CHW 3MThe Gracchus Tragedy

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

The Gracchus Bros.

Two brothers – Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus – dared to challenge the Roman system and stood up for the common people.

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• 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• See speech on p. 226• 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 re-

election – unprecedented• Senate outraged – starts riot and

murders Tiberius and 300 supporters

Gaius Gracchus – Champion of the PeopleTiberius’ 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 notenough room in the city!•Re-Elected without running

Had broader vision than Tiberius:•Continued new land law•Created new colonies to supply cheap grain for the poor

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

“Reformers in too much of a hurry”

Gracchus lost next election• Soon murdered, with 3000 followers, by

another Senate-created riot

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