Midterm 2 Flashcards
P. Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus
The Roman Consul/general who commanded the final siege of Carthage. While he saw Carthage being destroyed, he wept because he knew the same would happen to Rome in the future because all great kingdoms eventually came to an end.
Attalus III
Former King of Pergamon. His will after his death was to offer Rome the land of Pergamon.
Polybius
A Greek historian that covered Roman history from 264-146BC.
-He was there when Scipio wept at the destruction of Carthage and wrote about Scipio’s lament of Rome being destroyed too.
M. Porcius Cato
An old Roman senator in his 90’s who sought the destruction of Carthage. He remembered the 2nd Punic War and was afraid that Carthage would seek revenge.
-Cato convinces Senate to wage war against Carthage. He always ended his speeches with “And I think Carthage should be destroyed.”
usus
Ancient Roman marriage common among the plebians.
- Once married, Roman women would be in charge of the household and its slaves and manage family treasury. (very liberating for Roman women)
- the purpose of the marriage was to ensure the family’s descendancy and solidity of the family nucleus.
Latifundia
“Privately owned land” -Great landed estates specializing in agriculture destined for export of grain, olive oil, or wine. Economics of the Latifundia heavily depended upon slave labor.
ager publicus
“public land of ancient Rome” It was usually acquired by confiscation from Rome’s enemies after war. Sometimes, the land was used to be leased out to wealthy citizens in return for rent. -By the imperial period, much of Ager Publicus in Italy were distributed to generals.
Patrician and Plebian classes disputed the rights of the rich to exploit the land.
Equestrian Order
Any citizen that had a specific amount of wealth was part of the Equestrian Order.
- Equestrians operated businesses, trade, manufacturing of goods, store, banking, etc. (because it was illegal for senators to be involved in businesses like these)
- Equestrians were in charge of all public contracts, supplied the Roman Army => became incredibly wealthy => industrial military complex
Gaius Sempronius Gracchus
· Brother of Tiberius Gracchus
· 10 years younger than Tiberius
· and was born in 153BC
· early on he did little in public life, he seemed willing to avoid the political spotlight but as time went on it became clear that Gaius was very very upset by what happened to his brothers and he would do everything he could to take revenge, against those senators he believed had assassinated his brothers.
· Was elected as one of the 10 tribunes in the year 123 BC
· He was reelected as tribune for the year 122 BC
· 1st roman to hold he office of tribune twice in a row.
· During his 2 years as tribune, he passed numerous laws designed to make himself more popular and powerful.
· And he passed laws designed to make the senate weaker.
· In fact as far as we know no tribune in roman history had ever passed such legislation.
· Passes a huge number of laws he passes laws to help out the average citizens of Rome.
· First law to help out the people was: no one in roman can be executed or exiled without the proper trial. Aimed specifically at those senators who had executed and exiled the supporters of Tiberius Gracchus.
· This law lead to the execution or exiling of various senators.
· Another law he passes was a law providing cheap grain for the poor people in Rome. Now the Roman government would by grain and sell it to the poor at a low fixed price.
· Also to help the people Gracchus passed a law established new colonies in Italy and over seas, this meant new cities would be established with surrounding land and that land wound be given to the poor. One of the places he wanted to establish a new colony was Carthage.
· Another group in Rome that Gauis tried to help was the known as the equestrian order
· As tribune passes laws that increase the already great power of the equestrians.
· Passed a law that created a new type of equestrian company known as the publicani.
· Another thing he does for the equestrians was from this point on the jurors from all roman courts would no longer be senators but instead be equestrians.
· Not reelected in 121BC because of voter fraud.
· Once out of office his opponents move against his program
publicani
· New type of equestrian company.
· Main job was tax farming.
· Pay the government a certain amt of money to people able to collect tax from the provinces.
· Would collect what government needed and keep the rest.
· Became incredibly wealthy and powerful on it’s own.
· They Use that money to bribe senators and also to bribe voters.
· Use the money to pay speaker to speak for laws and what ever else they wanted.
· It because very difficult to defy the publican because they had so much wealth.
· Money translates into political power in Rome.
L. Opimius
Opponents lead by Lucius he was one of the 2 consul in the year of 121.
· Began to try and repeal to different laws passed by C. Gracchus.
· Was successful riots broke out in the roman forum, first major political riots in roman history, violence followed leading to the death of roman citizens
· Demanded that Gracchus and his supporters surrender themselves to the custody of the state, they refused and Opimius went to the senate and had them grant what was known as the S.C.U.
· Opimius as consul was ordered to save the roman state by any means necessary.
· Organized a private army.
· Leads an attack against gracchus’ followers on the Aventine thousands were killed.
· Gracchus tries to escape across the river and was eventually hunted down and committed suicide.
· Opimius was put on trial the next year, prosecuter was one of the tribunes for that year.
· Opimius was aquitted.
Commission led by him.
· Decides that the kingdom should be divided in half Aiherbal will get the east and Jurgurtha will get the west.
· This arrangement didn’t last very long in 112BC Jurgurtha attacked Airherbal.
· Airherbal was defeated
· Airherbal was forced to take refuge within a Numidian city.
· In this city there were lots of Romans mostly aquestrians.
· They tell Airherbal to just surrender to Jurgurtha, there is no way he can do anything to you.
· So airherball surrenders the town to Jugurtha but then Jugurtha responds by torturing him to death.
· Jugurtha decides to massacre hundreds of romans.
· Exiled.
Jugurtha
· One of the most difficult foes that the romans ever faced.
· Served in a roman army under p. Cornelius scipio amelianus in Spain.
· Serving in Spain allowed him to become very good friends with some important roman senators that provided with great insight into how the roman political system worked.
· He will use the information to his advantage.
· In 118BC the previous king of Numidia died and by the terms of the previous king’s will Numidia was to be divided into 3 parts.
· The 3 parts would be divided between his 2 sons and his nephew(Jurgurtha)
· In 118 he kills one of his cousins and drove his other cousin out od Numidia.
· This arrangement didn’t last very long in 112BC Jurgurtha attacked Airherbal.
· Airherbal was defeated
· Airherbal was forced to take refuge within a Numidian city.
· In this city there were lots of Romans mostly aquestrians.
· They tell Airherbal to just surrender to Jurgurtha, there is no way he can do anything to you.
· So airherball surrenders the town to Jurgurtha but then Jugurtha responds by torturing him to death.
· Jurgurtha decides to massacre hundreds of romans.
Jugurthine War
· War, was devastating to Rome.
· Huge battle in terms of military and politcal
· 3 groups senate, aquestrians and people
· fought In north Africa against numidia, king was Jugurtha.
· One.
· In 112BC the Romans finally declare war on Numidia.
· Not prosecuted with much energy
· Because many of the senators were buddies of Jugurtha and because many of them had been bribed by Jugurtha.
· The senate voted to have jugurtha come to Rome and plead his case.
Mamilian Commision
Created by C. Mamilius Limetanus
· Was a tribune for the year 109
· After all this stuff happened, he passed a law creating a special court in Rome.
· This special court would have equestrians as the jurors.
· Came to be call the Mamillion Commision
· Investigated the charges that certain senators had been bribed by Jugurtha and their for committing treason, many senators were found guilty which meant many senators were
exiled from Rome.
· Senators that were exiled included any one that was every involved with Jugurtha and it also included a number of senators that had nothing to do with Jugurtha but the ones who had something to do with the killing of T. Gracchus.
· Didn’t bring the war to an end right away it drags on.
Marians
followers of C. Marius; took control of Rome after the death of Marius
