Tiberius Gracchus was a reformer in attempting to change and improve the situation of Rome through the use of land reform. Yet he can also be observed as a revolutionary through his rapid changes and reforms that challenged the Senate.
Tiberius Gracchus was born in 168 B.C along with his brother Gaius Gracchus into a family whose members had reached the highest positions in Rome. Tiberius’ father, Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus was an aristocrat and renowned for his honors and was one of the most powerful men in Rome. He was once a censor in 169 B.C, twice consul in 177 and 163 B.C and provincial governor in Spain. He married the daughter of Scipio Africanus, Tiberius’s mother Cornelia who was identified as a paragon of Roman womanly virtue. The Gracchi were greatly perceived as one of the most politically connected families of Rome. Tiberius Gracchus married the daughter of Appius Claudius Pulcher while Gaius was married to the daughter of another influential member of the same group, Crassus.
The Third Punic War was the beginning Tiberius Gracchus’ military career, promoted and appointed to the staff of his brother-in-law, Scipio Aemilianus as a military tribune. In 137 B.C he was appointed as quaester, a public official and served his term in Numantia, Spain to consul Mancinus. As quaester, Tiberius saved the army from destruction by signing a peace treaty with the Numantines. However, back in Rome the Senate who were the political institution in ancient Rome rejected the agreement, considering Tiberius’ actions as cowardly and disgraceful. It was a humiliation to Tiberius who saw it as an attack on the prestige and status of his family. This was the beginning of the political enmity between Tiberius and the Senate.
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...eans with which it was intended. Tiberius went further in his provocation of the Senate by deposing Octavius, a fellow tribune after the Senate attempted to use Octavius to veto Tiberius' land bill. Tiberius was perfectly within legal constraints, claiming that since the job of a tribune was to represent the people, he had done nothing illegal, and was justified in deposing Octavius because Tiberius believes he failed to do so.
Tiberius met great opposition and came into conflict with the Senate over his Lex Agrarian Bill and the deposition of Octavius. Tiberius was an incredibly powerful tribune with noble intentions of solving Rome’s tribulations. Yet consequently, Tiberius was battered to death by the Senate because of their misunderstanding and view of Tiberius attempting and undermining their power with his methods to take over and challenge their position.
"With the Gracchi, all the consequences of empire - social, economic and political - broke loose in the Roman state, inaugurating a century of revolution." (The Roman Revolution, Ronald Syme, p16).
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The hypothesis of this report is that the military reforms instituted by Gaius Marius ultimately paved the way for the fall of the Roman Republic.
Imagine it is the year 59 B.C.E., the greatest republic to date is collapsing and it seems it is doomed with a senate which does not care about its people. There seems to be no hope. But then comes a young man who has ideas of equality that could save the republic. That man is Julius Caesar. Conqueror of Gaul, Crosser of the Rubicon, member of the First Tiumbarant, Caesar was a brilliant politician and general. At the time, Rome was governed by Pompey and the senate. Both were in favor bettering themselves and not the poor people. Caesar was in favour of improving life for the lower class. This was not accepted by the senate or Pomey, making them question his ethics. As Caesar became more powerful, as when he conquered Gaul, Pompey and the senate began to plot. They could not have someone as dangerous as Caesar in Rome. Because of this, the senate planned and carried out an assassination attempt, and succeeded. This was only for the senate to maintain power and complete control over Rome. Along with caesar, a little bit of
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Philosopher A: In the Republic, the Senate was the primary branch of the Roman government and held the majority of the political power. It controlled funds, administration and foreign policy, and had significant influence of the everyday life of the Roman people. When Augustus came to power, he kept the Senate and they retained their legal position. The Emperor’s rule was legitimized by the senate as he needed the senators experience to serve as administrators, diplomats and generals. Although technically the most authoritative individual in Rome, Augustus strived to embody Republican values. He wanted to relate and connect to all parts of society including Plebeians. Through generosity and less extravagance, Augustus achieved a connection with the common people.
Upon reading the excerpt, it could be said that the power of the consul could have possibly been the mightiest of the three. There was the consul, the Senate and the People. Yet, how interesting it is that without the People, the consul and the senate would cease to exist. Just as a house finds it’s stabilization on a foundation build on rock, the consul and senate find their strength standing upon the power of the people of their nation living their ordinary everyday lives. However in the same regard, the Senate needed the People just as much as the People needed the senate. The relationships between these two were very much a give and take and communication was essential. Polybius stated that the People had what seemed like the most important role, for the reason that they themselves were the decision makers of those under the law. They were the jury, the ultimate say. Polybius wrote, “As a result of all of these factors, the Senate fears the masses and is ever mindful of the People.” (Porter, 1995) It is optimistic to say that this type of government, with this type of constitution in place was a rather successful one.
Upon expansion of the Roman Empire, lie trials and tribulations for the government to rule the foreign lands and keep the population in check. The Gracchi brothers grew up during a time when the Roman Empire was still under civil unrest. The Roman people were divided, lands were unevenly distributed, the government was disorderly, patriotism ceased to exist, and slave labor made it harder for citizens to uproot themselves from poverty. Tiberius, the elder brother, was the first to bring up the agrarian laws, and was followed after his death by his younger brother, Gaius Gracchus. The brothers knew of the significance of winning the side of the commoners to assert their power over the empire. By ways of the agrarian laws, and other reforms, the two brothers were able to win control of the masses, leaving the senate to fear what could happen if these two rise in power. According to Gaius Gracchus, “in a certain pamphlet, has written that as Tiberius was passing through Tuscany on his way to Numantia, and observed the dearth of inhabitants in the country, and that those who tilled its soil or tended its flocks there were imported barbarian slaves, he then first conceived the public policy which was the cause of countless ills to the two brothers.” (Plutarch, Tiberius Gracchus 8.7)
With the problems starting with the dissolution of the first triumvirate and the actions of Julius Caesar, it seemed almost inevitable that the Republic would become an Empire. With the death of the true republican, Cicero, and many not remembering what the republic was like, giving power to the capable and honorable man seemed as if the best answer. Furthermore, if the Rome continue to remain a Republic the Senate could not have maintained the success or power that the Empire held. The ambition of one man made it easy to continue the growth whereas, many of the policies and disputes the country faced had face might have taken to long or complicated had the republic
...perity to Rome. Romans appreciated his way of maintaining laws and keeping the government organized and efficient.
The Roman Republic was founded in 509 BC after the ruling Tarquins abused their extensive power as monarchs and were overthrown. The goal of the Roman Republic was to have a strong government, governed equally by the patricians and the plebians, and to avoid another Roman Monarchy. For years Rome was guided by great men, such as Cincinnatus and Scipio Africanus, who led the Republic through hard times, conquering such enemies as the Etruscans and the Carthaginians. Large-scale war united Roman society in its common goals. However, after Scipio’s victory at Zama in 202 BC, a new Roman world began to take shape. Roman soldiers returned home from their victory to find that they could not pay for their farms, becoming “squatters” on their own lands after having to sell them to richer men. The Senate became corrupted, and despite the Gracchi brothers’ best efforts, the rich patricians soon monopolized nearly all aspects of the Republic, from trading and “farming” to governing the people. After marching on Rome, Sulla became dictator in 82 BC. After Sulla, the First Triumvirate: Pompey, Crassus, and Caesar, owned virtually all power in Rome, yet each had his own desire to defeat the other two and become Emperor. When Crassus died in battle, Caesar had his chance. He defeated Pompey and marched on Rome, victorious. After declaring himself Dictator for Life, Caesar was assassinated, and another Civ...