Senate for Reform Within Rome

                     Austin Turner                           Senior Division                          Historical Paper

                   Paper Length: 2,316 Words

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With both of their bodies thrown in the Tiber River Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus

were no more. During the late Roman Republic, the two brothers wished to reform the

Republic to better serve the poor with the problems that afflicted them. Thus they

became champions of the poor and enemies of the Senate. They may have failed in

their mission, but they took an important stand against the Senate that would have fixed

the prolific problems with Rome’s poor that would ultimately cause the decline of Rome.

        Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus, or Tiberius the Younger, was born thirteen

years older than Gaius Gracchus to a wealthy Roman family known as the Gracchii

(Plutarch, Life of Tiberius). His father Tiberius Gracchus the Elder was one of the most

politically powerful men in Rome at the time. Tiberius the Elder was elected Consul, the

highest office in the Roman Republic, two times and had three triumphs, which are a

celebration of one man's military victory. Even to have one triumph is a great feat for

any Roman. Tiberius the Elder promoted a policy that provided land to be given to the

poor (Dewitt, Portnow, Jones Gracchus the Elder – Prequel). Although not on such a

widespread scale as his sons would eventually suggest, the idea of giving the poor land

would be passed down to his sons. Tiberius the Elder would die while Tiberius was a

young man and while Gaius was a child. This lead to them both being parented by their

mother Cornelia Africana, who was considered the perfect example of a Roman woman.

Cornelia herself was the daughter of Scipio Africanus who had won the Battle of Zama

for Rome against Carthage in the Second Punic War (DeWitt, Portnow, Jones The

Brothers Gracchi - 1: How Republics Fall) Her education of Tiberius and Gaius was

conducted with such care Plutarch described it as:

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“These sons Cornelia reared with such scrupulous care that although

confessedly no other Romans were so well endowed by nature, they were thought to

owe their virtues more to education than to nature” (Plutarch, Life of Tiberius).

This education provided the morality and thoughts of the brothers to put others

worries and needs ahead of them for the betterment of Rome. The tutelage of mother

and father together provided an unexpected upbringing as the family greatly cared for

the poor of Rome. This is remarkable as the wealthy in Rome often felt threatened by

the poor people whenever a reform was to be passed. The rich felt that the poor would

take away their wealth and power. Wishing to hold onto what they felt they would be

taken away, often made sure such reforms never passed.

After his father's death, Tiberius became a soldier and then a politician. Tiberius

the Younger was renowned in Rome for it is said he was the first over the walls of

Carthage during the Third Punic War, and that he saved the Roman Army in Spain

against the Numantines in Iberia, or modern day Spain (Plutarch, Life of Tiberius

Gracchus). Tiberius himself was known as a gentle speaker who showed care for all

Romans. In the year 133 BC, he was elected to the office of tribune. Tribunes were the

representatives of the common folk of Rome. They could bring up ideas for laws and

had one veto over the senate for any law that they felt would harm the people (Tribune-

Livius)

Before and during Tiberius’ life. Many citizens of Rome had fled the country to

get jobs. However, once they arrived in Rome they still couldn't find a job. With time just

doing no

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work they thought about their own situation and became angry. This is what

would form the basis of support for reform in Rome (DeWitt, Portnow, Jones The Brothers

Gracchi - 1: How Republics Fall).

During his tenure as Tribune, Tiberius wished to pass a new agrarian reform to

give land to veterans who had lost their farms while fighting in wars and to the poor

landless people in Rome (Land Ownership in Rome). The main point of this law was to

limit people from owning more than 500 jugera. One jugera is equal to 3000 square feet

(Histories of Appian). Tiberius supported the new laws by saying that:

The wild beasts that roam over Italy, have every one of them a cave or lair to lurk

in; but the men who fight and die for Italy enjoy the common air and light, indeed, but

nothing else; houseless and homeless they wander about with their wives and children.

And it is with lying lips that their imperators exhort the soldiers in their battles to defend

sepulchers and shrines from the enemy; for not a man of them has an hereditary altar,

not one of all these many Romans an ancestral tomb, but they fight and die to support

others in wealth and luxury, and though they are styled masters of the world, they have

not a single clod of earth that is their own (Plutarch, Life of Tiberius Gracchus).     

