November 4 - November 8 - Blogs

Monday - Mr. Bruns went over notes that we took Thursday and moved on with the PowerPoint

First Triumvirate Falls Apart

Pompey fled to Spain and then Greece where Caesar’s troops defeated him
- Pompey was able to escape and fled to Egypt where he was killed
- See next slide on Egypt
Caesar returned to Rome with support from the people and the military and became dictator-46 BC
In 44 BC, Caesar was named dictator for life

Caesar and Cleopatra in Egypt-47 BCE

Caesar arrived in Egypt and was not happy that they had killed Pompey
Caesar declared martial law and took over the palace and deposed Ptolomey XIII
- Ptolomey I became the first Greek ruler of Egypt in 323 BCE
He ordered Cleopatra VII back to the throne, aligned with her and defeated the Ptolomey XIII and the Egyptians in 47 BCE in the Battle of the Nile River
Cleopatra VII was the last Egyptian leader before Rome took it over
Cleopatra and Caesar would have a son together, Ptolemy Caesar (known as Caesarion)
Cleopatra proclaimed him her heir and successor to the Roman throne
- Not something that Caesar did as he named his grandnephew his successor

Caesar as Dictator

Served just a year before he was assassinated
Granted Roman citizenship to many people in the provinces
Gave land to the poor
Expanded the senate, adding friends and supporters from Italy and other regions
Helped the poor by creating jobs, especially through the construction of new public buildings
Started colonies where people without land could own property
Increased pay for soldiers and helped veterans get land
Abolished the tax system
Helped rebuild Carthage as a Roman colony
Reformed the Roman calendar(see next slide)
So why was he killed?

Julian vs Gregorian Calendar

The Julian calendar was the calendar from 46 BCE to 1582 CE when the Gregorian Calendar took its place
The Gregorian Calendar was introduced and named after Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 and is still used today
The difference in the average length of the year between Julian (365.25 days) and Gregorian (365.2422 days) is 0.002%
Leap year explained

Tuesday - Went over notes we took yesterday and continued the PowerPoint

Caesar’s Assassination-44 BCE

Due to helping the middle and lower class, Caesar made enemies with the wealthy class including many in the Senate
Many were scared that Caesar wanted to be king-KING!!
Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus were the two that killed Caesar-Stabbed 23 times by as many as 60 conspirators

After Julius Caesar

Gaius Octavius Thurinus=Octavius=Octavian=Gaius Julius Caesar=Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus=Caesar Augustus=Augustus(“the illustrious one”)
Called Octavius between 63-44 BCE
Called Octavian between 44-27 BCE
Called Augustus from 27 BCE-14 CE when he died

The Second Triumvirate-43 BCE-33 BCE

Octavian(Caesar’s grandnephew/adopted son), Marc Antony(a general), and Lepidus(a politician) ruled Rome for ten years
Civil War broke out after Caesar’s death with Octavian winning
- Eliminated enemies and anyone involved in Caesar’s assassination
  - Brutus, Cassius, Pompeius(Pompey’s son)
Triumvirate fell apart eventually due to jealousy and violence
- Octavian forced Lepidus to retire after insulting him
- Octavian went to war against Marc Antony(with Queen Cleopatra from Egypt)
- Octavian defeated Antony/Cleopatra in the Battle of Actium in 31 BC

Wednesday- Bruns continued the PowerPoint

Cleopatra Video

Interesting Facts:
- Was a guest in Rome(with Caesarion) for several years as Julius Caesar’s guest and won over the Roman people with her beauty and charm
  - Caesarion(Ptolemy XV Philopator Philometor Caesar) was Cleopatra’s and Caesar’s son and possibly his only biological son
    - Ruled with Cleopatra until her death and then became sole ruler of Egypt
    - Possibly would have ruled all of the Roman Republic/Empire had Caesar not been assassinated
- Went back to Egypt after Caesar’s death
- Once Octavian and Marc Antony defeated Caesar’s killers, they split the Roman Republic in two-Octavian took Rome and Antony took Egypt
- Antony quickly falls in love with Cleopatra(had three kids)-Huge problem. Why?
- These issues led to war between Octavian and Antony

Antony’s Letter to Octavian

“What’s upset you? Because I go to bed with Cleopatra? But she’s my wife and I’ve been doing so for nine years, not just recently. Does it really matter where, or with what women, you get your excitement?”

Octavian decided to attack first and defeated Antony and Cleopatra’s fleet in the Battle of Actium as stated previously
Antony and Cleopatra were able to escape but eventually committed suicide together instead of being captured
Octavian had Caesarion strangled as well as Antony’s oldest son
- “two Caesars are one too many”
Octavian was now the lone ruler of Rome and it’s empire
However, he decided to act like he wanted to allow the Republic to continue
The Senate loved this and gave him the name “Augustus” or “Illustrious one” or “Exalted one”
By 19 BCE, he was given supreme power to rule the Roman Empire and became the first(and probably greatest) emperor of Rome

Augustus and the Roman Empire-27 BC-14 AD

Augustus would usher in the “Pax Romana”(27 BC-180 AD) which means “Roman Peace”
- This was the period of time where Rome was at it’s peak and the economy, the arts and agriculture flourished

Augustus’ Accomplishments

Stabilized the frontier
Created a system of government that survived for centuries
Set up civil service within Rome
- Paid workers to manage the affairs of government
Made adultery illegal
Tax incentives for families with three or more children
Glorified Rome with awesome public buildings-"found Rome brick and left it marble

Thursday - Reviewed over the little quiz we are having tomorrow

Augustus’ Death

Died in 14 CE(AD)
His last words were either “I found Rome a city of clay but left it a city of marble.” or…..
According to his wife Livia, “Have I played the part well? Then applaud as I exit.”
His adopted son Tiberius would succeed him as emperor

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