Instability of the Roman Republic

After the Punic Wars, the Roman Senate became increasingly powerful, taking part in all foreign and domestic matters for the Roman Republic. The Roman Senate was made up of patrician men who held the office for life. Other offices, like consul and praetor, were also held by wealthy landowners. To the plebeians and slaves, it seemed like this small group of aristocrats controlled all of the power and money in the Roman Republic. Because the large population of small farmers worked to support the needs of the Republic, this caused misgivings between the classes. The small farmers could no longer survive in a world where the larger landowners could buy more and more land and out-compete them. Many of them migrated into larger cities, like Rome itself, and found themselves unemployed and in debt. Moreover, the currency of the Roman Republic was based on the value of the precious metals in the actual coins. During the 1st century B.C. (B.C.E.), and through the reign of the Roman Empire, government leadership devalued the currency by using less precious metals in the coins, while decreeing that these new coins had the same value. Inflation in the price of goods meant that the buying power that people had decreased.

The Rise of the Roman Empire

The collapse of the Roman Republic did not occur with one event. Rather, there were a series of events, and numerous people and actions that triggered the transition. The Roman Empire emerged in place of the Roman Republic. In this interactivity, you will discover the beginnings of the Roman Empire, and how notable figures like Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, and Mark Antony played a role. Click the player button to begin.

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The Roman Empire Review

Now that you have discovered information about the Roman Empire, review your knowledge in this interactivity. Click the player button to get started.