Caesar as popularis and dictator Flashcards
1
Q
when did Caesar become a dictator
A
48BC
2
Q
How did Caesar’s dictatorship differ from that of Sullas
A
- he pursued a policy of clemency towards those who fought against him in the CW
3
Q
When did Caesar change to Dictator Perpetuo
A
Feb 44BC
The nature of his dictatorship changed from being an acceptable emergency office to a title of autocracy
4
Q
Changes as dictator from 48-44
A
1) refilled dwindling numbers of the senate to 900
2) Increased number of magistrates annually available for election to the CH
3) Introduced a wide-scale building policy
4) Improved provinces
5
Q
Caesar’s building policy
A
- implemented flood protection from the river Tiber
- road improvements
- draining of the local marshes
- improvements of the harbour at Ostia for trade and economic growth
- a new basilica in the forum
- a whole new magnificent forum: the ilium
6
Q
Benefits of Caesar’s building policy
A
- bought employment to many
- improved the city and created a visually grand capital city
7
Q
Caesar’s changes to provinces
A
- established colonies in the provinces for those in need of homes, establishing homes for 80,000 romans
- offering both settlements for this in need and bring Roman stable presence to the provinces
- estbalishing peace and improving trade and business,
8
Q
Benefits for Caesar
A
- populares move, gains support of people, new homes and employment
- economic growth
- self advancements, power and prestige
- establishes peace
9
Q
Counter argument for Caesar’s changes
A
- the new senators were his own supporters, and popular assemblies were dominated by his wide patronage and popularity among the urban masses, equites and military
- his building programs could not help but act as a powerful statement of his own power + impact
10
Q
Power Caesar held between this time
A
- he had been pontifex maximus since 63
- augur from 47
- consul every year except 47 and sole consul in 45
He held the key state religious and political offices
11
Q
Caesar’s role in the first triumvirate
A
- main driving force in the alliance, pompey and Crassus had not always been on friendly terms
12
Q
why did the first triumvirate form
A
- to counteract the hostility of optimates in the senate
- caesar was perceived as an unappologetic populist, champonionig popular reforms whilst holding important offices of state
13
Q
Why was caesar friends with the other doods
A
- caesar was indebted to crassus for funding his election campaigns as well as financing spending spectacles at Rome for the pols entertainment
- Caesar had publicly supported Pompey in many of his interests, e.g. in bills of 67 and 66, in 59 he married his daughter Julia to Pompey
14
Q
What did the first triumvirate have (benefits)
A
- wealth of crassus and support from the equites
- military prestige and support from Pompey and his veterans
- political and military prowess of Caesar and his huge popularity with the urban masses
15
Q
when did caesar become consul
A
59
16
Q
who was caesar’s consulship with
A
Bibulus
son in law of cato
17
Q
Caesar and land laws whilst he was consul
A
- his most pressing concern was to placate Pompey’s veteran soldiers
- he brought the case for land allocation before the senate for debate
- led by Cato, the optimised rejected it outright
- Caesar took it to the assembly of the people for ratification and it was passed
18
Q
What did Bibulus do in repose to Caesar’s land bill
A
- he proclaimed a sacred period during which the people could not legally call an assembly
- caesar ignored this, called it anyway and when Bibulus ted to go against it, he was thrust down the steps and the law was passed
- Bibulus fled to his house, where he stayed for the remaining 8 months of his consulship
- he claimed that, as augur, he was ‘watching the skies’ which madde all of Caesar’s new laws illegal
19
Q
Campanian Law
A
- introduced by Caesar
- ruled that the remanng public land of Italy should be divided into 20,000 pieces of land and distributed to veterans and fathers of large urban families
- this meant uprooting significant numbers of rural pedantry who had been cultivating this land, standing as a gesture of the importance and power of the miliatary and urban populace
20
Q
How did Caesar use his time as consul to help Crassus
A
- through a loyal tribune, Publius Vatinius, Caesar ensured that the senate agreed to adjust an agreement that had been made for contracting out the tax gathering in the province of Asia
- a rebate of one third was agreed
21
Q
How did Caesar use his time as consul to improve the lives of the provincials
A
- Passed legislation that restricted the exploitation of the provinces by Roman governors and their staff. Strict accounting was to be practised and gifts restricted
- this must have triggered the optimates, financial benefit had long been viewed by the elite of rome as a welcome repayment for their time in offices
22
Q
How did Caesar use his time as consul to benefit himself
A
- succeeded in establishing himself military command of Gaul and Illyriucm for five years with three regions
23
Q
when did Caesar go to Gaul
A
since 58 had been located far from Rome mostly in Transalpine Gaul, away from political decision making
24
Q
What did Cicero acc do in Gaul
A
- long serving military commander
- extending Rome’s territory to the English channel and the Rhine,
- filling the coffers
