Three influential men from ancient Rome

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Julius Caesar is one of the most important people in the history of Rome.  He was part of the First Triumvirate, where he allied himself with Pompey and Crassus to become richer and more powerful.  He also gained the influence of the people, by giving them “bread and circuses”, where the people were given food and entertainment, so they loved him.  He was responsible for conquering all of Gaul for ten years, and he also allowed the region of Egypt to prosper during the reign of Cleopatra.  His adoption of Octavian, led to Octavian becoming the first Roman emperor. 

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Tiberius Gracchus was another influential person in Rome.  His land reform plan led to his success in achieving support from the Plebeians. He also broke many Roman political traditions, such as kicking out members of the Tribune who did not support him (Marcus Octavius).  Then, he ran for consul again, for a second consecutive year, which was also illegal.  Due to his growing power, he and his supporter were murdered in a riot, for the first time in Roman history.  His influence led to many political traditions being broken and allowed violence to become an acceptable way in Roman politics to get rid of political enemies. 

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Sulla was another important politician in ancient Rome.  He was responsible for engaging in a war with Mithradates, which would later prompt Pompey to finish and earn amazing fame.  He was involved in a rivalry with Marius.  Due to this, when he came back from his campaign in Turkey, he found that the city was being controlled by Marius.  He came into the city, and slaughtered many of Marius’ supporters.  He was the first to create proscriptions, which were list of political enemies that were to be killed and robbed of their land and money.  This political strategy was later used by the First Triumvirate and the Second Triumvirate.  He was also the first to call himself Dictator (a supreme ruler) even though it was Roman law that dictators should be elected only in a time of absolute emergency.  Neither were the case with Sulla, a strategy that Julius Caesar would also use during the end of his life.