Caesar Flashcards
What is the background knowledge of Caesar?
From a patrician family, was a leading popularis politician, writer, orator, and highly successful general (imperator). Related to popularis Marius, Caesar was an active popularis reformer, Educated in rhetoric Caesar.
Who were Caesar’s rivals?
Bibulus, Sulla, Pompey, Crassus, Cicero
Who were Caesar’s allies?
Pompey, Crassus, Marius, Mark antony, Cicero,Cleopatra
What various means did Caesar employ to enhance his auctoritas?
passing legislation e.g. Julian laws, his writings e.g. Gallic War commentaries, wins four triumphs, flashy games when aedile, minting coins, oratory.
What are the strengths of Pompey in 60 BC?
imperator (3rd Triumph in 61 BC), money (from Eastern
campaigns), clients (veterans & client-kings).
What are the needs of Pompey in 60 BC?
Land for his veterans, To ratify his Eastern settlements.
What are the needs and strengths of Crassus in 60 BC?
Needs: a rebate on tax contracts of the publicani.
Strengths: money, support of equestrians.
What are the strengths of Caesar in 60 BC?
oratory, Pontifex Maximus, popularity with the urban plebs.
What are the needs of Caesar in 60 BC?
wants consulship of 59, a military ccommand.
How did varro view the 1st triumvirate?
‘three headed dragon’
Give eight reasons for the Formation of the First Triumvirate.
Pompey needed land for his veterans, Pompey wanted to ratify his Eastern settlements, Caesar’s ambition to be consul, Publicani & Crassus needed tax contracts renegotiated, hostility of optimates in the Senate (such as Cato), who blocked the needs of the Triumvirate, Cato’s refusal to marry into Pompey’s family, Caesar brings together two rivals (Pompey and Crassus) into an amicitia and Caesar uses Julia to seal the alliance.
Why did the First Triumvirate pose such a serious threat to the Republic?
It undermined the collective auctoritas of the Senate, it pooled excessive auctoritas, so leading to dominatio and autocracy, it allowed the Triumvirs to grab key military commands, it resulted in the Triumvirs recruiting legions more loyal to them than the SPQR, the Triumvirs undermined the annual elections in Rome and manipulated the key magistracies, and they had a substantial client base amongst the equestrians and urban plebs.
Which 7 consuls and tribunes proposed legislation? What laws did
these consuls and tribunes pass?
Caesar’s 1st consulship in 59 BC, 2 land bills,
Pompey and Crassus in 70 BC, bill restoring the tribunes’ powers, in 67 BC, bill for pirate command,
Manilius in 66 BC, bill for Mithridatic command,
Clodius in 68 BC, bill giving Cato governorship of Cyprus,
Clodius in 68 BC, bill exiling Cicero,
Caesar as consul in 49-44 BC, consular bills resulting in various Julian laws
What is caesars cursus honorum?
Quaestor in 69 BC, Aedile in 65 BC, Praetor in 62 BC, Propraetor in 61-60 BC in Spain, Consul in 59 BC, Proconsul in 58-50 BC, two provinces of Gaul & Illyricum
What 5 legislations did caesar pass in 59 BC?
Publication of public business
Bill reducing money owed by the publicani by 1/3: this aided Crassus’ relations with the equestrians.
Two agrarian bills:
Second bill re-allocated a large area of Campanian land.
Provincial bill: aimed at protecting the provinces from being exploited by corrupt governors.
What problems did Caesar face when trying to pass these pieces of legislation in 59 BC?
Senate blocking the bills, tribunes employing their veto, not enough Roman citizens voting for the bills, optimates employing their supporters to vote against the bills.
What opposition did Caesar face when trying to pass the first land bill?
Violence ensued against Bibulus and two tribunes, so forcing them to withdraw. Bibulus retired home for rest of his consulship. Caesar and his supporters ignored Bibulus and the bill passed.
What opposition did Caesar face when trying to pass the campanian law?
Caesar had Cato temporarily arrested in the Senate when the Campanian Law was about to be passed.
What sorts of violence and intimidation were employed by Caesar and his allies?
Bibulus & tribunes man-handled, basket of poo & veterans on streets.
Why was Caesar passing such a range of legislation?
Caesar had a popularis agenda, the various needs of Triumvirs, and Caesar had uncorked blockages caused by the Senate.
In what ways was the First Triumvirate weakened between 60-52 BC?
