Week 13 (11/20): The Roman Revolution II (through Augustus)

Lecture Outline

the conflicts continue, and take on the nature of civil war

Think of the Roman Revolution in 3 stages (1-Gracchi, Drusus, Social War, Sulla and Marius; 2-Catilina, First Triumvirate, Caesar and Pompey; 3-Augustus)


1. Pompey and Caesar

59 BC: First Triumvirate (Crassus, Pompey, Caesar):

first act: Caesar gains consulship of 59 with Bibulus, Cato's son-in-law
    aka "the consulship of Julius and Caesar"

death of Crassus 53 BC vs. Parthians
    "Crassus, Crassus, rich as Croesus"

Pompey marries Julia (Caesar's daughter); she dies in childbirth 54 BC

Caesar: extraordinary command in Gaul from 58 BC

Clodius and Milo: gang warfare

other players: Cato, Cicero ("O fortunatam natam, me consule Romam!" -- "Fortunate the Rome born when I was consul.")

49 BC: Caesar crosses Rubicon river: civil war (49-45 BC: Italy, Spain, Gaul, Greece, Egypt)

       48 BC: Battle of Pharsalus; Pompey and Cato later die in Egypt and Africa

compare Sulla

dictator, consul

reforms: calendar, administration, cancelled some debts, land to veterans, tight oversight of grain dole, clementia ("mercy")

increased patricians

hints at divine ancestry and personal divinity: coinage

       44 BC: dictator perpetuo

2. Fall of Republic

A. Caesar's behavior and assassination: Ides of March (15th), 44 BC
Brutus (cf. Brutus, fall of Etruscan monarchy)

B. Explanations and analysis of fall: individuals and senate

inflexibility of Senate; loss of moral authority and allegiance

values of the Roman aristocracy

 3. Rise of Octavian and Creation of the Principate

young Octavian

43 BC: Second Triumvirate: Octavian, Antony, Lepidus

            Battle of Philippi: "Thou shalt see me at Philippi"

        Cicero murdered by Antony's men

31 BC: battle of Actium: defeat of Antony and Cleopatra

coinage after Actium

27 BC: "Restoration of the Republic" (see Achievements of the Divine Augustus chap. 34)

a. gave up extraordinary emergency powers; received name Augustus ("revered"):

b. consulship and provincial command

c. title princeps: "first man" (cf. princeps senatus)

d. tribunician power (23 BC): in Rome

e. imperium: armies in the empire

Augustus as Pontifex Maximus

Prima Porta Augustus

Res Gestae

4. "Restoration of the Republic"/Principate

Princeps: reality or sham?

Augustus' power (potestas) vs. his influence (auctoritas)

the problem of the Senate: dignitas, libertas

is Roman history the history of civil war?  what does this mean about Rome?

what was the point of no return?


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Updated 11-20-06, bolmarcich@mail.utexas.edu