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CLAS/HIST1631 Brutus The Gracchi Brothers Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus try to reform Rome around time of Eunus' slave war Reassign 'public' land Reduce concentration of wealth in hands of few Provide settlement for dispossessed former soldiers Basis of the movement known as 'populares' Both die trying, at the hands of crowds summoned by senatorial opposition, 'optimates' Failure to reconcile the differences they brought up leads to the Roman Revolution, changing government from rotating magistratices to autocracy The Fragmentation of the Republic Land reforms proposed by Gracchi violently rejected Senatorial elite react against any diminishing of their authority Polarization of the ruling classes into Populares and Optimates Politicians and others get used to taking sides, often with bloody results War Against Allies; War Against Slaves War with Italian allies, who wanted citizenship Only settled through concessions Slave rebellion of gladiator Spartacus, 73-71 Extensive fighting in Italy Pompey Magnus 'The Great' Consul in 70, before proper age Eastern command, wipes out pirates, finishes rebellious eastern monarchs, captures Jerusalem On return (61 BC), senate won't let him settle army Julius Caesar Related to Marius on mother's side Made pontifex (chief priest) in 73, after distinguished military career Spends lavishly in government Provincial governor in Spain First Triumvirate On return from Spain, Caesar runs for consular office; can't afford to lose (60 BC) Allies himself with Pompey Not an official alliance, due to mutual selfinterest Sealed by marriage of Julia (Caesar's daughter) to Pompey in 59 BC Caesar hopes to have his back covered while in his province, Gaul Caesar in Gaul Given provinces of Gauls, this side and other side of the Alps Starts major war, after almost a decade conquers all of modern-day France, Belgium, even reaches Britain Needs continued power to avoid prosecution for irreg. activities in consulship Civil War Julia dies 54 Pompey opposes Caesar's run for office in absentia Caesar crosses the Rubicon river “Alea iacta est” B. of Pharsalus Egypt and Cleopatra Caesar, Dictator for Life Detail of Text Assassination of Caesar Progressive measures: calendar, increasing number of Patrician families, colonies Widespread conspiracy assassinates him in Curia, 15th March 44 BC Conspirators believe they have restored Republic; just delay the inevitable Caesar's Two Would-Be Successors Octavian, his barely-adult nephew to whom he surprisingly left his wealth and name, adopting posthumously Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony), who was his lieutenant and considered himself the true successor to Caesar's glory 44 BC's 24 Hour News Cycle Compared to most history before 18th C., we know a great deal about this year Contemporary letters, sometimes multiple on one day Cicero, hoping to restore Republic, but refusing to get his hands dirty in assassination The Turning Tide Popular love of Caesar out-weighs respect for assassins Antony and Octavian join forces and oppose the killers of Caesar Gradual realization that they are in a corner: see letter to Brutus on p. 58-59 Brutus, Traitor or Freedom-Fighter? Sadly, this flood of information rarely informs discussion of the people involved Brutus' life put him in the centre of the conflict between popularist dictator Caesar and the senate His personal life with Caesar was so close that the latters last words were not 'You also, Brutus?' They were 'You also, my son'! Son of Caesar Julius Caesar had no male offspring Brutus might have been destined to mary Julia, Caesar's only daughter Brutus was like a step-son, because Brutus' mother, Servilia, was Caesar's longstanding mistress Brutus' uncle – Servilia's half brother – was Cato, the leading optimate, and a vigorous opponent of Caesar at every turn Sic Semper Tyrannis Lucius Junius Brutus was the last king-killer of Rome, and Brutus' ancestor Brutus studied in Athens and saw the statue of Harmodius and Aristogeiton One thing the defeated Greeks and Romans could agree on was the evil of tyranny Brutus' Propaganda in Coin Optimate Hypocrisy The optimates always talked of constitutional matters, but never lost an opportunity to gain wealth and power through their position in ruling elite E.g., Cato and Brutus' trip to Cyprus to organize as province On return, Brutus gets a law decreed that lets him charge 48% on loan to city at Cyprus Choosing Sides Civil War between Caesar and Pompey of 49 put Brutus, like many others in hard spot: Family ties Values Pompey was chosen as weapon of optimates against Caesar, who they saw as having 'gone rogue' Pompey had been responsible for death of Brutus' father Yet nevertheless Brutus chose Pompey's side Caesar's Victory Over Pompey Brutus chose the losing side at B. of Pharsalus Pompey, Cato decide to go to Africa and continue fight Pompey's killed by the king of Egypt, Ptolemy XIII Cato defeated in N. Africa; commits suicide Miraculously, Caesar decided to offer clemency to anyone who would return to Rome Brutus takes governorship of Gaul from Caesar The War of Words Brutus writes eulogy of Cato with Cicero Caesar writes anti-Cato in response Brutus became literally wedded to Cato: he divorces in order to marry Porcia, daughter of Cato Imagine the dinner-table, with Servilia and Porcia staring daggers at each other! The Assassination of Caesar Brutus was the man of the hour, egged on by Cassius All these personal and self-interested reasons intersected with political: Caesar had decreed himself dictator for life Took place at meeting of senate, but not in Senate House but rather under statue of Pompey! The Failing Counter-Revolution Cicero says the conspirators had “courage of men and foresight of children” Eventually they are driven from Rome and defeated at Philippi in 42 BC Cicero is killed by agreement of Antony and Octavian