The Effect of the Slave Wars on the Rise of a Roman Imperial State

As the Roman Empire began conquering other empires, they gained two things: power and slaves. With both of these, came great amounts of responsibility. As the empire attained slaves, citizens became less and less required to work. This is exemplified when Document 3 states, “The abundance of slaves led to the growth of the latifundia, the great estates that… came to dominate agriculture and ruin the free coloni [farmers]....” (Muller, 1967). As slavery took on a greater role, small farmers were pushed out of their land where they became tenant farmers or unemployed city dwellers. These roles were unable to account for the amount for the money the empire lost as a result. This forced the Roman Empire to fall because the increase in unemployment became a problem for the country in a major economic way.

Chalking up the fall of the Roman Republic to a decline in traditional Roman morality, while not false, sells the events and changes that were the causes for the fall of the Republic short. At the end of The Third Punic War with Carthage we arguably see the Republic at its height. However in only a decade things begin to change, we see events that send Rome as a Republic past a point that Rome could not recover. Gaius Marius’s military reforms, specifically that of allowing for the captive cencsi, men who owned no property, and the creation of professional soldiers is the true catalyst for the downfall of the Republic. By enacting these reforms Marius opened up military duty to Rome’s largest group of citizens, however it created unforeseen issues, such as what to do with these men once they returned from battle. These reforms opened the door for military generals like Sulla and Caesar to gain the unquestioned support of their troops, in many instances gaining more respect from the soldiers then they had for the Roman state itself. These military reforms are a constant through line through the fall of the Republic, touching large political issues such as the conflicts between the Populares and the Optimates, or the rise of The First Triumvirate; socioeconomic issues such as the rise of Roman aristocracy, development of a slave based agriculture system to the profits from war. The complexity in which these reforms help lead to this immoral Roman state is complex and has been

Roman slavery must be approached as a social institution in which the economic aspect, though important, was subsidiary, in order to appreciate the vast degree of significance which Romans themselves attributed to the presence of slavery among them, as well as its distinct cultural impact (Bradley 1998, p.18). The large presence of slaves and renewable population of skilled freedmen allowed the Roman Empire to achieve the economic and infrastructural achievements for which they are remembered, the degree of their contributions rendering Roman Italy, a ‘slave society.’ It has been estimated that, during the reign of Augustus, the servile population of Italy could have been as high as thirty-five percent (1998, pp.12-13). This high reliance on and large population of slaves was reflected throughout the empire, rendering society one in which the status of individuals - free, freedman or slave, was exceedingly salient and consequential. The strict societal hierarchy of the Roman Empire was built upon and directly contributed to the deep social divides between classes which defined social experience in the Roman Empire. Manumission, increased presence of freedmen and substantial base of slave population factored strongly into the increased significance levied upon social status, division between social groups and definition of position in society.

As the “abundance of slaves led to the growth of latifudia” (Document 3) the great estates took over the agricultural industry. As latifundia took over, more farmers became out of work and in the persuit of finding work they moved into the cities and “added to the unemployment there” (Document 3). But the expansion didn’t stop there. As “the overwhelming majority of the population had been systematically excluded from political responsibilities, they could not… protect themselves… serve in the army… Their economic plight was hopeless” (Document 1). As missionaries fled into the Roman Armies, the citizens were being forced to pay a huge amount of taxes. But with no farmers to grow the food for the soldiers, who would? Expansion brought wealth into the empire, but “when the empire ceased to expand; however economic progress soon ceased” (Document 3). The inflation rate spiked, the rise in prices on everyday necessities decreased the value of money. The Romans were having to trade with exterior partners for items that could not be produced. The flow of money coming in could not match the amount of money going out. The values of the Romans depleted as their economy crumbled.

In the arising chaos of Caesar’s death, Mark Antony, Octavion, and others fought a series of five civil wars, which would end in the formation of the Roman Empire. The Roman middle and lower classes, with whom Caesar was popular, became angry that a small group of aristocrats had killed Caesar, especially after Antony gave a dramatic applause that appealed to the common people, a reflection of public opinion following Caesar's murder. About 43 B.C, the second triumvirate was formed between Octavion, Mark Antony, and Lepidus. Sometime after 43 B.C, Afterward, Mark Antony married Caesar's lover, Cleopatra, intending to use the fabulously wealthy Egypt as a base to dominate Rome. A third civil war broke out between Octavion and Antony. This final civil war resulted in the final ascendancy of Octavian, who became the first Roman emperor, under the name Caesar Augustus, a name that raised him to status of an idol.

The Roman empire owed its existence to Julius Caesar’s military genius and leadership. At the time of his birth, the Roman republic was rife with corruption, losing touch with the people as Rome rapidly expanded. In addition, the republic suffered much unrest due to an excess of slave labor, leaving many unemployed for the government to sustain with basic food and entertainment, or “bread and circuses.” Caesar changed this, joining partnership with two other prominent men, the wealthy Crassus and the general Pompey, to form the First Triumvirate. However, he quickly took the reins of the new government, securing his position as dictator with many populist actions, such as distributing land to poor farmers. They, in turn, showed loyalty toward their leader, providing unity and patriotism. The Roman empire was born into the perfect geographical and cultural circumstances to rise to greatness.

For the Roman Empire agriculture was its primary source of their food and wealth. The grew grains, olives, and grapes. Furthermore, out of those crops they made olive oil and wine since that was one of their most important commodities. Most of the grain, grape, and olive products they made were then later traded or sold to other people. On the other hand, the Roman’s had a fairly negative approach to trading, considerably in the higher classes. Since having a surplus of crops and land was a status of wealth while manufacturing and commerce were seen as a lesser occupation. The rich landlords had many slaves to work in their fields to harvest their crops.