With this speech, Tiberius produced emotions so powerful that it increased

support for the new law.  This speech was so powerful because it showed the

unfairness of it all. The veterans had put their lives on the line for Rome, yet they came

back with nothing as only the wealthy had gained from the wars.

The wealthy landowners in Rome saw this as a strike against their power, so

they did whatever they could to stop the passage of Tiberius’ land reform. This included

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bribing and calling the laws “non Roman”. However, there was popular support, so the

commoners in Rome still supported Tiberius (Extra History Part 3).

However, another tribune, Marcus Octavius, started to block any laws Tiberius

attempted to send through the Senate. They would debate long and hard to convince

the other to change their minds. At this moment there were two things said to have

happened. Firstly, Plutarch states of the situation that:

“Although both strove together with the utmost earnestness and rivalry, neither

abused the other or let fall a single word about the other which anger made unseemly.

For not only "in Bacchic revelries," as it appears, but also in the exercise of rivalry and

wrath, a noble nature and a sound training restrain and regulate the mind” (Plutarch,

Life of Tiberius).

With Cassius Dio, he considers them as terrible people who were ruining the

Republic. He stated that:

“Thereafter there was no semblance of moderation; but zealously vying, as they

did, each to prevail over the other rather than to benefit the state, they committed many

acts of violence more appropriate in a despotism than in a democracy, and suffered

many unusual calamities appropriate to war rather than to peace” (Cassius Dio, Roman

History).

With such different thoughts on the subject there must be an idea for why there is

two differing viewpoints. It is by looking at them we find that Cassius Dio despises what

Tiberius stands for. He finds that Tiberius was on a noble path until lead astray by

power. With a hatred of this very man, Cassius Dio might be not writing the truth, but a

construct to support the notion of Tiberius being villainous.

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Voting for land reforms began without issue until the voting urns were stolen

away by the people who would lose the most from the vote. Since the rich had taken the

voting urns, the issue was sent to the Senate. Due to the Senate largely being noble the

law became bogged down. Upon realizing that it would never pass through the Senate,

Tiberius begged for Octavius to resign. Four times Tiberius beseeched him to resign,

four times he refused. When the vote came down Octavius was removed from office.

(Plutarch, Life of Tiberius)

The reforms would eventually pass through with the support of the people. With

Octavius’ removal from office, the Senate did little to oppose Tiberius. Tiberius with

support from the people or they would be like Octavius (Plutarch, Life of Tiberius). Soon

afterward the law passed. Tiberius did whatever he could to raise the power of the poor.

This included adding judges who were not senators and reducing the time for military

service. Tiberius did this to further improve the Roman system to better suit the poor.

No doubt these laws also increased his own political power, but in his mind it was most

likely to allow him to offer aid as he was known as a humble man.

        With his term as tribune over, he wished to run yet again. During the

voting the people crowded around their champion. While they crowded around him

Tiberius gestured to his head to signify that the Senators were coming to kill him.

Previously there had been threats to his life that made him dread re-election. Fearing a

fight slaves, and other friends of Tiberius made makeshift clubs to defend themselves.

Upon the day of re-election, the Senate organized a group that were warned by people

on the edge of the crowd that were unable to hear what Tiberius had said (Extra History

Part 3). The Senate was said to have misunderstood the message as Tiberius putting a

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crown over his head. However, the Senate saw an opportunity to slay their biggest

adversary. To think that they wouldn’t strike with such favorable circumstances was just

preposterous.

        Most of the Senate wished to deal with Tiberius, but one consul had no

will to slay Tiberius without a trial as it would be unlawful. The other Consul Scipio

Nasica rose up and spoke:

"Since, then, the chief magistrate betrays the state, do ye who wish to succour

the laws follow me" (Plutarch, Life of Tiberius).

With the Senate rallied against Tiberius, they went into the crowd and fought

Tiberius’ supporters. Once the fighting ended Tiberius was clubbed to death.

