Did you know? All Roman provinces paid taxes. In 212 CE, all free people got citizenship. Conquered people adopted Roman ways and beneýted from trade. This peace imposed by the conquerors was called the Pax Romana . 5.6.2 Ruling the Roman Republic Every year, Rome elected over 50 magistrates to run the city. They served one year and worked with colleagues. After serving, they joined the Senate , which advised consuls but held much power and controlled Senate meetings. Voting in the Roman Republic All citizens could vote in assemblies to share their opinions and elect magistrates. Initially, voting was public, but later it became a secret ballot using wax pieces marked with ‘V’ (disagree) or ‘A’ (agree) for counting. Democracy or not? The Roman Republic seemed democratic, but it wasn’t. Plebeians had little say because their votes counted less than patricians. They formed their own assembly. To avoid a revolt, patricians allowed plebeians to elect tribunes. By 287 BCE, plebeian assembly decisions were lawful, but plebeians had less power overall. 5.6.3 From republic to empire Increased wealth led to power struggles among patricians, causing chaos. In 27 BCE, the Roman Republic became an empire (see SOURCE4 ). Julius Caesar Julius Caesar outsmarted rivals and became popular. In 49 BCE, he attacked Pompey, his rival and former friend, starting a civil war and becoming Dictator for life.
SkillBuilder discussion Historical signiýcance 1. What key achievements is Caesar known for? 2. How did Caesar’s actions impact the Roman Republic? 3. What conþicts did Caesar face during his rise to power?
SOURCE4 Proýle of Gaius Julius Caesar (based on the writings of the Roman historian, Suetonius)
Born 100 BCE; died 44 BCE. Class: patrician
Well built, tall, fair hair, balding (combed his hair forward), dark brown eyes
Very fit, but sometimes had epileptic fits
Ambitious, but fair man who judged men on their fighting record
Good at sword fighting, horse riding, public speaking, writing
Often wore a wreath of laurel leaves on his head (as a sign of victory)
Introduced the Julian Calendar, used for more than 1500 years
Introduced a number of land, law, tax and social justice reforms
TOPIC5 Ancient Rome 147
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