From the Gracchi to Iulius Caesar

1

• From the Gracchi to Iulius Caesar

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The Republic in Crisis

• Consequences of Romes conquest in course of 2nd
  century B.C.
• constitution insufficient for governing a vast
  empire
• 2 major problems

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Problem 1

• not enough magistrates to administer large empire
• Magistrates 2 consuls, 6 praetors, 4 aediles, 8
  quaestors, 10 tribunes
• Senate incapable of instigating necessary reforms
  - was advisory body only
• Had auctoritas (authority/influence based on
  prestige and tradition, did not have potestas
  (any legal power)

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Problem 2

• Not enough permanent troops, only citizen militia
  available - mostly peasant farmers
• Property requirements for citizen soldiers,
  privilege of citizens
• Peasant farmers could not be away from farms for
  prolonged periods of time
• Some resistance to levy

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• Loss of peasant soldiers meant the loss of farms
  due to long absences, growth of latifundia (large
  scale single crop farms worked with slave labour)
• To get more soldiers, more land needed
• See Appian (7)

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• Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus
• Tribune in 133 B.C.
• Mother Cornelia, daughter of Scipio Africanus

7
Tiberius Gracchus land bill

• Redistribution of public land
• Holdings limited to 500 jugera
• Against interests of oligarchy, opposed by most
  senators
• To pass his land reform, Tiberius bypassed the
  senate and went directly to the plebeian assembly
• Forcibly removed his colleague Octavius who sided
  with senate and vetoed Tiberius
• Tried to stand for second term
• Murdered by senators on day of his election

8
Gaius Sempronius Gracchus

• Tribune in 123 and 122 B.C.
• Renewed land bill Promoted new colonies
• Reduced military hardship
• Promoted citizenship grant for all Italian allies
• Supplied urban poor with cheap corn (grain)
• Gave equestrians extortion courts and tax farming
  rights in new province of Asia

9
Impact of the Gracci on Political developments in
Republic

• Introduction of popular issues into election
  campaigns
• Attraction of large and varied clientela in a
  block
• Introduction of Violence into politics
• Disregard of auctoritas of senate
• Factions of Populares and Optimates
• Optimates the best
• Not political parties often senators changed
  sides
• Populares those who bypassed senate and went
  directly to the Plebeian assembly