Subsequently, his body was tossed in the Tiber River which meant he didn’t deserve a

proper burial. This event is one of the first acts of political violence in the Roman

Republic. Consequently, many other acts of political discord would occur.

        It would take nine years until another Gracchus would rise and fall just as

hard as the one before him. His name was Gaius, the younger brother of Tiberius.

Gaius Gracchus supported the same reforms as his brother, but he was none the less

another man. His oratory was fiery so much that he would have a person play a harp if

his voice became too loud and booming (Extra History Part 4 Enter Gaius). Before his

brother’s death, Gaius didn’t want to take part in the politics of Rome. Gaius was forced

into the position of governor of Sardinia to quell an uprising on the island in order to help

a friend (Plutarch, Life of Gaius). Previously, Cornelia sent a letter after Tiberius’ death

to Gaius saying:

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You will say that it is a beautiful thing to take vengeance on enemies. To no one

does this seem either greater or more beautiful than it does to me, but only if it is

possible to pursue these aims without harming our country. But seeing as that cannot

be done, our enemies will not perish for a long time and for many reasons, and they will

be as they are now rather than have our country be destroyed and perish (Cornelia

Africana, Letter).

The letter had importance as it shows the Gracchii put the people of Rome ahead

of themselves. In turn, this furthers the idea of their education providing an important

role to create the two brother’s ideas for helping the people in Rome to live a better

life. .   Soon afterward Gaius’ term as Governor ended, he ascended to the same

position as his brother, tribune, due to his actions as governor in Sardinia. Gaius as

tribune passed many laws including distribution of wheat by state granaries in order to

sell wheat cheaply to those in need (Background to the Grain Law), soldiers not having

to personally pay for uniforms, and largest of all was to allow the middle class in Rome

to be judges (Extra History Part 4). All of these laws would soon pass due to the Senate

waiting to strike at Gaius (Appian, The Civil Wars).

        Gaius had achieved a second term as tribune due to the laws passing

through the government. Afterwards Gaius took a stand to enfranchise the Italian allies

outside of Rome and establish Roman colonies throughout the Mediterranean by

enfranchising all of Italy, It would improve relations between different parts of Italy. With

better relations it would create a more unified republic. Many, including poor in Rome,

scorned this new law. The other Tribune, Drsus, convinced by the Senate vetoed the

law. In turn Drsus took a lighter version of the law to gain Gaius’ supporters. Once

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Gaius realized what had happened was too late. The poor had found a new champion

for a short time, and the Senate had found a way to pass laws that Tiberius proposed to

attract Tiberius’ supporters. Soon after Tiberius death, the laws passed in order to strike

at Tiberius would later be repealed (Extra History Part 5).

Having lost many of his supporters they took to the streets of Rome(Tiberius

Gaius Gracchus). The problem for them is that it soon became an armed revolt. At the

time the Senate had passed a new law that the Senate could declare anyone an enemy

of the state and execute them without a trial (Appian, The Civil Wars). This would only

set up more civil strife for the Roman Republic later on as they could murder anyone

that they felt threaten by. The consul at the time was severely unpopular, he declared

martial law and gathered up 3,000 armed troops and led them to where Gaius was

positioned with his supporters. Gaius himself was unarmed with nothing but the clothes

on his body, before he left home his wife begged him not to leave saying:

Not to the rostra, O Caius, do I now send thee forth, as formerly, to served as

tribune and law-giver, nor yet to a glorious war, where, shouldst thou die (and all men

must die), thou wouldst at all events leave me an honoured sorrow; but thou art

exposing thyself to the murderers of Tiberius, and thou doest well to go unarmed, that

thou mayest suffer rather than inflict wrong; but thy death will do the state no good. The

worst has at last prevailed; by violence and the sword men's controversies are now

decided. If thy brother had only fallen at Numantia, his dead body would have been

given back to us by terms of truce; but as it is, perhaps I too shall have to supplicate

some river or sea to reveal to me at last thy body in its keeping. Why, pray, should men

longer put faith in laws or gods, after the murder of Tiberius?

