Download Tiberius Gracchus

The Story of Tiberius Gracchus
Over the next 100 years, many different popular leaders–reformers and generals–
tried to improve conditions in Rome.
Tiberius Gracchus became a tribune in 133 B.C. and
was the first reformer. He wanted to limit the amount of
land a person could own. He was killed in a riot staged
by the Senate when he ran for a second term as tribune.
In 123 B.C., Tiberius Gracchus’s younger brother, Gaius
Gracchus, was elected tribune. When the Senate began
to feel threatened by his ideas in 121 B.C. they had him killed.
In 107 B.C., General Gaius Marius, a military hero, became
consul. Marius thought he could end Rome’s troubles by setting
up a professional army, open to everyone.
Another general, Lucius Cornelius Sulla, was given a military
command that Marius wanted. Marius tried to get the assembly
to take the command away from Sulla. An angry Sulla marched
his army and seized Rome and civil war broke out. When it was
over, Sulla made himself dictator, or absolute ruler, of Rome.
The Republic of
Rome
When Sulla retired, a new group of generals fought
for control of Rome. In 60 B.C., political power
passed to a triumvirate, or a group of three persons
with equal power.
Julius Caesar finally gained control, after a power
struggle, in 48 B.C. In 58 B.C., Caesar was named
governor of a Roman province and built up a large,
strong loyal army. The Senate ordered him in 50 B.C. to break up his legions and
return to Rome. Instead, Caesar entered the city at the head of his troops, and by
46 B.C., he was dictator of Rome.
Caesar brought about many reforms of land and wealth
distribution. Some Romans were afraid that Caesar
planned to make himself king. As he entered the Senate
on March 15, 44 B.C., Caesar was stabbed to death.
Julius Caesar
Political power passed to another triumvirate.
Marcus Antonius, or Mark Antony, Caesar’s closest follower and a popular
general, took command of Rome’s territories in the East. .
Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, one of Caesar’s top officers, took over the rule
of Africa.
Octavian, Caesar’s grand-nephew and adopted son, took charge of the
West.
For a while, the triumvirate worked. Then fights broke out, leaving Octavian as
sole ruler of the Roman Empire in 31 B.C.
Roman Reformers
Reformer
Tiberius
Gracchus
Problem in Rome
Small farmers lost
land
Solution
Limit the amount of
land a person could
own 9300 acres)
Effect
Assembly put his idea
into effect
Give excess to landless
Gaius Gracchus
Wheat prices were
high
Sell wheat to the poor
at below market prices
More food for
Romans
1 out of 3 Roman s
received free wheat
General Gaius
Marius
Lucius Cornelius
Sulla
Julius Caesar
Ex-soldiers lost land
when they left for
service in the army
Set up a professional
army
Marius received military
command Sulla wanted
Marched his army on
Rome and seized the
capital
First time a Roman
commander led his
soldiers against Rome
Doubled the size of the
Senate
Senate power increased;
tribune were weakened
Land issue
Gave veterans land
New colonies
overseas were
populated by Romans
Farmers in city can
not find work
Public works projects
Senate did not have
enough power
Offered pay, land,
pensions and booty
Soldiers gave loyalty
to generals not
Roman government
Gave jobs to
thousands