What event do you think was the turning point in Rome's change from a republic to one-man rule? Why?

Answer 1

It is tough to pick 1 single event that signaled the change. The almost constant warfare from the 3rd Punic War (149B.C. TO 146B.C.) till the death of Julius Ceaser (44B.C.) is a strong candidate. The Republic was fighting wars against far off enemies. The Social War from 91B.C. TO 88B.C., Spartacus and the gladiator uprising from 73B.C. to 71B.C., Parthia in 53B.C., to The Gauls in 52B.C. Rome was growing ever bigger and needed a leader who could hold all of the diverse regions together. The old republic system was too slow for such a vast region so it naturally fell to the best Roman General of his day, Julius Ceaser to take power. The soldiers loved him more than the republic so he became the first "emperor" After his murder in 44B.C. his Generals fought for power with Cesar's nephew Gaius Octavian gaining power. These 2 strong willed men took power for themselves and the republic gave it in the name of safety and efficiency.

Answer 2

Ironically, it could have been an incident very similar to the World Trade Center attacks, where an isolated, but terrifying, blow led to an abandonment of the checks and balances on power that had been a hallmark of the Republic.

In 68 B. C. a group of pirates perpetrated what would now be called a terrorist act against Rome's port of Ostia, at the very heart of the empire. The pirates torched the city, destroyed the fleet based there, and kidnapped two prominent senators, along with their servants.

As a result of the panic caused by this attack, a Roman general, known to history as Pompey the Great, maneuvered the Senate into granting him almost limitless power. They gave Pompey virtually all the money in the treasury, which he used to build a huge fleet of 500 warships and to raise an army of 125,000 men.

Ironically, although this action had been taken because of the dire "threat" posed by the pirates, Pompey was able to completely eliminate this "threat" in only three months. This would seem to indicate that perhaps the threat was not so great after all.

Despite there no longer being a threat, Pompey was loath to give up his power. He established several puppet regimes in the Middle East, where the pirates were believed to have originated, and became the richest man in Rome.

Pompey's actions had set a precedent, and not a decade later one of his proteges, Julius Caesar, cajoled, or bullied, the Senate into granting him similar powers. Caesar, of course, was assassinated, but his nephew, Octavian, avenged his death and became the first Emperor of Rome, under the name of Augustus. The death throes of the Republic that had begun with the attack on Ostia were completed with the ascension of Octavian to the throne.

For the information in this answer I am indebted to Robert Harris, of the New York Times, who wrote the original article, which you may read in full at the link below. I highly recommend it.

Answer 3

The Gracchii brothers who in the 3rd cent BC used the long standing political structures and public offices that had supported democratic Rome for centuries, for personal enrichment, gaining strong mob support to bully the senate into doing thier will. After this all powerful Roman politicians bought support from the mob. when they started to use thier armies in the same way, bribing them with rewards instead of letting the state pay them. This eventually leads to a culture of whoever stands at the head of the biggest crowd is the winner. Eventually becoming an Emperor.

Answer 4

It may have been Julius Caesar's decision to accept his imperatorium over all other rule, including the Senate, making him de-facto Dictator. But he wouldn't have had this idea if it hadn't been for Sulla some decades earlier doing the same thing. He created the precedent to becoming Dictator in time of crisis. Either of these two reasons I believe would be valid.

Answer 5

Gaius Marius recruiting his legions from among the landless poor. With one general paying and equipping professional soldiers, they became loyal to him personally rather than to the republic. If Marius had not 'reformed' the army, Sulla and Caesar would only merit a paragraph or two in Roman history.

Answer 6

The turning point was Julius Caesar's disbanding of the roman senate. Rome; as you know was a republic up until this time. WHY? because; Generals sometime get tired of political carping (see John Murtha) and they take matters (control) into their own hands.

FYI; In the U.S. a five star general is "general of the armies" (plural). We have 8 armies.. The last 5 star general was Omar Bradley. I think it safe to say we will never see another one because of the fear of another Caesar. Gen MacArthur was fired and accused of a military take-over. He had 5 stars and command of all of our armies.

Answer 7

I would have to say after the assassination of Julius Caesar and the infighting between Octavian , Marc Antony and the senate, eventually Octavian would win out and his name changed to Augustus Caesar and it would be through heirs that Roman rule would be established and the cult of Divinity of its rulers was considered ,that of the Kyrios Caesar.

Answer 8

julius caesars conquest of rome

Answer 9

i think that at first Rome had seven kings,but in time people were not pleased,so they threw over their last king of his tron...
i think it all began like that...