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" While Licinia was thus lamenting, Plutarch then said “Gaius gently freed himself

from her embrace and went away without a word, accompanied by his friend’s”

(Plutarch, Life of Gaius).

By not saying a word as he left it showed that he understood what he was giving

his life for and that he was willing to still proceed and go anyway into the perilous

situation that he foresaw in his future. He was determined to fight for the cause even

though his very life was at stake.

During the fighting Gaius was led back away to a wooden bridge that crossed the

Tiber. It was there that the Roman soldiers caught Gaius and his servant. Two varying

accounts are given first that Gaius ordered his servant to kill him or second, the servant

fell on top of Gaius to deflect any blows upon his master until he himself was dispatched

(Plutarch, Life of Gaius). Gaius’ head would be cut off and his body and thrown in the

Tiber River just as his brother was(Extra History Part 5 The Final Fall).

During the tenure of the Gracchus Brothers, the economic condition of the

Roman Republic was dire. Rome had been struggling for a while with the increasing

wealth gap between the aristocrats and the commoners (Don Nardo, Fall of the Roman

Empire). The main reason for this is that the citizen soldiers gained little plunder in war

and returned to their farms and shops to find them rundown or taken away(How

Inequality, Diversity And Empire Brought Down The Roman Republic).Thus the rich

were able to gain vast swaths of land from the average citizens.

The Roman economy itself was stagnant for a while with most just barely getting

basic needs such as food, water, and shelter (Poverty in the Roman World). The

Gracchus brothers saw this and attempted to correct the issue by issuing land to the

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poor. If the poor received the land and kept it, then the citizen’s life needs would be met

with living standards going up. This would include less squalor in the cities due to more

money in the hands of common Romans. Once their life needs would be met, the

friction between the social classes within Rome would lessen for a time.

Not only did the Gracchii brothers attempt to fix Rome's economic problems, but

they wished to fix what they saw as a corrupt government sitting idly by as there was an

abuse of power (Outlines of Roman History). One of these reforms was to not allow only

senate members to be judges. The reason behind the law being that many senate

members would rule in cases for their own prosperity. Had reforms been passed, many

more would follow to fix the dilemma. The issues within the government help weaken

the foundation of Rome by bad administration, heighten the ensuing power struggles,

and an increased tension between the social classes.

Even though the Gracchi brothers didn’t accomplish their goal, they took a stand

for the poor and weak of Rome. Their stand was an important one that would have fixed

many of the issues leading to the collapse of Rome.

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                      Annotated Bibliography

Primary Sources

Africana, Cornelia. Letter to Gaius Gracchus. 122 bce. MS. Italy, Rome.This source provided a “first-hand”

           letter to Gaius from his mother soon            after Tiberius death. It provided that            the two brother were raised to better            their country, and to not be petty            against others for revenge if it            harmed the country as a whole

  

Secondary Sources

Appian. The Histories of Appian. Comp. Bill Thayer. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Penelope University of Chicago. Web. 3 Nov. 2016.”With this source, it provided me with

           more information on Tiberius’ land            reforms such as limiting land           ownership to 500 jugera. It also talked            about the general social strife within            Rome at the time.

 Cavanaugh, Jeffrey. "How Inequality, Diversity And Empire Brought Down The Roman Republic." MintPress News. MintPress, 09 Apr. 2014. Web. 30 Sept. 2016.This source was helpful as it talked

            about how the downfall of Rome             came from the separation between             social classes in Rome, which let me             further connect the fight for social             reform to the fall of Rome.

Garnsey, Peter, and Dominic Rathbone. "The Background to the Grain Law of Gaius Gracchus." Journal of Roman Studies 75 (1985): 20-25. Cambridge Core. Web. 2 Nov. 2016.This source provided me with that

            some reforms that Gaius passed were            the construction of state granaries             and the price of grain for the regular             sale to citizens.

Gracchus the Elder - Prequel: In His Footsteps - Extra History. By Scott DeWitt, James Portnow, and Dan Jones. Perf. Floyd. Www.youtube.com. Google, 10 Sept. 2016. Web. 14 Oct. 2016.This source was important to my

            project as it talked about the past of             Tiberius and Gaius’ father. It gave me             Tiberius Gracchus’ success in politics             and militarily and his support for             some land reform that would be

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            passed down to his sons.

