* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Download The Gracchi Brothers
Legislative assemblies of the Roman Republic wikipedia , lookup
Culture of ancient Rome wikipedia , lookup
Roman historiography wikipedia , lookup
Promagistrate wikipedia , lookup
Early Roman army wikipedia , lookup
Factorum ac dictorum memorabilium libri IX wikipedia , lookup
Executive magistrates of the Roman Republic wikipedia , lookup
Roman Kingdom wikipedia , lookup
Roman army of the late Republic wikipedia , lookup
Roman agriculture wikipedia , lookup
Constitution of the Roman Empire wikipedia , lookup
Constitutional reforms of Augustus wikipedia , lookup
Roman Senate wikipedia , lookup
First secessio plebis wikipedia , lookup
History of the Constitution of the Roman Empire wikipedia , lookup
Cursus honorum wikipedia , lookup
Constitution of the Roman Republic wikipedia , lookup
History of the Roman Constitution wikipedia , lookup
The Gracchi Brothers Things Begin To Approach The Fan Roman Power Grows I. Problems in the Late Republic By 133 BC, Rome was the supreme power in the Mediterranean world Rome Has Problems! The biggest Rome’s problems was the masses of poor people created by: • Poor recruitment practices (many peasants lost their land) • The rich taking over and hoarding all this land (used peasants as slaves) Who would stand up for the common people???? Ironically, the very people who stood up for the people helped bring about the fall of the Roman Republic I. Problems in the Late Republic Political and social revolution began because of tensions between social classes A. Social Unrest Soldier/farmers returned from the Punic Wars to find their homes and farms destroyed A. Social Unrest 133 BC - The Gracchi, brothers Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus, tried to resolve problems TIBERIUS GRACCHUS (c.163-133 BC) GAIUS GRACCHUS (c.153-121 BC) A. Social Unrest The Gracchi instituted public reforms such as redistributing public land to the farmers Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus with their mother, Cornelia Tiberius Gracchus • Grandson of Scipio Africanus • While serving as quaestor, noticed the plight of the poor • Gangs of poor slaves working on the huge farms of the rich (Latifundia) • Realized this was due to poor recruitment practices and the abuses of land policies by the wealthy • Decided to fight back! • 133 BC – Elected tribune • Brought back old land policies • Put limits on landholding – all extra land to be divided among people Tiberius Gracchus • Challenged the Senate • Did not seek Senate approval for bill – skipped them • Huge insult – Senate influences one tribune to veto bill • Tiberius persuades Assembly to eject this tribune – unprecedented • Senate keeps stalling – is uncooperative • Tiberius responds by running for reelection – unprecedented • Senate outraged – starts riot and murders Tiberius and 300 supporters Tiberius Proposes Lex Agraria The Senate Responds Gaius Gracchus Makes The Scene What Does Gaius Gracchus Want? • He wants to distribute more public land to the plebeians. • He wants to make cheap grain available to the poor. • He wants to limit the power of the Senate. Gaius Gracchus – Champion of the People Tiberius’ younger brother Gaius was also loved by the people, very charismatic • Furious at his brother’s murder, continued in his footsteps (“Those worst of men have murdered the best of men, my brother!”) • Also a quaestor, when running for tribune election, so many came to vote that there was not enough room in the city! • Re-Elected without running Gaius Gracchus – Champion of the People More reforms: • Improved roads to make transportation of grain even cheaper • Provided equipment and clothes for its soldiers free of charge These were excellent reforms and made him very popular. Then he got controversial: • Charged the Equestrians with forming the juries to try extortion cases – instead of the Senate • Equestrians were quick to prosecute the upper class! • Tried to grant full citizenship to Latin allies – but this made everybody fear losing power What Should We Do About Gaius? The Death Of Gaius • Killed by Senate along with 3000 allies. Irony: The very people who stood up for the common people contributed to the destruction of the Roman Republic • Senate supposed to be a system of checks and balances • But Gracchus bros. alienated the Senate, divided it from the people • Split Rome apart, created class divisions, led to civil violence • Set the stage for the fall of the Republic • Violence not law began to control politics.