Week 5 Decline and end of the Republic Flashcards
Patricians
Wanted ultimate political control and did want to give any significant power to the plebeians.
Tiberius and Gaius
their death caused a shift in power in Rome, forcing the senate to give more land to the plebeians but it also introduced violence as a new political tactic. This is the primary reason why the republic started its downfall.
Gauis Marius
Reformed the army to make it larger and more efficient to make bring up to standards with the size of the empire. This made poor soldiers more dependent on pay and booty from their generals, giving generals more power.
Rome from Marius to Caesar
The army reforms were also another factor to romes republics downfall. (turned the army in to a political weapon) with Marius did not see the future problems these reforms would casue. Marcus Livius Druses wanted to make new laws about grain and citizenship rights for all people in Italy he was killed.
Intrigue in Rome 88 B.C
▪Sulla was made consul by Senate 88 BC
▪Placed in command of operations against Mithradates
▪He marched out to take up the command
▪Marius managed to convince one of the Tribunes to have the Mithridatic war re-assigned to him
Sulla marches to Rome
Sulla marched on Rome with his 6 legions
Making the senate bow to his will
▪Marius was outlawed and fled to North Africa where his veterans were settled
Romes new Threat
Armies are loyal to their generals rather than to the state.
Generals could gain political power through their armies.
The Senate is no longer able to control politics in Rome
Shake-up in Rome
When Sulla left for Pontus, Marius returned from Africa and backed the outlawed consul Cinna.
They raised troops by offering slaves freedom for service, and allied with the Samnites.
They besieged Rome and when it fell, they had themselves made consuls.
They outlawed Sulla and purged Rome of their enemies (Sulla’s followers and senators who disapproved of them)
Marius died, possibly of pneumonia, leaving Cinna in charge
Sulla Returns in 83 BCE
Sulla landed with five legions and was joined by Marcus Licinius Crassus(32 years old) and Gnaeus Pompeius (23 years old).
Pompey had his own private army of 3 legions which joined Sulla.
After gaining Rome, Pompey was sent to Africa and Sicily to regain them, earning the name “Young Butcher” for his efficiency in dispatching enemies
Sulla Breaks the Rules
He gave his daughter in marriage to Pompey to cement an alliance.
He granted Pompey a triumph for his wins in Africa and Sicily.
He conferred the cognomen “Magnus” to Pompey’s name, a title given to him by his troops in Africa.
Sulla as Dictator in 82 BCE
The Senate made him dictator, charged with bringing order back to Rome and making laws
▪There was no time limit on his office
▪Proscribed at least 500 men, among them 40 senators
Proscription - Getting rid of Opposition
Political opponents are named enemies of the state.
Their names are written up on a list and the death sentence proscribed for them without trial.
Their property is seized by the state.
Their sons and grandsons were barred from running for office
Political Reforms
▪Filled Senate with 450 of his own friends
▪Brought the total up to 600 (300 equites, 300 patricians)
▪increased the number of other offices and imposed new restrictions on the cursus honorum
▪Neutered the Tribunate
Changes to the Cursus Honorum
20 quaestors, 8 praetors, 2 consuls.
Only ex-quaestors could become praetors, only ex-praetors could become consuls.
Minimum ages:
•Quaestor: 30
•Praetor: 39
•Consul: 42
Must be 10-year interval before holding any office for a second time
Restricting the Tribunes
The only laws they could bring to the Plebeian Council were those approved by the Senate in advance.
Ex-Tribunes were barred from standing for any other office.
They may or may not have maintained the right of veto.
No one with political ambitions was likely to want to be a Tribune
Undoing Earlier Reforms
Equites were no longer allowed to be part of juries.
The grain dole was cancelled (reforms of the Gracchi).
The socii were finally enrolled in the 35 earlier tribes (to avoid another social war.
Stabilizing his own power Base
Sulla settled some 80,000 of his own veterans throughout Italy.
Their terms were extended as pro-consuls or pro-praetors.
No governor could leave his province with his troops without permission from the state.
When their replacement came to govern the province, the former governor had to leave it within 30 days of his replacement’s arrival.
The End of Sulla
He resigned the dictatorship in 81 BCEI.
n 80 BCE, he was elected consul.
After the end of his term, he retired to a villa in the Bay of Naples. He died in 78 BCE.
Many of his reforms were cancelled afterward.
Marius and Sullas Legacy
Soldiers were more loyal to their commanders then to the state.
Generals could create colonies of their own veterans.
If things did not go your way you could change them with violence.
Dictatorships did not necessary have to be 6 months or less.
One man could rule as long as he had a strong army to support him.
Pompey became Consul, 70 BCE Along with Crassus
Below the age requirement for the office (age limit was 40, he was 36)
▪Had not climbed the cursus honorum
▪Earned his position through military excellence
▪Was a protégé of Sulla
The problem of Pirates 67 BCE
Based more or less outof Cilicia
▪Supported by Mithridates
▪Possessed c. 1000 ships
▪Controlled c. 400 cities
▪Interrupted the grain supply to Rome and caused other trade problems
Pompey given a mandate to remove the Pirates
He was given authority over entire Mediterranean and up to 80km on shore.
Authorized to appoint 20 legates to serve directly under him.
Could raise an army of up to 125,000 men and 500 warships.
Was also given ample money to support this project over 3 years.
He cleaned up in a matter of months and at a fraction of the cost.
Step 1 Clear the West
13 naval squadrons each assigned separate operational zone
▪Swept the area clean in 40 days
▪Personally led 60 of his best ships to attack pirate strongholds
Step 2 Clear the east
▪Stormed and occupied pirate bases in Cilicia Destroyed most of pirate fleet in major naval battle
▪Besieged pirates who sought refuge in inland fortresses
▪Captured 20,000 prisoners and 90 ships
▪Within 3 months, the pirate problem was solved.
Lucullus vs Mithridates
▪Lucullus was governor of Asia and Cilicia
▪Mithridates attacked Cyzicus and besieged it
▪Lack of supplies and winter forced him to retreat to Pontus, then to Armenia
▪Lucullus attacked Armenia, but could not capture Mithridates
▪Lucullus chased him back to Pontus
Lucullus vs his own Army
▪Mithridates was able to defeat the Roman armies left as garrison in Pontus and reclaim his throne
▪Everything Lucullus had done was undone
▪Lucullus’ army mutinied against him