Lendering, Jona. "Tribune." Livius. Livius, 2002. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.This source was important as it talked

           about the office of the tribune and the            powers that it held.

"L3H • Roman History Part I — Ch.9 The Gracchi Brothers." L3H • Roman History Part I — Ch.9 The Gracchi Brothers. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Oct. 2016.This source talked about the two

            brothers seeing how important the              poor were to the development of             Rome that they wished to help them.

Nardo, Don. The Fall of the Roman Empire. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven, 1998. Print.This book was important as it talked

            about the economic condition of the             Roman Empire and the issues that             lead to the fall of Rome. It also talks             about how the civil strife within Rome             weakened it for the subsequent fall.

Osborne, Robin, and Margaret Atkins. "Poverty in the Roman World." EHnet. Economic History Services, July 2008. Web. 04 Oct. 2016.

            This source helped me with my             project as it talked about the             stagnation of the the Roman economy             and how it hindered Rome.

Plutarch. "Life of Caius." Comp. Bill Thayer. Parallel Lives. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Penelope. Web. 6 Oct. 2016.In this source there was a description

           of Caius’’ life. It gave his personality            with his fiery oratory, his career before            Tribune, how he was elected to tribune           twice, and his death. It also provided            many stories about Gaius that may or            may not be true.Lastly it gave first             hand sayings of Gaius and his

Plutarch. “Life of Tiberius.”. Comp. Bill Thayer. Parallel Lives N.p.: n.p., n.d. Penelope. Web. 6 Oct. 2016.In this source there was a description   

           of Tiberius’ life. It had his care under            his mother, his rise to tribune, and            ultimately his death to the hands of the            ultimately his death to the hands of the            senators. It also provided many            speeches from both parties between            Tiberius and the Senators.   

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Richardson, J. S. "The Ownership of Roman Land: Tiberius Gracchus and the Italians." TheJournal of Roman Studies 70 (1980): 1-11. JSTOR. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.This source was important as it talks about the importance of the gain law from Tiberius for citizens.

The Brothers Gracchi - 4: Enter Gaius. By James Portnow, Scott DeWitt, and Dan Jones. Perf. Daniel Floyd. Www.youtube.com. Google, 27 Aug. 2016. Web. 5 Oct. 2016.

           This video was helpful as it talked            about how Gaius had gained the            support to the middle class by allowing            them to be judges.  

The Brothers Gracchi - 1: How Republics Fall. By James Portnow, Scott DeWitt, and Dan Jones.  Perf. Daniel Floyd. Www.youtube.com. Google, 6 Aug. 2016. Web. 5 Oct. 2016

           This video was helpful as it talked            about the many citizens of Rome went            about the many citizens of Rome went            to Rome in order to get jobs. However            once there, they were unable to get a            job. Consequently they became angry.            It also talked about the past of Cornelia           Who was the mother of the brothers

The Brothers Gracchi - 2: Populares. By James Portnow, Scott DeWitt, and Dan Jones. Perf. Daniel Floyd. Www.youtube.com. Google, 13 Aug. 2016. Web. 5 Oct. 2016.

            This video was helpful as it talked             about how the Senators and rich             landowners used bribes and many            arguments in order to try to halt the l           laws being passed by Tiberius.

The Brothers Gracchi - 3: Ochlocracy. By James Portnow, Scott DeWitt, and Dan Jones. Perf. Daniel Floyd. Www.youtube.com. Google, 20 Aug. 2016. Web. 5 Oct. 2016

           This video was helpful as it talked            about the time before the second            election of Tiberius dealing with false            reports and misinterpreted what had            happened.  

The Brothers Gracchi - 5: The Final Fall - Extra History. By James Portnow, Dan Jones, and Scott           DeWitt. Perf. Daniel Floyd. Www.youtube.com. Google, 3 Sept. 2106. Web. 6 Oct. 2016.         This video was helpful as it talked about         how the senate had proposed Gaius’          laws as their own laws in order to gain          the common people's support.          

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