133 BC 133 BC Plebeian Family, but Very Noble •Tiberius Gracchus As Tribune of the Plebs

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

133 BC 133 BC Plebeian Family, but Very Noble •Tiberius Gracchus As Tribune of the Plebs 3/4/12 Goals for this week: Daggers in the Forum: • Chronology of Roman civil strife in 133-78 BC. The Gracchi • What destabilized Rome’s Republic? Rome’s over-expansion, influx of wealth and luxury, land shortages for peasant farmers, increased reliance on slave labor, military reform, trouble with allies, and internal social unrest • Collapse of 400-yr old system of government. Tiberius Gracchus: 163-133 BC 133 BC Plebeian family, but very Noble •Tiberius Gracchus as Tribune of the Plebs • Proposes Agrarian Law: -only 500 iugera of ager publicus allowed per owner -an addiWonal 250 iugera to each of owner’s sons -compensaon for lost land -rest of plot distributed to poor (inalienable) -commiee to supervise • fellow Tribune M. Octavius vetoes law • Octavius then voted out of office by assembly and the law passes. CONSTITUTIONAL??? 1 3/4/12 RevoluWon: 3 Steps Death of Tiberius Gracchus 1. Use Popular Assembly to bypass Senate and • ElecWons for next Tribunate: 133 BC depose a tribune because he vetoes your bill… • Gracchus’ bid for re-elecWon opposed 2. When Senate refuses to fund you, force Senate - elecons delayed to give over windfall of money from Pergamum • FighWng breaks out to the people (bequest of AZalus III of - Gracchus & allies flee to Capitoline Hill Pergamum) • Scipio Nasica (ponfex maximus) leads chase 3. Now that you’ve interfered in Senate’s • Gracchus killed in front of jupiter’s temple and management of internal AND foreign affairs, next to statues of the kings. you must stay in office so as not to be prosecuted. RUN FOR RE-ELECTION • 300 supporters of Gracchus clubbed to death = uproar and cries of “demagogue-tyrant” MoWves for Tiberius Gracchus? SWll More Problems! • Distressed by situaon in Italian countryside? • Land commission conWnues and Scipio Nasica leaves Rome • Frightened by reliance on slave-labor? • Many (esp. Italian allies) upset by agrarian law. • Upset with Senate for high-handed treatment when he returned home from NumanWa? • Italian allies get Scipio Aemilianus to speak out against agrarian law in 129 BC –but he dies… • Greek ideals and educaon? • In 125 BC, the consul Fulvius Flaccus proposes • Further his career with the People’s favor and get to appease Italian allies by offering them Roman around checks and balances? cizenship. -- a good guy trying to save mos maiorum? The senate rejects the idea. --or a bad guy trying to subvert them? 2 3/4/12 Gaius Gracchus: 154-121 BC BUT Senate decides to beat Gracchus at own game: • Two tribunates: 123 and 122 BC 122 BC: Livius Drusus, another tribune, vetoes • Program of Reform: Gracchus’ proposals. - Passes law making it illegal to kill a Roman without assembly - ConWnues agrarian reform Drusus then trumps Gaius Gracchus by: - Proposes founding of new colonies and builds roads 1) abolishing rent for public lands. - Grain Law: lex frumentaria 2) proposing to found 12 colonies (more than - Transfers the courts from Senators to Equites G. had promised) - Imposes new tax on province of Asia 3) offers Lan allies exempWon from scourging - Tries (along with Fulvius Flaccus) to secure cizenship & or execuWon by Roman generals. right to vote for Lan Allies Popular favor turns away from Gaius Gracchus. Death of Gaius Gracchus: 121 BC What just happened?? 1) Gaius Gracchus & Fulvius Flaccus allowed to set up Were the Gracchi demagogues? colony at Carthage, but rumors of bad omens… Results? - Wolves disturb boundary stones?? RedefiniWon of Roman poliWcs: new self-consciousness 2) 121 BC: Gracchus NOT re-elected tribune! - Italian allies enraged - Senate summons assembly to repeal authorizaon for - Equites get poliWcal force the colony at Carthage & violence breaks out! - People realize their power - Tribunes become the way to get things done 3) Senatus consultum ul/mum: ulmate decree - Senate’s weakness revealed 4) Gracchans flee -Realizaon that interests of individual and interests of state -Run to AvenWne Hill & try negoWaon w/ consul Opimius not necessarily the same any more 5) Gracchus killed and Temple to Concord erected -End of consensus at Rome and beginning of civil violence 3 .
