THE STRUGGLES FOR POWER

Cato* bides his time and then gets the Senate to demand an accounting of all this captured wealth. There is a bitter power struggle over a period of years and when the dust finally clears, Cato has won and the cultural views of Scipio* go down in defeat along with his power and influence. One of the by products of Cato's success is the final destruction of the city Carthage which had dared to resume a trading empire. Their libraries are sacked and scattered, not a single book survives. The city is razed, plowed under and salt is sown in the soil. The Roman view has become one of total despotism and rule with an iron hand. There is little left of Roman virtus, decency, sobriety and courage. "Virtue" has become bloodthirsty and destructive.

ROMAN LEADERS DURING THE CIVIL WARS c.110 BCE - 27 BCE

BCE c.155-86

barbarian Cimbri and Teutones repulsed in north 138-78

Marius

Sulla

social war in Italy,

86 Sulla

takes Athens,

82 Sulla

dictatorship of Sulla

c.115-53

Crassus*

73-71

slave revolt led by Spartacus

subjugates Syria

60 (Crassus, Pompey, Caesar) first triumvirate formed

58-51

Caesar

conquers Gaul

53 Crassus

and seven legions lost

crosses Rubicon made dictator 100-44

49 Caesar

Julius Caesar

48 Caesar

defeats Pompey campaigns in Egypt, Asia Minor, Africa and

c.82-30

Mark Anthony (Anthony,

Octavian,

second triumvirate formed

Lepidus)

42 Battle of Philippi, Brutus dies 63-CE14

Octavian (Agustus)

battle of Actium, Anthony and Cleopatra.

31 Augustus defeated

founds principate and takes the name "Augustus" Various Roman patricians attempt land reform to break up the vast holdings of the rich and

27 Octavian

provide land for small farmers and discharged or retired soldiers. The attempts usually end with hired mobs attacking the reformers in the streets and leaving them beaten to death. The Senate treats reformers as they had the city of Carthage, total annihilation. Corruption flourishs and Rome is a city for sale. Again it is successful military leaders who leads Rome down the path to dictatorship.

Marius* is a farmer's son who despised the Senate. Sulla* is a patrician in favor of all senatorial privileges. The two conflicting parties turn Rome into a private battle ground, slaughtering countless numbers. A reign of terror grips Rome under Sulla's dictatorship. The end comes only when Sulla abruptly retires to his estates in 79 BCE leaving a power vacuum. Further power battles follow, leading finally to the collapse of the republic.

The expansion of the empire and influx of slaves brings other problems as well. The foreign slaves bring social unrest in the clash of cultures and in 73 BCE Spartacus*, a Thracian gladiator, leads a slave revolt of over ninety thousand desperate men. It takes the defeat of several Roman armies ranging over central and southern Italy to bring the uprising to an end. As usual, the military leader who accomplishes the job will rise to political prominence.

This time it is a follower of Sulla named Pompey*. He expects more than the current leader of Rome, Crassus*, is willing to give and civil war threatens again. After more power struggles have taken place (including the aborted Cataline* conspiracy) the bickering is resolved by a clever, successful general named Caesar*. He manages to bring the two contenders together, along with himself, to form a triple alliance and the First Triumvirate is established.

THE STRUGGLES FOR POWER