As the empire grew, Rome itself could not avoid political and social problems. The wealthy increased their land holdings, while the poor struggled to pay their bills. In 133 B. C.E., Tiberius Gracchus, a political leader of the plebs, emerged to challenge the interests of the wealthy and seek land for the poor. His brother Gaius took over this effort after Tiberius was killed. The two believed Rome had to address the needs of the poor to prevent rebellion. The wealthy citizens of Rome, however, were not eager to give up their land or their power. Tiberius also sidestepped some Roman laws to try to achieve his goal, which further angered the conservatives.
Military threats followed these political troubles, as Rome lost battles in Macedonia and Germanic tribes were advancing on Roman lands to the north and west. The Roman Republic fought a series of wars into the first century B. C.E., with some taking place within the Italian peninsula against tribes that were supposed to be its
Plebs and Patricians
The names of the first two political associations in Rome, the plebs and the patricians, still appear in English today. A patrician is someone who comes from a wealthy background. The word also describes something connected with wealth and power. Plebeian is another name for a common person or something that is considered crude. Plebe, another form of the word, is also the term used for first-year students at some naval or military academies.
Allies. Roman leaders broke into factions, and generals competed for the best assignments. In 88 B. C.E. forces led by rival generals Marius and Sulla clashed within the city of Rome. Sulla won the civil war and emerged as the dictator. (In Rome, dictator was a formal position given to generals for a limited time. Now, the word is used in a general sense to describe a leader who uses military power to deny individual liberties and preserve his rule.)
For the next 50 years, several Roman generals struggled to win
Control of the government, even as they continued to fight foreign enemies and gain new territory. Finally, in February 44 B. C.E., Julius Caesar was named dictator for life. His reign, however, ended before it really began. His political enemies in the Senate murdered him the next month. Rome then fell into another chaotic period of civil war until Octavian (63 B. C.E.-14 C. E.), Julius Caesar’s nephew, emerged as the new leader-and Rome’s first
Hail Caesar!
As emperor, Octavian was sometimes called Caesar, in honor of his uncle, Julius Caesar. Future emperors also used the name in their title. Today, caesar can refer to anyone who rules with complete power. The name also led to the Russian word czar and the German word kaiser—titles for former royal rulers in Russia and Germany.
World History
