• The army now owed their allegiance to the
  commander and not the republic.

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II. Marius and Sulla

• General Lucius Cornelius Sulla fought with Marius
  in many wars.

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II. Marius and Sulla

• Eventually Sulla would use Mariuss army against
  him.
• The two disputed over who should command the army
  in the east.

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II. Marius and Sulla

• Sulla persuaded his legions to capture Rome and
  drive Marius into exile.
• This would lead to seven year civil war in Rome.

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II. Marius and Sulla

• Eventually Sulla would appoint himself dictator,
  but now the army and whoever controlled it would
  have power.
• Violence would overtake law.

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III. The First Triumvirate

• In 70 BCE Gnaeus Pompey was a very successful
  military general.
• His military success would give him the title
  Pompey the Great.

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III. The First Triumvirate

• Julius Caesar was an ambitious young up and
  coming aristocrat who was a successful
  politically and militarily.

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III. The First Triumvirate

• Marcus Licinius Crassus was a wealthy politician
  who had the support of many other aristocrats.

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III. The First Triumvirate

• These three would form the first triumvirate, a
  group of three with equal power, to rule the
  government.

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III. The First Triumvirate

• The triumvirate would eventually be broken as
  Crassus died in battle and Pompey fearing Julius
  Caesars power ordered him to leave his own
  legions and return to war.

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III. The First Triumvirate

• Caesar refused and even broken Roman law by
  having his army march into Rome crossing the
  Rubicon River.

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III. The First Triumvirate

• Soon a civil war ensued and Pompey fled Rome.
• Caesar and his legions hunted down and destroyed
  their enemies and Pompeys armies.

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III. The First Triumvirate

• Caesar took over Rome as dictator for life, with
  the intention of making Rome a monarchy.
• This leads to his death.