I. Plebian Grievances
    A. Imperial wealth pushes farmers of land or into debt
    B. Italian claims to citizenship
    C.  Populares vs optimates
        1. Gracchus brothers are populares
        2. Their assassination marks beginning of civil strife

II. Conservative fears 
    A. plebian power
    B. decay of Roman virtues
    C. Individual power of generals

III. Rise of the generals: a new politics of great men
    A. Marius--inventor of the private army
    B. Sulla--conservative general first to attack Rome
    C. Pompey--indispensible, but did not rule
    D. Caesar--not afraid to rule

IV. Triumph and Fall of Caesar
    A. Conquers Gaul
        1. Senate insists he retire
        2. Faces trial brought by political opponents

    B. Crosses the Rubicon--attacks Rome
        1. declares himself dictator
        2. defeats Pompey in Greece

    C. Ides of March
        1. Senators resort to assissination
        2. Brutus and Cato defeated by Caesar's generals
        3. Octavian eventually defeats Marc Antony (and Cleapatra) to succeed Caesar as dictator

V. Questions about Caesar.
    A. How did he succeed in conquering Rome and the world?
    B. Was he a good Roman, or a traitor to Rome and Roman virtues?