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The Rise of Julius Caesar How Did Julius Caesar Come to Power?

The Rise of Julius Caesar How Did Julius Caesar Come to Power?

5/4/2020 Discovery Education

The Rise of Julius How did come to power?

From Republic to Empire: Sequencing Chart Use this sequencing chart to record events on pages 1–5.

Editable Activity

Teacher's Guide

From 264 to 146 BCE, the Romans fought three wars against , known as the . The two great powers fought for control of strategic islands throughout the Mediterranean region. eventually destroyed Carthage and took control of its lands. After its success against Carthage, the continued to expand by conquering new lands. These new lands were organized into provinces and put under the control of local governors.

This focus on expansion led to negative effects on the city of Rome and its surrounding areas. Agriculture in the provinces was more successful than in the areas surrounding Rome. Local farmers lost business to the competition from the new provinces, which contributed to a widening gap in wealth between the commoners and the elite members of society. This led to growing unrest in the Republic.

During this , Julius Caesar (100–44 BCE) was born into a wealthy family. “Caesar” was actually a family name used by those in Gaius Julius’s line. The term was eventually adopted as an imperial , and continued to

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be used even when the crown passed on to other families. Today, when people speak about Caesar, however, they are usually referring to Julius Caesar. For clarity, that is how the term will be used in this lesson.

Statue of Julius Caesar This statue shows Caesar as a triumphant soldier.

Political and Success

Caesar was very ambitious. He served in the Roman military and was a skillful soldier. He also was a clever politician and a skilled writer and speaker. In 60 BCE, he formed a political alliance with the Great and Crassus, two other political leaders. This alliance is known as the First . Together these three leaders were able to influence and control much of the political life of Rome. The following year, 59 BCE, Caesar was elected consul, one of the highest political offices in Rome.

After his one-year term as consul, Caesar was appointed governor of , which is in modern . An uprising of the northern tribes in Gaul gave Caesar an opportunity to gain political power through . In 57 BCE, he conquered the northern tribes and began a campaign to conquer all of Gaul and expand Roman territory. This military campaign lasted several years.

Military success in Gaul provided Caesar with increased political power, money, and popularity. Pompey, who was also very ambitious, saw Caesar’s increasing power as a threat to his own quest for power and began working to undermine him. The triumvirate broke apart and became enemies. Pompey began to try to prevent Caesar from gaining more power.

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IMAGE Under Caesar Rome won new territories in the Punic Wars and continued to expand under the rule of the early .

READING PASSAGE Caesar: Father of Rome The rise to power of Julius Caesar and the subsequent rule of his nephew, Augustus Caesar, transformed Rome from a republic fraught with civil wars to one of the world’s most powerful empires.

Lexile Score 990

Answer Key

VIDEO SEGMENT Caesar’s Path to Power Caesar used the conquest of Gaul as a tool to gain political power.

Dictator for Life How did Julius Caesar become for life?

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Under the influence of Pompey, who had powerful connections in Rome, the Senate commanded Caesar to give up command of his army and return to Rome alone. Caesar agreed only on the condition that Pompey would also give up command of his army. When the Senate refused Caesar’s request, he ignored their order, and in 49 BCE he led his army across the River into to fight Pompey and his army.

By ignoring the Senate and River, Caesar was seen as having committed an act of war. Because of this, many historians see Caesar’s crossing of the Rubicon as the end of the Roman Republic. The expression “crossing the Rubicon” is used to this day to mean reaching a point of no return. Caesar pursued Pompey’s army through Greece and Spain, where Caesar defeated them. He then crossed the to face Pompey himself at in 48 BCE. Ultimately, Caesar triumphed and Pompey fled to Egypt, where he was killed in of that year.

With Pompey out of the way, Caesar continued his conquests by traveling to Egypt to claim it for Rome. At the time, Egypt was ruled by . Cleopatra was the last ruler of the Macedonian dynasty, which had been established by Ptolemy, a Greek general under . Ptolemy had established himself as the ruler of Egypt after the death of Alexander. Caesar’s conquest of Egypt further expanded the territory of Rome and increased Caesar’s reputation.

