Roman Senate200 B.C. Roman senate and Patricians

controlled Gov’tPlebeians gained right to elect tribunes (10)

to protect their interestsTribunes could veto (block) laws

UnrestThe senate bought out small peasant owners

landCaused a number of poor individuals to drift to

the city of Rome.Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus- Tribunes

who were killed by senators for urging them to give land back to the poor

Marius and SullaGeneral Marius promised land to the poor if

they joined army and swore allegiance to himSenate employs General Sulla to seize control

of the army and defeat Marius Civil War!Sulla wins with better trained Army

First TriumvirateThree Men- Crassus, Pompey, and Julius

Caesar divide power over empireTriumvirate- a Gov’t ruled by three people.

Power struggleCaesar commanded in GaulPompey commanded SpainCrassus commanded SyriaIn 53 B.C. Crassus was killed

in battle Leads to senate asking

Pompey to rule Rome and Caesar to surrender

Caesar is popular with Plebs

Caesar takes controlCaesar Crosses the

Rubicon river heading back to Rome no turning back

In 45 B.C. Caesar won a civil war in Rome and became the first dictator

Death of CaesarWhile dictator Caesar

gave land to the poor Kept senate but added

members to diminish power

In 44 B.C. he was assassinated

- Senators believed Caesar wanted to remain dictator for life.

The second triumvirateOctavian, Mark

Antony, and Lepidus formed the second triumvirate

Eventually Octavian (Caesars nephew) and Antony took control

Battle for RomeAntony allies himself

with the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra VII

Battle of Actium- Octavian Crushes Antony’s navy and army.

Antony and Cleopatra return to Egypt where they commit suicide.

Octavian becomes Emperor Augustus