4.3: From Republic to Empire

• History
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 1

The Time of Greeks and Romans

4.3: From Republic to Empire

This lesson replaces lesson 4.3 in yout textbook!!

What you will learn in 

this lesson

• How Caesar conquered Gaul
• How Caesar started a civil war
• Why Caesar was murdered
• How the republic changed into a monarchy again
• that Augustus was the first Roman emperor

click here for Wrts word list of this lesson

Julius Caesar

the general

Julius Caesar was born in Rome in the year 100 BC. He was born to a patrician family that could trace their bloodlines back to the founding of Rome. His parents were well-off, but they weren't rich by Roman standards. His full name was Gaius Julius Caesar. 

In 59 BC Caesar was elected consul. This was nice, but he wanted more. After his year as consul he became commander of the Roman army in Gaul. The Gauls rebelled against Rome and Caesar spent the next 9 years fighting the Gauls. Caesar's soldiers won many victories and they loved Caesar. After all, a succesful commander could distribute a lot of war booty between his men.

The soldiers became more loyal to Caesar than to the Senate in Rome.

Vercingetorix

Vercingetorix, leader of the Gauls, surrenders his weapons to Caesar.

He was then taken to Rome as a prisoner.

Later he walked as a prisoner in Caesar's triumphal parade after which he was killed.

1. Which of these statements is correct?

1. a consul had to obey a general
2. a general had to obey a consul

2. Which of these statements is correct?

1. a general commanded part of the Roman army while the consul was the supreme leader of the army
2. a consul commanded part of the Roman army while the general was the supreme leader of the army

3. Why were Caesar's soldiers more loyal to him than to the senate of Rome?

Julius Caesar

the Gallic War

Vercingetorix was the leader of the Gauls. He united many Gallic tribes and convinced them to fight against Caesar together. Only then could they defeat the powerful Roman army.

Vercingetorix' stronghold was a fortified mountain called Alesia. He felt safe on top of this mountain and behind the thick walls. He believed the Romans could never take it.

When Caesar arrived at Alesia he ordered his soldiers to build two walls around the mountain. A huge task. Vercingetorix was now surrounded and trapped. All Caesar needed to do is wait until the food and water ran out in Alesia. After several weeks Vercingetorix' army broke out of the fortress but it was defeated by the Romans. 

Vercingetorix surrendered to Caesar. Gaul was conquered.

De Bello Gallico

During the Gallic War Caesar kept a diary.

He wrote about his own successes during the war and sent each chapter to Rome when it was finished. In Rome the story was copied and read by many Romans who believed that Caesar was a hero.

Today we know much about the Gallic war because we can still read Caesar's own book. Bello Gallico means: Gallic War

4. What type of source is
De Bello Gallico?

1. primary + written
2. primary + non-written
3. secondary + written
4. secondary + non-written

Roman fortifications

This is the inner wall that Caesar's soldiers built all around the mountain of Alesia to trap his enemy Vercingetorix.

5. Looking at the previous pictures, can you explain why Caesar built two walls around Alesia?

Julius Caesar

Civil War

Some people in Rome were afraid of Caesar's power.

In 49 BC Caesar and his army set out for Rome, where he intended to be elected consul again.

The senate ordered Caesar to come without his army. Caesar refused. He crossed the Rubicon river (the border between Gaul and Italy) and entered Italy with his army.

The senate declared that Caesar was now an enemy of Rome. This marked the start of a civil war.

With his army Caesar defeated all his enemies (mostly senators) and chased them across the empire, even in Egypt. Here he fell in love with Cleopatra, sister of the pharaoh.

Back in Rome he was now the only ruler. He allowed the Senate to remain, but he did not want to share his power with the senators.

 

Caesar crosses the Rubicon

Cleopatra

picture from a Hollywood movie about Cleopatra and Julius Caesar

6a. What is a civil war?

1. a war between two or more countries
2. a war between two or more different groups within one country
3. a war that is fought mainly on land
4. a war that is fought mainly at sea

6b. This civil war was between

1. The senate and the Roman army
2. Caesar and the Gauls
3. Caesar and his army
4. Caesar and the senate

7. The senate ordered Caesar to leave his soldiers in Gaul. Caesar wanted to take his army to Rome.

Who were the soldiers supposed to listen to?