After the successful campaign in Egypt, Caesar returned to Rome in . He was very generous toward the commoners in Rome, which made him very popular. Caesar was declared dictator for life instead of the normal term of six . were given ultimate power over the government, which is why terms were usually limited. Caesar named himself , the Roman word for . This made many Senators uneasy.

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VIDEO SEGMENT Crossing the Rubicon Julius Caesar’s crossing of the Rubicon against the orders of the was a turning point in Caesar’s career and in the formation of the Roman Empire.

IMAGE Julius Caesar’s fleet vs. the Alexandrian Fleet The conquest of Egypt was a key victory for Caesar and further expanded the territory under the control of the Roman Republic.

The Why was Julius Caesar murdered?

The rise of Caesar made some members of the Roman Senate fear he was gaining too much power. They wanted Rome to remain a republic, and they thought that Caesar was trying to establish himself as a , or king. If that happened, each leader would pass the crown to his heir instead of being elected. This would mean the crown would stay in a single family line, creating a dynasty, and the Senate would lose much of their power.

bout sixty persons were engaged in the conspiracy against “A him, of whom Caius Cassius, and Marcus and Decimus Brutus were the chief. It was at first debated amongst them, whether they should attack him in the … But after public notice

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had been given by proclamation for the senate to assemble upon the ides of March [15th March], in the senate-house built by Pompey, they approved both of the time and place, as most fitting for their purpose.”

—C. Tranquilius, The Lives of , vol.1

One group of Senators believed that they could restore the Republic if they assassinated, or killed, Caesar. This group was led by the senator , a general in the , and Marcus Junius Brutus. Brutus had been a supporter of Pompey, but after Pompey’s defeat at Pharsalus, Caesar pardoned Brutus to make him the governor of Gaul.

According to legend, Caesar was warned about the attack by a soothsayer, or fortune teller, who told him to be careful on the Ides of March (). His wife Calpurnia had dreams of disasters, such as the house collapsing. Because of these omens, as well as his poor health, Caesar thought about staying home on March 15. Unfortunately for him, he decided against this, in part because Brutus advised him not to believe in the omens.

As Caesar entered the senate-house, the Senators took out the knives hidden under their togas and stabbed Caesar 35 until he fell dead on the senate-house floor. Following his murder in 44 BCE, Rome fell into a period of chaos.

IMAGE Statue of Caesar

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This marble statue, from the first century BCE, depicts Julius Caesar as emperor. Compare this image of Caesar the emperor to the earlier image of Caesar the soldier.

VIDEO SEGMENT The Murder of Caesar Caesar was murdered by a group of senators who feared he had become too powerful.

IMAGE Statue of Brutus by Michelangelo Brutus was one of the senators who conspired to kill Caesar. Senators believed Caesar had gained too much power and was destroying the Republic.

Civil War How was stability restored to Rome after the death of Julius Caesar?

Not everyone in Rome had agreed that Caesar was a danger. His death left the country without a clear leader. As a result, a civil war began between the supporters of Caesar and the armies of Cassius and Brutus. This struggle would last for approximately 20 years and claim thousands of lives.

Octavian and Antony

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When the civil war broke out after Caesar’s death, Octavian, Caesar’s nephew, claimed the throne. Octavian allied himself with a former rival, , and the general Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, to form the . These three allies opposed the supporters of Cassius and Brutus. They fought to avenge the death of Caesar and to support Octavian’s claim to the throne.

The armies led by Octavian and Mark Antony finally defeated the armies of Cassius and Brutus in , Macedonia. Both Cassius and Brutus killed themselves after their defeat. The members of the Second Triumvirate divided control of the land among themselves. Lepidus was given the provinces of ; Antony received the eastern provinces and married Octavian’s sister Octavia. Octavian took control of the west, including the city of Rome itself. Eventually, Lepidus was forced out of power.