Death of Julia in 54 BC (daughter of Caesar and wife of Pompey), Death of Crassus in 53 BC, and Pompey marrying daughter of optimate Metellus Scipio in 53 BC.
In what ways was the First Triumvirate strengthened between 60-52 BC?
Conference at Luca in 56 BC, Consulships of Pompey and Crassus in 55 BC, new military commands for Pompey (Spain) and Crassus (Syria) in 55 BC, Caesar Gallic command extended for 5 more years in 55 BC.
How did Clodius amicitia help caesar?
In 59 BC an amicitia developed between Caesar and Clodius. As tribune of the plebs in 58, Clodius helped protect Caesar’s consular legislation.
Clodius ensured Cato was temporally removed from Rome via his Cyprus bill. Clodius continued the popularis agenda by passing a corn dole bill.
Where or what are the 1st triumvirate in 56 BC?
Caesar’s Gallic command was extended for 5 years, and Pompey (Spain) and Crassus (Syria) would receive new 5 year proconsular commands.
What were the pressures on the First Triumvirate?
Clodius started employing city gangs in 58 and they harassed Pompey, causing him to retire from public life.
In 54 Julia died. Pompey remarried in 53 to Cornelia daughter of optimate Metellus Scipio.
Crassus in 53 is defeated and killed by the Parthians, losing many legions.
In 52 violence breaks out in Rome between rival political gangs and Clodius is killed.
During Caesar’s consulship of 59 BC, tribune vatinius awarded what to Caesar and what did the senatorial decree add?
The tribune Vatinius proposed a law awarding Caesar a 5 year proconsular command of Illyricum and Cisalpine Gaul. A senatorial decree added Transalpine Gaul.
What is the context behind Caesar’s Gallic Campaign 58-50 BC?
Caesar led an aggressive nine year campaign conquering the whole of modern day France.
After 1st Triumvirate was renewed at Luca in 56, Caesar’s proconsular command was extended for another five years by the Senate in 55.
In 52 Caesar had to counter a major revolt of the Gallic tribes led by Vercingetorix. By 50 BC Caesar commanded ten experienced legions. He wanted to return to Rome in triumph and he planned to stand for the consulship.
What is the timeline leading toward the civil war from 53-51 BC
53 Death of Crassus.
53 Pompey marries Cornelia, daughter of Metellus Scipio.
52 Riots in Rome, Clodius killed by Milo, and Pompey appointed sole consul by Senate.
51 optimate consul M.Marcellus attempts to recall Caesar from Gaul & has Gallic official flogged.
What is the timeline leading toward the civil war from 50-49 BC
Dec 1st 50 Senate votes that Caesar and Pompey disband armies, but optimate consul C.Marcellus disbands Senate.
1 st Jan 49 Senate votes for Caesar to dismiss his army. Two tribunes veto this.
7 th Jan 49 Senate passes Senatus Consultum Ultimum. Tribunes’ safety threatened.
11th Jan 49 Caesar leads his legions across the Rubicon.
What is the political context in 49BC
Caesar wants to stand for the consulship of 48 in absentia, but rivals
in Senate against such a move.
Key allies of Caesar had died or defected.
Pompey’s auctoritas challenged: even though he was allied with
optimates, Pompey had to deal with disunity amongst Caesar’s rivals.
Optimates insult and threaten Caesar:
Caesar’s veteran army (like Sulla’s & Pompey’s legions) wanted
rewards, especially land.
What were the reforms Caesar passed in of 48-44 BC
Caesar’s debt reform: passes law reducing out-standing debts
Colonies for citizens and veterans
Corn supply reforms: reduces number of citizens who receives corn dole. Appoints new aediles for corn supply.
New calendar
Senate and cursus honorum: Caesar increases the number of senators from 600 to 900 and the number of praetors from 8 to 16.
What is the context behind Caesar’s assassination?
After finishing the Civil War in 45 and then continuing his numerous reforms, Caesar was planning to head East in 44 and campaign against the Parthians.
About 60 aristocrats formed a conspiracy: a mix of optimates, Caesarians and Pompeians.
During a Senate meeting, they stabbed Caesar 23 times.
What were the motives of the conspirators?
Autocratic appointment of new magistrates.
Dictatorship: an office customarily held for 6 months during an
emergency. Caesar held it on & off for 5 years. In Feb. 44 appointed
dictator perpetuo.
Numerous honours
