Personality Study Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus (168-133BCE) (Part 1) Background to Second Century BCE Crisis
Layout of the combined course Tiberius Gracchus Roman society and politics leading up to his tribunate Family background Land reform (Lex agraria) Assassination Evaluation of his career Assessment: Week 6, T1 Rome 133-75BCE Social/political crisis Populares vs Optimates Tiberius Gracchus Gaius Gracchus Gaius Marius Lucius Cornelius Sulla Social War War in the East Assessment: TBC
Rome, during the Carthaginian War
Romae post victoria
Unintended consequences of victory
Key concepts in Republican Rome Patricians Plebians Equites Roman citizenship Ager publicus Latifundia Cursus honorum Patron/Client Familia Paterfamilia Potestas Gloritas Dignitas Senate Comitia Tributa Tribune of the Plebs Optimates Populares
Cursus honorum Military tribune [Tribune of the Plebs] Quaestor Aedile Praetor Consul Dictator (emergency only) Pontifex Maximus Censor
Timeline of the life of Tiberius 168: Born 139: military tribune during 3rd Punic War 137: Quaester with General Mancius during the war with Numantines 133: Elected tribune of the plebs 133: Passed Lex agaria controversially 133: Attempted to stand for election as tribune of the plebs again. 133: Assassinated by senators, led by his nemesis, Nasica
Tiberius Gracchus and Land Reform Tiberius Gracchus told the people: “You fight and die to give luxury to other men…but you have not a foot of ground to call your own.” Wanted to limit the amount of land each person could own Wanted to rebuild the farming class by redistributing land The patricians were not pleased with Tiberius Gracchus Tiberius Gracchus and hundreds of his followers were murdered The lower classes (plebeians) were suffering. 133 BCE – Tiberius Gracchus was elected as tribune of the plebeians He promised land reform