1. to Caesar, he was their general
2. to the consul and the senate. They were the Roman government

8. Today, "crossing the Rubicon" means: to make a decisive decision. Can you explain this?

9. Why do you think Caesar's soldiers listened to him instead of to the senate?

Julius Caesar

murder

He made himself "dictator", a ruler with absolute power.

To many senators, "dictator" sounded much like "monarch".

They believed that Caesar wanted to become a king and turn the republic into a monarchy.

Outraged, some 60 senators met secretly. They planned to assassinate (murder) Caesar. The leader of the group was Brutus, the so-called friend of Caesar.

On the "ides" (the 15th) of March 44 BC Caesar was murdered in the senate.

Brutus and his men believed that they had saved the republic. But many Romans were outraged by Caesar's murder. Caesar was well-liked because he had made many reforms that improved peoples' lives. He had lowered taxes and had given many people land to farm. He also made citizens of many people in the provinces.

dictator

in times of danger or crisis, when consuls needed to make quick decisions, one of the consuls could be appointed "dictator". This meant that he had absolute power , but only for six months. After that time the dictator stepped down and shared his power again with his fellow consul.

Today, a dictator is someone who seizes power (often using force) and gives himself absolute power. Modern examples are Hitler and Kim Yung Un of North Korea.

"Et tu, Brute?"

These were Caesar's final words before he died. They mean: "You too, Brutus?" Realizing that even his friend had turned against him he stopped resisting, fell to the floor and died.

Remember this question from lesson 4.1?
10a.. Which of these 2 statements is correct?


I. a dictator had the same power as a king, but only for a short time
II. a dictator was only appointed in times of an emergency

1. both are correct
2. both are incorrect
3. only I is correct
4. only II is correct

10b. In 44 BC Caesar became a dictator for life.
Was there a difference between being a dictator for
life and a Roman King? Explain your answer.

10c. Why did Brutus and his fellow senators assassinate Caesar?

11a. The source you read was published in the 17th century
by the playwright William Shakespeare. He used
primary sources such as the Roman author Suetonius
to write his play. Do you think it was a reliable source?
Explain your answer.

11b. What is Marc Anthony saying?

(answer with maximum 30 words)

11c. “I thrice (3 times) presented him a kingly crown,
which he refused” What does Marc Anthony mean?

from republic to empire

After Caesar's death, a new civil war broke out. Several leaders fought each other to control Rome.

One of them was Caesar's adopted son Octavian.

Octavian defeated his rivals in 31 BC and led Rome into a new era.

Octavian brought peace to the Roman Empire and became a popular leader. In 27 BC the senate voted to give him the title "Augustus", meaning "respected one". He also chose the name "Caesar" in honour of his adoptive father. So he became Caesar Augustus. 

He did not call himself an emperor, but he sure was one. He had all the power.

All Augustus' successors used "Caesar" as a title. After a while the name Caesar became the word "keizer".

With Augustus, Rome was a monarchy again.

Caesar Augustus

statue of Octavian, who changed his name and became known as the first emperor of Rome: Caesar Augustus.

12. Augustus was the first emperor.
An emperor is a monarch. Why do you think Augustus did not want to be called "emperor"?

13. Explain why so many people still think that Julius Caesar was a Roman emperor.

Monarchy

Republic

hereditary

dictator

dynasty

2 consuls

king / emperor

senate

elections

congratulations

Copy this in your notebook and fill in the gaps.

Summary CH 4.3

Caesar was born in ________ BC in a patrician / plebeian family. After being _______ for a year Caesar became the general of the army in __________. The Gauls ________ against Rome and Caesar defeated their leader ________.

The war made Caesar rich and famous. He wanted to become ________ again.

Some senators in Rome were afraid of Caesar's growing ____________. They told him to come to Rome but leave his ___________ in Gaul. Caesar _________ and crossed the river _______ with his __________.

He was now an ________ of Rome. A ______ war had started.

Caesar defeated his enemies and became __________ of Rome. He now had absolute power.

Many senators believed that Caesar wanted to become __________ and turn the republic into a _____________.

That's why Brutus decided to ___________ Caesar in 44 BC.

After Caesar's death more civil wars followed.

Finallly, ______________, Caesar's adopted _______ was the only winner.

He was given the title ____________ and also used the name ____________.

He became Rome's first ______________. The republic was gone. Rome was a __________ again.