The document summarizes the end of the Roman Republic and rise of Julius Caesar. Growing inequality between the rich and poor led to reforms attempts by the Gracchus brothers, but they were assassinated. This allowed generals like Marius and Sulla to gain power through their control of the army. Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus formed the First Triumvirate and gained power, making the Senate nervous. Caesar marched on Rome, declared himself dictator, and enacted popular reforms. However, his increasing power led senators like Brutus and Cassius to assassinate him on the Ides of March, plunging Rome into civil war.

1. End of the Republic
and Rise of Caesar

2. Rich vs. Poor
• Dishonest officials
• Growing gap between rich and poor
• Rich held land and most important government
positions
• Farmers lost land to patricians who created
latifundia
• Farmers moved to cities but couldn’t find jobs

3. Attempts at Reform
• Tiberius Gracchus tried to take land from the
rich and set up farms for the poor
• Tiberius was assassinated for this in 133 BC
• Gaius Gracchus (brother of Tiberius) tried to
provide subsidized food for poor
• Gaius was assassinated in for this in 121 BC
• Bread and circuses

4. The Army Enters Politics
• Marius becomes consul in 107 BC and allows
landless men to join army, promising land and
booty
• Army becomes loyal to individual generals
• 82 BC: Sulla declares himself dictator after he
and his army defeat Marius
• Sulla makes changes to weaken the Council of
Plebs and strengthen the Senate
• Leads to civil war for the next 50 years

5. First Triumvirate
• 60 BC: Crassus (in Syria), Pompey (in Spain),
and Julius Caesar (in Gaul) become the most
powerful generals and form a triumvirate
• Caesar invades Britain and becomes a hero to
lower classes, making Senators nervous
• 53 BC: Crassus dies in battle and Senate calls
Pompey back to Rome to rule alone
• 49 BC: Senate demands Caesar give up his
army

6. Caesar’s Rise to Power
• Caesar marches to Rome and crosses the
Rubicon River
• 48 BC: Caesar defeats Pompey’s army
• 44 BC: Caesar declares himself dictator and
replaces Senators with loyal friends

7. Caesar’s Achievements
• Became popular with the poor by granting
citizenship, adding colonies for land, and
ordering farms to hire free workers
• Created the Julian Calendar (12 months, 365
days, leap year)

8. Caesar’s Fall from Power
• Enemies feared Caesar’s increasing power
• Senators led by Brutus and Cassius
assassinated him in 44 BC
• “Beware the Ides of March”
• Leads to civil war between assassins and
Octavian, Antony, and Lepidus (Caesar’s
generals)