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Social War
(91-88 B.C.)

Started when Romans wouldn't grant the Italian's equality
 * Most of Italian allies attempted to secede
 * Latium and northern Capmania remained loyal to Rome
 * Rebels made headquarters at Corfinium
 * Renamed it "Italia"

Romans divided army of 150,000 men under 2 consuls.
 * Romans in north
 * headed by P. Rutilius Lupus
 * Marius lead under him
 * Romans in South
 * Headed by L. Julius Caesar
 * Sulla lead under him

Rutilius was killed in Battle with Marsics
 * Marius was able to defeat them

89 B.C.
 * Roman Consuls were Strabo and Porcius Cato
 * Both went north
 * Sulla headed Campanian forces
 * Strabo defeated 60,000 Italians near Asculum
 * Capital "Italia" was abandoned
 * Rebel leader "Poppaedius Silo" regained it
 * Defeated again in 88 B.C.

Sulla and Marius
These Roman generals were recruiting private armies to help increase their own power. These armies were more loyal to themselves and their leaders than to the republic, which contrasted greatly with the traditional Roman belief that the republic is above all. They also recruited many poor plebians by giving them money and land after they had served their time in the military. Soon both Marius and Sulla had their own private armies that cared very little about the republic. In 88 BC Sulla marched his army into Rome to overthrow Marius and take the position of consul. Sulla was then commanded by the Senate to take charge of the war against the Mithridates. Marius and his men would then retake power of Rome in Sulla's absense. Later in 82 BC Sulla, returned to Rome and overthrew Marius. He was then appointed dictator of Rome by the Senate. While he was dictator, Sulla strengthened the powers of the Senate and killed many of Marius' supporters. These various changes in leadership made the loyalty of the people shift away from what's best for the republic to what the leaders of the military want.


 * - 59-53 BC
 * Cn. Pompeius Magnus, M. Licinius Crassus, and C. Julius Caesar combined their influence to seize power in Rome.
 * Pompey- extremely popular general defeated many enemies. Had loyal, private army, but incapable of following through on his promise of land and bounties
 * Crassus- officer of Sulla during civil war, made wealthiest man in Rome by profiting Sullas proscriptions, that is, the outlawing of Roman citizens by putting their names on lists and putting a price on their heads, wanted dead or alive. he used his wealth to buy influence in the senate
 * Caesar- began career hopeless situation as nephew of C. Marius confronted by dictatorship of Sulla - He offered his political abilities to aid Pompey and Crassus with political agendas, rose to consulship in 59 BC basically to work as a tool for two more powerful partners
 * intense rivalry between Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus existed
 * Crassus was killed while fighting the Parthians in Mesopotamia in 53 BC, Pompey distanced himself from Caesar
 * Caesar's army superior during Second Civil war (49-46 BC)
 * Pompey defeated at Pharsalus and killed in Egypt

2nd Triumvirate
=== The 2nd Triumvirate was a group that ruled Rome, which consisted of 3 men; Octavian, Marc Antony, and Lepidus. The 2nd Triumvirate was written into the Constitution in November, 43 B.C., and seized power of Rome. Unlike the 1st Triumvirate, the 2nd was a legal arrangement, composed of a joint dictatorship. The members of the Triumvirate imposed a 2% capital tax on slaves and forced loans from wealthy citizens. Prior to Octavian, Antony, and Lepidus seizing power, the Republican Senate had attempted to raise a 4% capital tax. Republican forces, under Brutus and Cassius, seized the wealth of the Eastern Provinces from Syria to Macedonia, when the 2nd Triumvirate first came into power. The 2nd Triumvirate was in control of 34 legions of Rome, while the Republican was in control of 19 legions. In 42 B.C., when the 2nd Triumvirate, which consisted of 85,000 infantry and 13,000 cavalry, defeated the Republican Army of 80,000 infantry and 20,000 cavalry, the 2nd Triumvirate split the Roman world between Octavian, Marc Antony, and Lepidus. Lepidus ended up controlling Africa, while Octavian controlled the Provinces west of Greece, and Antony controlled the East. Antony demanded his provinces to pay him the same 9 years tribute that they had paid to the Republicans, resulting in the bankrupty of Asia for an entire generation. In 33 B.C., Antony and Octavian had some differences because of Antony's relationship with Cleopatra. Once 32 B.C. came around, Antony lost his triumviral power, and the Senate declared war on Cleopatra herself. Antony and Cleopatra moved an army to Greece to block a possible Roman invasion. Octavian's Army was successful in advancing throughout Greece and the East, and in 30 B.C., Octavian invaded Egypt, causing Antony and Cleopatra to commit suicide. Octavian ended up taking control of Egypt, and seized so much money that the interest rates in Rome dropped 60%. With Octavian in complete control of the state, the Republic was officially dead. ===