The New Emperor

Antony, who had divorced Octavia, went to Egypt, where he married Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt. Octavian saw this marriage as a threat to his power. He recalled Mark Antony to Rome and attacked Cleopatra’s forces in Egypt. In 30 BCE, Octavian’s forces won the war against Egypt and Mark both killed themselves. This left Octavian with no one to challenge his claim as ruler of the Roman Empire. When Octavian took the throne, he added Caesar to his name out of respect for his uncle. The Roman Senate gave Octavian the name Augustus, which means majestic in . Augustus united the empire by naming himself the sole military commander. The armies of Rome were now loyal to him alone and there was no more internal fighting.

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The senators had believed that assassinating Julius Caesar 14 years earlier would save the Roman Republic. However, their actions led to the beginning of a civil war and Augustus’s rise to power as the first emperor of Rome. The age of the Roman Empire had begun, and the Roman Republic was no more.

IMAGE Bust of Caesar Augustus The Emperor Augustus, wearing a crown of laurel leaves, which symbolized victory and honor.

VIDEO SEGMENT The First Emperor After a lengthy civil war, Augustus united Rome and its military under his command and became the first .

IMAGE The Division of Rome The Second Triumvirate divided the Roman Empire among themselves.

The Dynastic Tradition How was power transferred in the Roman Empire?

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During his rule, Augustus made several reforms to the government, including the establishment of a dynasty. Under the new dynastic tradition, the position of emperor was passed on to the descendants of the previous emperor. This process was often marked by violence and disorder between the emperor’s relatives. Ambitious would-be emperors and their supporters did not hesitate to sabotage or even murder anyone they saw as a threat to their possible claim to the throne.

Augustus was succeeded by his stepson, (42 BCE–37 CE). It was believed that Tiberius ordered the murder of one of the challengers to his claim as emperor. He was an efficient ruler, but he was considered cold and unlikeable.

Tiberius was followed by the notoriously cruel (12 BCE–41 CE), who is believed to have gone insane after an illness. He was finally killed by the Praetorian guards and succeeded by his uncle (10 BCE–54 CE).

Claudius was believed to have been poisoned by his wife Agrippina, who wanted her son, , to become emperor. Nero (37–54) was one of the most notorious of the Roman emperors. He had his mother assassinated and allowed a fire to destroy the city of Rome. He was the last emperor of the dynastic line of Julius and Augustus Caesar.

Structure and organization were important parts of the Roman way of life. Even though the succession process was often messy and violent, life in the Roman Empire in general remained stable for the citizens of Rome.

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Emperor Augustus Augustus oversaw a period of peace and prosperity in the Roman Empire.

IMAGE A Bust of the Emperor Tiberius Tiberius succeeded the Emperor Augustus. He was Augustus’s stepson, which meant he had a right to the throne.

VIDEO SEGMENT Nero’s Rule Burning Rome was only one of Nero’s crimes against his people.

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Portrait of an Empire What was life like in the Roman Empire?

From Republic to Empire: Main Idea Web Use this Main Idea Web to identify the Main Ideas on pages 6–8.

Teacher's Guide

Editable Activity

The chaos and violence that often accompanied the succession at the highest levels of Roman government were not reflected in Roman society. Stability and order were important to the Romans, and their effects were seen throughout the empire. In fact, the beginning of the Roman Empire was also the beginning of a time of peace and prosperity within the Roman Empire known as the Romana.

There was a strong sense of consistency between Roman cities, which were all designed and built to look similar to each other. All Roman cities had a theater, religious temples dedicated to various gods, aqueducts to carry water, and public bath houses. Buildings in even the most distant provinces were designed to look like those in Rome. Wealthy Romans often funded civic ventures such as these.

Citizens throughout the Roman Empire were also treated the same. They spoke Latin, used the same currency, and used the same (the calendar, which was named after Julius Caesar, its creator). All of these

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elements meant that all cities and people throughout the empire were connected. This was even true of cities that Rome conquered and added to its growing empire.

