Chapter 11 - Cont. Flashcards
What is a latifundia?
A latifundia is a large farm owned by a wealthy family.
Rome referred to the Mediterranean Sea as “Mare Nostrum”. What does this name mean?
It meant “Our Sea”.
How was Tiberius elected by the Tribune of the Plebs if he was a Patrician?
Tiberius gave up being a Patrician. Thus, he became a Pleb.
How did gangs form in the city and how did Tiberius solve the problem?
Ex-soldiers couldn’t farm with the land they’re given from soils because they didn’t know how to farm. They turn to crime in order to get food. Tiberius solved this by calling on the state to redistribute land to them.
How did Tiberius’ brother, Gaius, feed the poor?
Gaius sought public funds to buy grain for the poor.
How did Tiberius die?
The Senate already saw the Gracchus brothers as a threat. Their suspicions were confirmed when a senator claimed to have seen Tiberius scratching his head. They interpreted this as him wanting a crown, which meant he wanted to be king. Senators barged into the Tribune of the Plebs and clubbed Tiberius to death with the sharpened legs of chairs in the Senate.
How did Gaius die?
Gaius hired bodyguards shortly after being elected from the Tribune. One of these bodyguards got drunk and accidentally killed a council member’s servant. Waves are sent off into the street and a ransom is placed on his skull weight. His killer allegedly placed lead into his skull to increase the value.
How did the Roman republic fall?
Rome began to expand its influence, creating conflicts in Roman society that weakened and finally crushed the empire.
What is a client army?
A client army is an army that is more loyal to a person or a group of people than they are to the state.
How did Marius eventually become dictator?
Marius was a Plebeian in the military who became a Patrician by marrying Julius Caesar’s aunt. He rose the ranks and used his political power to enact policies that appealed to soldiers. By gaining their trust, he formed a client army that allowed him to force himself into power. Any dissenters are killed.
Who was Sulla?
Sulla was a fierce critic of Marius who also possessed a client army that consisted of people who shared similar views. He also became dictator. His reign lasted 5 years.
What were the Infamous Lists?
The Infamous Lists were lists posted in the Forum that listed “enemies of the state” as defined by Sulla. Being a Marius supporter or even a member of his family meant that you were an enemy of the state. Your name on the list meant that you would be killed in 24 hours. If you chose to turn yourself in, you would still die and your wealth would be given to the state. However, suicide meant you were still technically innocent and your wealth was thus given to your family.
What was Julius Caesar’s relation to Marius?
Marius was Julius Caesar’s uncle.
Why was Julius Caesar, a member of Marius’ family, excluded from the Infamous Lists?
He was excluded because he was young, wasn’t in Rome at the time, (studying in Greece) and because influential family members spoke on his behalf.
Who made up the First Triumvirate and what did the 3 men have in common?
It was made up of 3 men: Julius, Pompey, and Crassus. All 3 had grievances with the Senate.
Who was Pompey and what was his grievance with the Senate?
Pompey was a Sulla supporter who served in the army with him. He requested the title “Pompey the Great”. His grievance with the Senate was that they would not ratify any of his alliances in Asia Minor.
Who was Crassus and what was his grievance with the Senate?
Crassus was one of the wealthiest men in Rome at the time. He acquired this wealth through slave trading and a fire brigade that he formed. He attempted to renegotiate the contracts of his clients in debt with the Senate. His grievance with them was that the Senate humiliated him by refusing to remove his clients’ debts.
What does each member ultimately get out of the First Triumvirate?
Pompey now controlled Asia Minor and could tax it. Caesar got Gaul. Crassus, however, got nothing. In attempt to even things out, he bought a client army and fought Spartacus. Pompey was given partial credit for the subsequent victory because he came in and killed Spartacus last second. Next, Crassus fought the Parthians but stalemated. The Parthian king requested an unarmed meeting soon after. Crassus walks in unarmed and is then killed.
What actions did the Senate take against Julius Caesar after Crassus died?
After Crassus died, the First Triumvirate was only 2. The Senate believed that Pompey could be taken care of if he killed Julius first. Thus, they declared all of Caesar’s laws illegal. The Senate also asked him to disband his army in Gaul. Instead, he led them across the Rubicon River and marched on Rome.
What does “iacta alea est” mean?
It means “the die is cast”.
What happened in the Roman civil war between Julius Caesar and Pompey?
Pompey’s army is well fed and outnumbered Caesar’s 2:1. However, Caesar’s army only recently stopped fighting which meant they had more practice than their opponents. Additionally, Caesar was the better commander. In the Battle of Pharsalus, Pompey is defeated and flees to Egypt to form a new army. His old army was left stranded on the battlefield. Caesar invites them into his own army, which now contains 60,000 men. Together they go to Egypt but Pompey is executed by the Egyptian state because they didn’t want him. Julius remains in Egypt. The next to inherit the throne there is either Cleopatra or her brother/husband. Julius sides with Cleopatra and the brother is assassinated. Caesar couldn’t leave Egypt immediately because Roman ships along with the Egyptian port are burned.
What happened to Julius Caesar when he returns from Egypt?
As he is the only surviving member of the First Triumvirate, he becomes dictator for life. He distributes lands, cancels debt, and gives many people citizenship.
When was Julius Caesar assassinated?
He was assassinated on March 44 B.C. (Ides of March)
Why didn’t Julius Caesar wear armor in the Senate even when he was aware of the plot to kill him?
Wearing armor showed fear and it was not manly (Virtus) to be afraid.
