The Roman Republic was facing internal problems that would cause it to ultimately collapse into the Roman Empire. Including social unrest between the classes and military entering into politics, among other reasons, the Roman Republic crumbled under itself and gave way to the beginning of new government. A second triumvirate ended with civil war and the Republic was over; however, Octavian created the Roman Empire in its place. Because of the stabilizing government, strong legal system and increasing trade, the Pax Romana was able to remain tied together for about 210 years. The Roman Republic was struggling to remain in power but the social unrest was a not a helping factor in helping the Republic to last for a while longer.
Political Influence in the Roman Empire As documented and written in Suetonius’ Life of Julius Caesar, a biography of a man who would become ruler of the Roman Empire, Roman citizens could acquire political influence by various means. As seen in our world of politics today, the Roman senate and government was very corrupt. Bribery of the members of the senate was very common. Most of which were corrupted in many different ways. Some different ways that a roman citizen could be able to get political influence was bribery, marrying into a family with power or money, making alliances or conspiracy, success in the military, political intimidation.
How great a success do you think Cicero’s prosecution of Verres was? Give reasons for your view Cicero’s prosecution of Verres was a success; although, many aspects of the trial limit the brilliance of his achievement in winning the case. Gaius Verres was a Roman senator and magistrate, however according to Cicero he administrated the province with unparalleled corruption. The reasoning behind this accusation is that Verres ransacked public places and private homes for works of art and other wealth. Cicero was asked by Plaintiffs to be the prosecutor of this trial due to his previous fairness while serving as quaestor in Sicily’s western district five years earlier.
The military reforms of Gaius Marius resulted in soldiers often having more loyalty to their commander than to the city, and a powerful general could hold the city and Senate ransom. This led to civil war between Marius and his protegé Sulla, and culminated in Sulla's dictatorship of 81–79 BC. In the mid-1st century BC, three men, Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus, formed a secret pact—the First Triumvirate—to control the Republic. After Caesar's conquest of Gaul, a stand-off between Caesar and the Senate led to civil war, with Pompey leading the Senate's forces. Caesar emerged victorious, and was made dictator for life.
How did Augustus establish and maintain his power? After the assassination of Julius Caesar in March 44BC, Augustus went to Rome to claim his inheritance and to avenge the death of his great uncle Julius. After liaising with Marc Antony and Lepidus to form an alliance called the triumvirate, they gained revenge over the murderers of Julius and divided the empire between themselves. However, Octavian was set to gain undivided power over Rome, in doing so; he gradually stripped his triumvirate of power and gained the favor of Rome. Octavian placed Lepidus in Pontius Maximus, which provided him with little power in politics; however Marc Antony would be more of an obstacle, as he had now equal rule of Egypt with his wife Cleopatra.
After the French Revolution though, the republic slowly began shifting to a totalitarian regime, first under the Committee of Public Safety and then completely under Napoleon Bonaparte .The facts show that the American Revolution was more successful in establishing a stable and long-lasting republican government that started a precedent for Europe, while the French Revolution’s republic failed to last, being turned into a totalitarian regime. Events leading up to the American and French Revolutions occurred for a similar reason: unfair representation. The people in the American colonies became progressively upset with Britain and its Parliament when they refused the colonists’ representation, while still imposing many different taxes on the colonists. Upset over this tax on one of their most valued imports, the colonists dumped all the tea into the Boston Harbor during the Boston Tea Party. This showed that the colonists were willing, and able, to live without depending on the British government.
Excerpts from Plutarch’s Life of Caesar. However, the Romans gave way before the good fortune of the man and accepted the bit, and regarding the monarchy as a respite from the evils of the civil wars, they appointed him dictator for life. This was confessedly a tyranny, since the monarchy, besides the element of irresponsibility, now took on that of permanence. 2 It was Cicero who proposed the first honours for him in the senate, and their magnitude was, after all, not too great for a man; but others added excessive honours and vied with one another in proposing them, thus rendering Caesar odious and obnoxious even to the mildest citizens because of the pretension and extravagance of what was decreed for him. 3 It is thought, too, that the
They would lead until Caesar had enough military experience out of France to come in and defeat both their armies to become dictator. This would eventually lead to his death along with civil wars after bringing the Roman Empire down. It seemed to be a step backward for civilization due to the fact when the Roman Empire was at its peak there was free elections, new finding in science, art, literature and other fields of education. Along, with a stable government where people could pick their senators. However during the middle ages this all seemed to come crashing down, due to civil wars and peoples push for power over the entire Empire.
Pericles and Ephialtes established pay for public officials, thus opening up offices to the poor. They did not do this simply because they had big hearts; they also knew that it would win the support of Athens's poor majority (which of course it did). Next Pericles and Ephialtes turned on the Areopagus, the Athenian high court; this, too, they opened to people of all classes. This move proved too much for the aristocrats, who had Ephialtes assassinated, but this act paved the way for Pericles to take
Alexander went south from Cilicia into Syria to Meso Potamia into Afghanistan then to Indus River Valley and finally to Punjab conquering everything with out losing a single battle. (Ancient Greece) Alexander planed on invading Rome, Carthage, Arabia, Regions north of the Persian Empire and India again, however he did not follow through. (Michael Hart 196) Alexander believed Greek to be the true civilized people and that every one else was barbaric, however this changed over time when he saw the Persians were great people and want to make Graeco-Persian. Graeco-Persian was a mix of Greeks and Persians, to make this plan a reality he took lots of Persians into his army, held a great feast were every one was invited, created “ the marriage of East and West,” were thousands of Macedonian troops formally married Asian women, and Alexander married the daughter of Darius. (196) Alexander had a Ferocious temper and had many drunken argument, in fact of one of his fights he killed Cleitus a close friend of his who ounce saved his life.