Notes N' Stuff

Civil war - a conflict between groups within the same country

Triumvirate - a group of three leaders

Julius Caesar - a military leader

Augustus - Octavians adopted name, meaning "Exalted one"

Pax Romana - "Roman Peace"

The Republic collapses

- Rome started to experience problems

- Discontent grew among the lower class

- These problems led to a new political system

- The gap between the rich and the poor grew

- Slaves made up 1/3 of Rome's population

- Two brothers tried to help the poor, Tiberius and Gaius

- The brothers made numerous senators feel threatened, and then both brothers met violent deaths

- In 60 B.C Julius Caeser takes over

- Julius defied senate order and defeated Pompey's armies

- In 44 B.C Caeser was named Dictator for life

- Caesar ruled as an absolute ruler but he started quite a few reforms 

- After Caesar died, there was a civil war, and Julius' adopted son Octavian restored some aspects of the republic and became the unchallenged ruler of Rome.

- Octavian adopted the title of Augustus

A Vast and Powerful Empire

- Rome was at the peak of its power from the beginning of Augustus' rule

- From 27 B.C to 180 A.D this period was called Pax Romana "Roman Peace"

- Augustus made a better government, where paid workers manage the affairs of the government

- said government went on even after he died

- With trade, the entire empire of Rome used a denarius, a silver coin, making it very easy for trade