Gaius Gracchus Research Paper

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Gaius Gracchus
Gaius Gracchus as the prodigious leader he was relied on people’s convocation to attain political power. That term was referred to in Latin as populares (Lenski). Gaius Gracchus was elected tribune in 123 BC and had as many supporters as enemies (Lenski). Gracchus was born into a political family with a noble background that very much served ancient Rome (Lenski). He was profoundly influenced by his brother’s assassination but more importantly his brother’s attempt for social reform. Gracchus had both personal motives and political motives during his time as tribune. His main motive was personal; “his brother’s death made him bolder in speaking”, as he used his brother’s death to remind the people of how unjust the senate can be (Plutarch). He repeatedly reminded them of how they stood by and watched as Tiberius was savagely beat to death with a wooden stool and then without repentance was thrown insolently into the Tiber river. He also reminded the people that their voices were not being heard. Gaius Gracchus was a tribune for the people, his impetus was personal but he unquestionably cared for peoples wants and needs at such a turmoil period of time.
“Having moved the people’s emotions with such addresses Gracchus proposed two laws”(Plutarch). Both laws were very inclusive to the people of Rome. To whoever was burned out of office as a choice of the public should not be reelected, and if any magistrate was to execute a roman citizen without a legal trial, shadowing his brother’s death, that controversy must be brought into the public sphere (Plutarch). Gracchus’s intention proposing these laws was to please the people and weaken the power of the senate that has been inequitable. After his brothers death he...

... middle of paper ...

...resent him as.
Gaius Gracchus faced many obstacles in his tribuneship, from the senators, to the consuls and even at one point, the public. After Gaius was murdered by Optimus’s army and had his “head was cut off” (Plutarch), his reform still stood in place after his death (Lenski). The senate thought that it was necessary to execute a man with that much power, but the reality of the situation was, that they only wanted to preserve their own political and social orders. The senators felt that their power was being taken away from them. After such poignant and chaotic period of time, the Gracchi reform that involved the control of courts, the land and grain distribution and the extensions of citizenship remained conspicuous among the passionate people of Rome and tribunes of Rome that were greatly influenced by both brothers that cherished Italy with all ones heart.

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