Roman Leadership

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Roman Leadership
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The Story of Tiberius Gracchus
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• Over the next 100 years, many different popular
  leadersreformers and generals tried to improve
  conditions in Rome.
• Tiberius Gracchus became a tribune in 133 B.C.
  and
  was the first reformer. He wanted to limit
  the amount of
  land a person could own.
  He was killed in a riot staged
  by the
  Senate when he ran for a second term as tribune.
• In 123 B.C., Tiberius Gracchuss younger brother,
  Gaius
  Gracchus, was elected tribune. When the Senate
  began
  to feel threatened by his ideas in 121
  B.C. they had him killed.
• In 107 B.C., General Gaius Marius, a military
  hero, became consul. Marius thought he could
  end Romes troubles by setting up a
  professional army, open to everyone.
• Another general, Lucius Cornelius Sulla, was
  given a military command that Marius wanted.
  Marius tried to get the assembly to take the
  command away from Sulla. An angry Sulla marched
  his army and seized Rome and civil war broke
  out. When it was over, Sulla made himself
  dictator, or absolute ruler, of Rome.

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The Republic of Rome
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• When Sulla retired, a new group of generals
  fought
  for control of Rome.
  In 60 B.C., political power
  
  passed to a triumvirate, or a group of three
  persons
  with equal power.
• Julius Caesar finally gained control, after a
  power
  struggle, in 48 B.C. In 58 B.C.,
  Caesar was named
  governor of a
  Roman province and built up a large,
  
  strong loyal army. The Senate ordered him in 50
  B.C. to break up his legions and return to Rome.
  Instead, Caesar entered the city at the head of
  his troops, and by 46 B.C., he was dictator of
  Rome.
• Caesar brought about many reforms of land and
  wealth distribution. Some Romans were afraid
  that Caesar planned to make himself king. As
  he entered the Senate on March 15, 44 B.C.,
  Caesar was stabbed to death.

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Julius Caesar
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Political power passed to another triumvirate.
Marcus Antonius, or Mark Antony, Caesars
closest follower and a popular general,
took command of Romes territories in the East.
. Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, one of Caesars
top officers, took over the rule of Africa.
Octavian, Caesars grand-nephew and adopted son,
took charge of the West. For a while,
the triumvirate worked. Then fights broke out,
leaving Octavian as sole ruler of the Roman
Empire in 31 B.C.
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Roman Reformers
Reformer Problem in Rome Solution Effect
Tiberius Gracchus
Gaius Gracchus
General Gaius Marius
Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Julius Caesar
Limit the amount of land a person could own 9300
acres) Give excess to landless
Small farmers lost land
Assembly put his idea into effect
More food for Romans 1 out of 3 Roman s received
free wheat
Wheat prices were high
Sell wheat to the poor at below market prices
Set up a professional army Offered pay, land,
pensions and booty
Ex-soldiers lost land when they left for service
in the army
Soldiers gave loyalty to generals not Roman
government
Marched his army on Rome and seized the
capital Doubled the size of the Senate
Marius received military command Sulla
wanted Senate did not have enough power
First time a Roman commander led his soldiers
against Rome Senate power increased tribune were
weakened
Land issue Farmers in city can not find work
Gave veterans land Public works projects
New colonies overseas were populated by
Romans Gave jobs to thousands