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Roman Leadership

From Reformers to an Emperor

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Reformers

Reformers are leaders that see that there needs to be a change, and do it (even if it is unpopular)

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Reformers

  • Gracchi (Gracchus brothers)-Land Reform
    • The poor should be given grain and small plots of land for free
      • Who would like them?
  • Marius- Military Reform
    • Recruited army from poor and landless
    • Made a professional, standing army
      • Who would like him?

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Triumvirates

  • First Triumvirate:
    • Julius Caesar
    • Marcus Licinius Crassus
    • Gnaeus Pompeius Pompey
  • Second Triumvirate:
    • Octavius (Augustus)
    • Marcus Aemilius Lepidus
    • Mark Antony

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A Triumvirate is when three people rule together (usually one is stronger than the others, often leads to civil wars).

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Julius Caesar

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  • Eventually, Caesar tries to declare himself "dictator for life"- which leads to his assassination on March 15, 44BC ("Ides of March")

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Augustus

  • Adopted son of Julius Caesar, member of the Second Triumvirate.
  • He fights Mark Antony over control of Rome (Antony teams up with Cleopatra)
  • Became the first emperor of Rome by convincing everyone to give him power.
  • Believed in bring Rome back to its “Golden Age” through Roman Morals
  • Kicked off the “Pax Romana” (Peace of Rome)

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Fun Emperors to Know

Caligula

  • Early years of great reform to help the people (taxes, land reform)
  • Then became really sick, really high fever “cooked” his brain
  • After, very violent and disturbed, genius move of making a horse a senator.

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Fun Emperors to Know

Nero:

  • Hellenistic emperor who brought theater and athletics to Rome
  • Introduced the first “FEMA” to Rome
  • Accused of fiddling while Rome burned down
  • Did kill his mom, stabbed her “in the womb”

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Fun Emperors to Know

Trajan

  • Popular in the army, rose through the ranks and put in power by them.
  • Freed prisoners of former emperor, and gave back land that he had taken. Had some great military campaigns.
  • Now memorialized in a very famous column in the center of Rome.

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Fun Emperors to Know

Hadrian

  • Expanded the empire and built a wall across Britain

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Crash Course: Rome

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Bonus: Roman Women (Since the are mostly ignored in Classical History)