Description: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Roman_collared_slaves_-_Ashmolean_Museum.jpg/220px-Roman_collared_slaves_-_Ashmolean_Museum.jpgAncient Rome was fundamentally a slave society, built up from the slaves. As the lowest tier of the Roman hierachy they were by defnition without human rights. As Aristotle wrote, slaves were considered; ‘a slave is a live article of propert.y’ (Aristotle, Politics, Section 1253b. 4) Providing usually unpaid labour and considered the property and under complete control of their master, slaves were an integral part of Ancient Rome’s economy and way of life. Slaves had

The Roman military was one of the most powerful and successful militaries of all time because they trained stronger troops, created superior weaponry and had better leadership than any other military in their time-period. The Roman military’s leadership was a crucial factor in the Roman’s success as demonstrated by military general Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar was one of the better generals of his time-period because his troops appreciated him more, mostly because Caesar allowed them to have a large share of whatever they plundered. With Caesar allowing his troops to have a large portion of whatever they seize, he could get his army to follow his every command no matter what the situation was, even if it was considered illegal in Roman law. Caesar broke Roman law, when he ordered his troops to cross the Rubicon, which is the point where no general could take his armies past and because of this, Caesar continued pursing his conquest of Gaul. Gaul is one of the largest areas of the Roman area, known today as France After the Roman Empire collapsed, Caesar became a member of the ruling “Triumvirate,” as well as Crassus and Pompey. Caesar then set out to eliminate the other members and when he took out Pompey, Caesar appointed himself dictator for life. Caesar was an important leader to the Roman success because he was able to control his troops no matter if the situation was legal or illegal and if food was scarce, his troops followed his every command, which made them a

The other two triumvirs agreed to grant Julius Caesar the office of consul in 59 BC. He was appointed the governor of Roman Gaul in 58 BC and built up an army there. Caesar marched north into Gaul and defeated the Helvetii. Caesar's military contributions to the empire were significant, but he destroyed the Republic with his civil wars. His march on Rome exploited the precedent of Sulla, whose own march was due to far more legitimate political issues. Caesar simply didn't want to be prosecuted for the innumerable laws he broke during his consulship, and so refused to lay down his arms when ordered by the Senate and People of

When you hear the word slavery, the image of the horrendous deed that was the American enslavement of Africans most likely comes to mind. But, slavery goes much further back than the early 1800’s of agricultural America. The ancient Romans had slaves,but it differed fromAmerican enslavement. It can be a common idea that American slavery and Roman slavery werealmost the exact same, but that is not the case (Fragments). By comparing the two types of slavery,the ideacan bepresentedthat the two may have had similar ideas and goals,butthey were not the same thing.In ancient Rome, slaves were acquired through trade and slave markets and were often prisoners of war and piracy orthe children of men and women who were slaves themselves (Cartwrightand

A hero of his time, Spartacus led one of the greatest slave rebellions in Roman history. The rebellion ended on the day many believe Spartacus died. He is believed to have died in battle with Crassus in 71 BC. This was shortly before Crassus joined the First Triumvirate. The slave revolt happened after Spartacus and the other slaves fought or left their master for the way they were being treated or forced to do things they did not want to. The beginning of the third servile war with Spartacus and his fellow gladiator slave fighting their master at the gladiator training school and escaping to mount Vesuvius, where they met up with other escaping slaves.

The Roman Republic began in 509BC when the Romans overthrew the Etruscans and established a republic government.1 After this the Roman Empire began to take control of the Mediterranean Sea and eventually dominated it.3 The Republic began to decline in 133BC with the wealthy Romans gaining in wealth and the poor continuing to lose money; with this more people became enslaved causing increased slave revolts.1 This meant people like Crassus and Caesar could build armies loyal only to them and gain power.2

During the Roman Republic, Ancient Rome was at its very beginnings and a civilization was just being created. Like any other civilization there were different levels of status between classes and several positions of power in which people could obtain. Subsequently, just as there were people of power and wealth, there were also people of little to no power and poverty. The Ancient Romans utilized the institution of slavery to help promote their civilization and became a major factor in the economy of the Roman Republic. In a way slaves helped shape Rome into what it is today. Without slavery in Ancient Rome, history could have been written differently when considering Rome as a powerful city and civilization.

The Second Triumvirate was a “formal magistracy legally appointed which could dominate the Senate and the State” (Scullard) and would prove to be the final straw in an already failed Republican system. The Roman Republic was ruled by a Constitution, which relied on a balance of three elements; The Senate; the Magistrates; the Assemblies. When the balance was upset either by ambitious magistrates, armies or tribunes then civil war was the result. The Senate proved ineffectual in preventing the Second Triumvirate from unbalancing this concept thus the played a significant role in the Republic’s fall. The Second Triumvirate, like those before them, had been able to take advantage of a vulnerable Senate to achieve their own personal aims in defiance of the Senate. The lack of faith in the Senate, which was present for this period of time, was what granted the Second Triumvirate to be the final push in the fall of the Republic. The Sullan legacy continued to be displayed in unlawful acts conducted by this three-man rule. Marc Antony, Octavian, and Lepidus all knew the significance of having an army at their hands and wealth that would ensure two things for them, power and civil war at the hands of conflict. It is therefor known that the Second Triumvirate played a significant role in the fall of an already fallen Republic.