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Political Climate

Political Climate. by Dylan Hughes. Corruption. Corruption defined politics Bribery Optimates and Populares, extreme factions Obtaining power came down to highest bidder. More Corruption. Gracchi tried to fix it, but made it worse

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Political Climate

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  1. Political Climate by Dylan Hughes

  2. Corruption • Corruption defined politics • Bribery • Optimates and Populares, extreme factions • Obtaining power came down to highest bidder

  3. More Corruption • Gracchi tried to fix it, but made it worse • Equites put in charge of juries in courts that tried governors for corruption • Eliminated governors from getting help from senatorial friends in corruption cases • But Equites then threatened to convict governors if they were not allowed to take all they wanted from provincial taxes • Made corruption worse

  4. More Corruption... • Verres (Cicero trials) accused of stealing 40 million sesterces and killing Romans without trial • Crassus got most of his money from buying burning houses at low prices and then extinguishing and rebuilding them (7100 talents = $142 million)

  5. Failures • A few consuls tried to reform (Gracchi, Sulla), but Rome was so corrupt that by the next consul all of the previous efforts were negated • Worsened politics

  6. Bad Decisions • Marius seized power, Sulla angry, marched on Rome, took power from Marius (Civil War) • Proscription lists killed all enemies of Sulla • Potential good leaders killed and created many political rivals • Made the political climate more tumultuous

  7. Rise of Military Leaders as Political Leaders • During Marius’s military reforms, veterans would be given land by law • But the generals had to get the land rights passed by Senate, which was hard • Soldiers relied more on generals for their land afterwards • Became extremely loyal to generals, which would help if they ran for office

  8. Was Caesar different? • No • Borrowed a lot of money for bribes • Used “constitutionally dubious methods” like physically preventing Bibulus from vetoing • Gained most of his loyalty through military leadership • Started a civil war with Pompey (like Sulla and Marius) • Bad decision to appoint himself dictator

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