The Gracchan Reforms: Justified For The Death Of Julius Caesar

Starting in the mid-second century BCE, the Roman Republic was struggling because the senate continually placated the consul, and patriotic figures like Cicero were hopeful that the republic and its values would triumph over the political strife. Furthermore, new politicians like the Gracchus brothers were trying to reform a republic that heavily favored tradition and its elite. In the midst of this, Julius Caesar rose to power and was assassinated. The century-long culmination of attempted reforms, factions, power-hungry leaders, and ideological divisions justified the killing of Julius Caesar as the Roman Republic was too entrenched in its problems to implement needed political reforms.

The Gracchan Reforms, written in the mid-second century BCE, was about the attempted reforms of brothers Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus. Both tried to reform the republic by taking from the wealthy and distributing to the poor. The Roman Senate, controlled by the elite at the time, were vehemently against this reform, but they had popular support from the rest of the republic. As a result of their passionate political stances, both brothers died and the republic split into two factions. People in the populares faction were new to the Roman elite and reliant on political support from the people, and the optimates faction had people who came from rich, old-name families. This first split in Roman politics

Leading up to Caesar’s assassination, the republic lost sight of its moral values and destiny, which hurt the empire for a long time. The people seemed to think that Caesar’s murder would automatically fix the problems that dominated the republic for a century. This obviously did not happen, and Caesar’s assassination forced the people to recognize the deeply rooted issues that did not go away because of one leader’s