The Roman Empires By Chris Dunn

One of these generals was Marius. He won great popularity among the Romans while fighting in Africa against Jugurtha. As a result of this newfound popularity, Marius left Africa to go back to Rome where he was elected consul. He left the armies in control of his

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.

She originally came to Rome due to him. Once he died, Cleopatra returned to Egypt, while still supporting Antony, whom eventually became her lover (McKay, Hill and Buckler). In 31 BCE, Antony and Cleopatra were defeated by Octavian, at the Battle of Actium in Greece, but they escaped. The end of the Civil War was when “Octavian chased them back to Egypt, where the two committed suicide, rather than die at the hands of him,” (McKay, Hill and Buckler). In 27 BCE, the news got back to the Senate in Rome. Octavian was loved by all and even given a new name, Augustus, meaning “revered one,” which also marked the end of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire (McKay, Hill and

In the dialogue between Bryan Ward-Perkins and Peter Heather “The Fall of Rome” the two historians answer a few questions that relate to the fall of Rome. The one specific time the two authors both agree is when Ward-Perkins mentions “disappointingly (perhaps) I basically agree with Peter here – neither of us have much time for the theory that the empire was quietly ‘transformed’, by the peaceful ‘accommodation’ into it of some Germanic barbarians. We both believe in invasions that were violent and unpleasant” (Heather, Peter, and Bryan Ward-Perkins). This is the only time presently written that both historians agreed on a given point. Peter’s statement that Ward-Perkins followed up with the agreement is “I am entirely convinced by all the evidence that shows that the late Empire was not being torn apart by irrevocable processes of decline by the fourth century” (Heather, Peter, and Bryan Ward-Perkins). The two authors are convinced that the transition was not peaceful, and from the information provided from the different wars there would have had to have been violence and not peace.

Gaius Marius was Roman general that lived from 157-86 BC in Rome. Not only was he a general but he also was a statesman. He was from Arpinum, located in central Italy. Unlike other statesmen, instead of coming from the Patrician class he was from the Equestrian order. Marius climbed the roman social ladder despite the difficulty he faced, marking his achievements as incredible. His considerable success, early on in the military, aided his success in climbing the cursus honorum, and eventually reaching the top political position in Rome when he was elected Consul for the first time in 107 BC. Multiple consulships, successful general, and his defeated of the German invaders saw Marius celebrated as the third founder of Rome by the people.

Caesar eventually ended up going to war with Pompey. He pushed through the River of Rubicon eventually pushing through Italy into Egypt and killing Pompey. When he got to Egypt he aligned himself with Cleopatra and had a son, Caesarion. After this Caesar returned to Rome and was made dictator for life. He was seen as the person who was going to reform Rome. He only ended up serving a 1 year term before being assassinated. But in this time, he relieved debt and reformed the senate, reformed the roman calendar, reorganized local government, brought back up to city states, and granted citizenship to many foreigners. He also would invite some of the people who defeated in battle to come work in the Roman government. He was careful to not give anyone else too

Throughout Rome’s history there has been a strong and seemingly indivisible bond between war and politics. The generals of Rome were not only masters of war but would sooner or later become masters of politics. “In the Name of Rome: The men who Won the Roman Empire”, written by Adrian Goldsworthy not only explores the specifics of war but also the character of some of the most famous and successful generals of Rome. I will put focus on a few of the most infamous generals as well as my personal favorites. From oldest to youngest these include: Quintus Fabius Maximus, Marcus Claudius Marcellus, Scipio Africanus, Caius Marius, Cnaeus Pompeius Magnus, and Caius Julius Caesar. All of these had failures and success in common but the way they lead

The next set of military reforms come in 107 BC by then consul, Gaius Marius. These reforms expanded Rome’s army vastly and was influential in Rome’s future conquests, as well as protecting Rome from invaders. The reforms also gave military leaders more power than ever, and swayed soldiers to being loyal to their commanders instead of the Roman state. Marius, himself, is a very unlikely person to bring this kind of reform to the Roman army given his background. Although there is some conflicting sources as to Marius’ parents occupations with Plutarch claiming that they were poor peasants, “who supported themselves by their daily labour” (Plutarch 549), and other sources

Roman consuls, typically having gone through the cursus honorum, were more than likely effete aristocrats without the slightest skill in military affairs. Marius achieved military success in the war against Jugurtha in North Africa, and his military reforms had made him very popular with his troops. Marius gained loyalty from his troops then he used there backing as a gain for political power.The emperor was too late so he had to change the Roman Republic to autocratic so nobody would oppose of him and the things he was doing and could not gain any power without him giving it to that

On September 2, 31 B.C., Octavian’s forces soundly defeated those of Antony and Cleopatra in the Battle of Actium. Cleopatra’s ships abandoned the battle and fled to Egypt, and Antony soon managed to break away and follow her with a few ships. With Alexandria under attack from Octavian’s forces, Antony heard a rumor that Cleopatra had committed suicide. He fell on his sword and died just as news arrived that the rumor had been false.

Julius Caesar was a dictator of the Roman time. He showed great military brilliance, which only lead him to conquer other regions of the world that were not yet part of Rome. Caesar wanted power, but with the senate under control, he had to set out to get his own power. He first took control of Gauhl. When the Roman senate started look at how powerful Caesar was getting, the senate sought Pompey for help. When the senate tells Caesar to relinquish Gauhl, he declines their offer. Pompey is told by the senate to destroy Caesar. A civil war breaks lose in Greece with Pompey and Caesar. Pompey’s warriors turned on him during the fight and Caesar won. As Pompey reaches Egypt, he is killed by them. Caesar becomes a powerful dictator after conquering many part of Europe for the Roman Empire. On March 15 44BC, Caesar is assassinated by the Roman

A man of Arpinum, Plutarch refers to Marius as ‘naturally brave and warlike,’ his education was primarily of military focus rather than that of civil. From an early stage in his career, as a novus homo, Marius struggled to enter the senate as he was not born of a noble family. It is believed that Marius broke into the senate rather than entering it. However, he gained power in achieving praetorship through his marriage and association to Julia, a Roman woman of an aristocratic family and the aunt of Julius Caesar. Marius manipulated the political systems in Rome to gain power over the nobility. Through such manipulation and power he was able to win seven consulships in his life. In particular, Marius won his fourth consulship pretending not

Octavian could then concentrate his efforts on moving against Marc Antony, for total control of the Roman Empire. The Battle of Actium in 31 BC was arguably one of the most important naval battles in the history of the Roman Empire. The following year in Egypt, Octavian and his army again defeat Antony. Consequently, Antony and Cleopatra (Anotny’s wife) commit suicide. With the victory at the Battle of Actium, Octavian was now sole ruler of Rome and all its provinces.

Brown, Peter. The World of Late Antiquity. London: Thames & Hudson, 1971 (rpt. New York: Norton, 1989).

In 40 BCE, Antony went back to Rome to marry Octavia Minor, younger sister of Octavian, to claim a stronger hold of power in Rome as he concluded a treaty with Octavian. Antony came to a conclusion that he and Octavian could not work together, so he resumed back to his life with Cleopatra and they got married. This resulted in the declaration of war on Egypt by Octavian as he no longer wanted to rule with Antony being disloyal to his sister. This battle lasted for 15 years and is known as the ‘Battle of Actium’, the final war of the Roman Republic between Octavian and Antony (with Cleopatra) two of the most powerful men left of the Roman Empire. Antony lost the battle and fled the battle with Cleopatra to Alexandria.