- singing the military glory go the Roman state
25
what did Caesar do in his consular year for Clodius
- enabled him to renounce his patrician status and adopted into the plebeian class to run for the tribunate
- this was planned by Caesar to secure his position in his absence and to help deflect potential criticism of the illegality of Caesar's consular legislation
26
How did clodius do things in return for Caesar
- In 58 Clodius managed to secure both the exile of Cicero and the temporary extraction of Cato from Rome under the official state duty of annexing Cyprus
- in this way he removed the 2 ppl most likely to be hostile to the establishment of power of the triumvirate
27
clodius' populist actions
- introduction of a free corn dole
- and his repeal of Cicero's law forbidding trade guilds and other associations
- enabled Clodius to mastermind the creation of gangs of supporters which he used to intimidate potential critics of his actions
28
How did Clodius' personal ambition threaten the triumvirate
- his personal ambition also threatened the triumvirate
- already made anxious by rumours of a possible assassination attempt on him, Pompey was then treated to public attacks by Clodius' new gangs and retired from public life for most of 58
29
council of Luca
56
- caesar arranged to meet Pompey and Crassus in Luca in central italy to reestablish their alliance, concerned about Clodius' rapid rise to power
30
events leading to breakdown of triumvirate 54-50
54- Caesar's daughter died in childbirth
53- Crassus died in Carrhae
52- street warfare had grown so bitter that the elections had failed to take place and no offices of state had been filled
Clodius was killed by his rival gang leader Milo (working for Pompey)
Pompey remarried, this time to daughter of Scipio, demonstrating a new bond between him and the senatorial elite
the senate moved to elect Pompey as sole consul for 52 and later in the year he chose his new father in law to share the consulship, growing bond with optimates
31
what did pompey do as a show of support as caesar was being constantly alienated from rome
- backed a law passed to enable caesar to stand as a candidate for consulship in abstentia, allowing him to stay under the protection of his proconsular imperium in gaul
- when passing a new law demanding all candidates for office must canvass in person, Pompey added a clause exempting Caesar
- however when he secured command for himself in spain for another 5 years, he did no such ting for caesar in Gaul
32
caesar's finishing in gaul
- the year 52 saw the drawing of an end to caesar's campaigning in Gaul
- in 51 tribune Metellus proposed that since Caesar's campaigns were effecitvely over, he should give up his imperium
- this was a clear threat designed to remove state protection from Caesar and have him return to rome, allowing his enemies the opputrinityto put him on trial for his laws of 59
33
who did Caesar get to defend him in his absence
curio, tribune
- the matter came to head on Dec 1 50 when curio put it to the senate that both Pompey and Caesar should give up their imperium and armies
- a resounding move in favour of this, 370 to 22, was vetoed by a group of Optimates led by cato, who refused to let caesar walk free
34
what did the optimates ask pompey after vetoing that thing
- to defend rome and take command of the roman state armies not led by caesar, he agreed
35
what choice did caesar have
- return to rome without imperium, exposing himself to his enemies or return to rome with his army, he chose the latter
36
civil war
- caesar marched south to rome
- he found that pompey and the senate had fled and traveld east to Dyrrachium, caesar followed and they fought there
- unsuccessful, caesar regrouped his forces and they fought again at Pharsalus in 48, caesar was triumphant and Pompey fled to his friends in egypt
- there he was beheaded
37
how did Caesar use populares to his benefit
- he understood that by empowering the ppl by representing their needs and desires, he could build his own power base and in turn influence the people and leading figures of state
38
examples of caesars populares throughout his life
- in 70 for crassus and pompey as consul
- the lavish games he put on as aiedile in 65
- promotion of Rullus land reform in 63
- getting pompey's previousy denied request for land for his veterans in 59 as well as Crassus' request for rebates on tax farming
39
more populares moves
- his consular legislation to regulate the accounts of provincial governors
- the julian law of 59 required gocvenors to balance their accounts and publuished them before leaving their posts
40
who did caesar support in gvm
- those who preferred to appeal to popular support
- his backing of clodius was to mean the introduction go free corn dole for the urban masses as well as the reintroduction fo trade guilds for skilled labourers
41
when did caesar die
Ides of March, 44
42
why was caesar killed
- his relentless hold upon key offices of state
- his patronage network at all levels
- his desciiosn to adopt th states dictator perpetual in Feb
43
who were the liberators
- fear that caesar wanted to be king of rome had taken hold
| - the key ones were: Brutus and Cassius
44
how did most people feel about caesars death
- their united desire for libertas was not shared by the masses
- when caesar's death was publicly announced by Brutus, the news was received in silence
