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17 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back

Economic


Grain

-Rome's soil is not fertile enough to sustain enough grain and so relies on importation


-Distruptions: Sex Pompey, Antony, Carbo, Scilician Pirates


-Clodius issued corn for free

Economic


Military

-Campaigns are expensive, and Rome is nearly always involved in war


-Luxuries were brought back that were withheld by generals and greatened the wealth divide


-Soldiers had to be paid, fed and settled after war

Economic


Debt

-Cancellation of debt is a recurring proposal


-Debt brings violence and unrest (Cataline)


-leads to corruption, Caesar stole 3,000 seseterces from the treasury at Rome

Economic


Slaves

-The backs of slaves carried the weight of Rome


-Farmers, gladiatiors, builders, miners, domestic servents etc etc


-Rebellions therefore (Spartacus 73) are costly both economically and socially

Social


Class Division

-Aristocratic Aventine dwellers lived very different lives to the plebs


-The rich feared the poor taking what they had and so caved to the plebs demands to keep their positions


-The tribunes help close the divide

Social


Slaves

-Although mostly an economic issue, slaves did not hold Roman citizenship which created a divide that was difficult to close


Ev. Tulio, Cicero's assistant

Social


Plebeians

-Although Roman citizens, their demands had to be considered, otherwise gang/mob violence would surely arrise

Military


Civil War

-Rome suffered from considerable amounts of civil war; Sulla + Marius, Crassus + Spartacus, Pompey + Pirates, Pompey + Mob, Caesar + Pompey, Octavian + Antony, Octavian + Brutus, Octavian + Sex. Pompey.


-This made Rome unstable

Military


Loyalty to Generals

-After Marius's army reforms the general was responsible for settling the leigons in land after war. This created entire settlements of people that held loyalty to, not the state, but their commander.


-Pompey to senate: "I only have to stamp my foot for soldiers to rise"

Military


Foreign Campaigns

-Aided the egos of commanders and rarely benifited the republic


-influenced the popularity of generals (eg, Pompey + Pirates) and lead to future powers

Moral Decline


Sallust

-Riches are but a play thing


-"assoon as riches came to be held in honour, when glory, dominion, and powerfollowed in their train, virtue began to lose its lustre, poverty to beconsidered a disgrace"


-focuses heavily on the Catalina conspiracy

Moral Decline


Cataline (63BC)

Cataline launched a plot to destroy the senateand those inside, with the aim to replace the government with his ownmagistrates, cancel debt and reform land distribution for both him and others.Sallust argues that Cataline was able to surround himself with like minded delinquentsbecause of the sharp decline in morals and self-centred motivations in thepursuit of wealth


Moral Decline


Comments on Cataline


Plutarch

Cataline corrupted a large number of the men in the city bysupplying them with banquets and amusement, with the promise of a cancellationof debt if he were to succeed.


Moral Decline


Comments on Cataline


Cicero

Cicero mentions this attracted criminals and the wealthyalike, the debt ridden politicians such as Manlius, an ex-consol, seeking to escape financial woes and rise topower, to the veterans of Sulla's armies who looked to further their positionthrough new proscriptions to increase their fortunes


Weakness of the Senate


Checks and Balances

-The idea the no one man can have too much power consistently falls through


-Caesar is declared dictator for life, Pompey has a sole consulship AND a dictatorship, Octavian has sole imperium while the triumvirate lies in shambles

Weakness of the Senate


Corruption

-Bribery thrived in elections and amoungst the tribunes, despite various laws attempting prohibit this


-Senate bribes Bibulus


-Pompey bribes Gabinius


-Caesar bribes Paullius and Curio


-Caesar uses Clodius


Senate cannot uphold the constitution

Weakness of the Senate


Political Violence

Senate cannot control violent, radical leaders


-Caesar + Bibulus


-Clodius and Gladiators + Cato, Milo etc


-Octavian + marching on Rome to gain consulship


-Sulla + proscriptions


-2nd Triumvirate + proscriptions