VIDEO SEGMENT Roman Buildings The Romans liked consistency, so most of their cities included the same buildings, no matter where in the Empire they were found.

IMAGE The at Tarragona, Spain Aqueducts, like this one in Spain, were built by the Romans to bring water to their cities throughout the Empire.

The Empire Grows How did the Roman Empire expand?

Although many of the internal struggles of Rome ended during the , Rome continued its conquest of other cities and civilizations. Rome’s location near the Mediterranean Sea was an important factor in the growth

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of the Roman Empire. This location meant that Rome had a mild climate and a long growing season. This helped them provide supplies to their armies. It also provided the Romans with easy routes for travel, trade, and conquest.

Expanding the Empire

Following the death of Julius Caesar, the Emperor Augustus and, a century later, Emperor expanded the empire north and east, conquering parts of Europe. However, Rome did not attack territories without strategic planning. Conquests were chosen with care, based on how the new territory could benefit the empire. Rome also offered some members of the conquered civilizations the chance to become citizens. The Roman Empire often adopted or adapted elements of the civilizations’ religion and culture.

At its height, the Roman Empire reached northward to what is now the United Kingdom, controlling much of Europe. It also included parts of northern Africa and stretched as far east as the Persian Gulf. Augustus eventually became concerned about the rapid growth of the empire. He was afraid it would get so large that it would be impossible to govern. Later emperors, including Hadrian and Claudius, would continue to add territory to the Roman Empire, but their additions were much smaller than the gains made under Augustus.

VIDEO SEGMENT Rome’s Tactics This video segment explores the way Romans integrated people into the Empire.

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VIDEO SEGMENT Romans at War The Roman army used careful training to defeat foes.

VIDEO SEGMENT Daily Life of Roman Soldiers How do you think historians learned about the daily lives of soldiers?

VIDEO SEGMENT A Revealing Find What did historians learn from the letters at Vindolanda?

VIDEO SEGMENT An Officer's Life How does the life of Flavius show the spread of Roman culture to new regions?

IMAGE Map of the Greek and Roman Empires

A map of the Roman Empire at its largest. Most of this territory was added under Augustus.

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READING PASSAGE From Republic to Empire The change from Roman Republic to Roman Empire was a turning point in history. The Roman Empire was one of the largest and most powerful empires the world has ever known, and the effects of live on to this...

Lexile Score 950

Answer Key

The Benefits of Expansion How did expansion benefit the Roman Empire?

The Roman Empire was largest under the Emperor in 117 CE. The empire extended from Spain to the and from Britain to North Africa. Roman influence can still be seen in these regions. Europe in particular is filled with , walls, ruins, and artwork.

The expansion of the empire brought great material wealth to Rome, both in money and natural resources. Rome’s trade network expanded as far as China, from whom Romans received silk that was very popular at the time. Rome’s expansion also brought a great deal of intellectual and cultural diversity. The empire included Greeks, , , Egyptians, and Africans. Features of all their cultures were adopted and added to the culture of Rome. Despite this diversity, the Roman Empire wanted to make the lands and people it had conquered Roman.

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The standardization of architecture in all conquered cities made the provinces look like Rome. The common , money, religion, and calendar made the people speak and behave like Romans. The made them happy to think of themselves as Roman. This commonality helped to keep people happy and loyal and made the empire prosperous.

IMAGE The Roman Amphitheater at El Djem, Tunisia This amphitheater in Tunisia is remarkably similar to the famous Coliseum in Rome.

READING PASSAGE Rome: Then and Now Rome is sometimes referred to as Caput Mundi, or the capital of the world. This title reflects Rome’s more than 3,000 years of history, as well as its influence over both ancient and modern civilizations. Today, Rome is...

Lexile Score 990

Answer Key

IMAGE Ten Largest Cities in the Ancient World, 100 BCE Why was Rome the largest city in 100 BCE?

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