Recommended publications
  • ROMAN POLITICS DURING the JUGURTHINE WAR by PATRICIA EPPERSON WINGATE Bachelor of Arts in Education Northeastern Oklahoma State
    ROMAN POLITICS DURING THE JUGURTHINE WAR By PATRICIA EPPERSON ,WINGATE Bachelor of Arts in Education Northeastern Oklahoma State University Tahlequah, Oklahoma 1971 Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate College of the Oklahoma State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS May, 1975 SEP Ji ·J75 ROMAN POLITICS DURING THE JUGURTHINE WAR Thesis Approved: . Dean of the Graduate College 91648 ~31 ii PREFACE The Jugurthine War occurred within the transitional period of Roman politics between the Gracchi and the rise of military dictators~ The era of the Numidian conflict is significant, for during that inter­ val the equites gained political strength, and the Roman army was transformed into a personal, professional army which no longer served the state, but dedicated itself to its commander. The primary o~jec­ tive of this study is to illustrate the role that political events in Rome during the Jugurthine War played in transforming the Republic into the Principate. I would like to thank my adviser, Dr. Neil Hackett, for his patient guidance and scholarly assistance, and to also acknowledge the aid of the other members of my counnittee, Dr. George Jewsbury and Dr. Michael Smith, in preparing my final draft. Important financial aid to my degree came from the Dr. Courtney W. Shropshire Memorial Scholarship. The Muskogee Civitan Club offered my name to the Civitan International Scholarship Selection Committee, and I am grateful for their ass.istance. A note of thanks is given to the staff of the Oklahoma State Uni­ versity Library, especially Ms. Vicki Withers, for their overall assis­ tance, particularly in securing material from other libraries.
    [Show full text]
  • First Triumvirate and Rise of Octavian BY: Jake, Eliza and Maheen First Triumvirate
    First Triumvirate and Rise of Octavian BY: Jake, Eliza and Maheen First Triumvirate • An alliance of the three most powerful men in Rome, Marcus Licinus Crassus, Gaius Julius Caesar, and Gneaus Pompey Magnus. Rome was in chaos and the 3 seized control of the Republic. • The three would dominate Roman politics for personal gains throughout the territories of the Republic. Julius Caesar • In Rome, Julius Caesar was elected as the tribune of the Plebs, military tribune, and governor of many provinces throughout the Republic. • Believed Crassus helped Julius Caesar win the election to become the Propraetor or governor of Hispania in 63 B.C.E. • Julius returned to Rome after his term as governor. Caesar had a business or political agreement with Pompey and Crassus in 60 B.C.E. Caesar was the consul while Pompey and Crassus were in the senate. • Created the First Triumvirate • After his term, Julius was in deeply in debt politically and financially to Crassus and desperately needed to raise money. Marcus Crassus • Crassus was the richest man in all the Roman Republic. He was sharp and clever in Roman politics. He would be a senator and even become consul a few times. • He was a mentor to Julius Caesar in his early career. • Gained much fame during the Spartacus rebellion but much of it was stolen by Pompey. • He was a longtime rival to Pompey Magnus and this would be his eventually downfall. He would ally with Caesar and Pompey, but strived for military victory over Pompey. He went to Parthia where he was defeated at Carrhae.
    [Show full text]
  • The Developmentof Early Imperial Dress from the Tetrachs to The
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by University of Birmingham Research Archive, E-theses Repository University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. The Development of Early Imperial Dress from the Tetrarchs to the Herakleian Dynasty General Introduction The emperor, as head of state, was the most important and powerful individual in the land; his official portraits and to a lesser extent those of the empress were depicted throughout the realm. His image occurred most frequently on small items issued by government officials such as coins, market weights, seals, imperial standards, medallions displayed beside new consuls, and even on the inkwells of public officials. As a sign of their loyalty, his portrait sometimes appeared on the patches sown on his supporters’ garments, embossed on their shields and armour or even embellishing their jewelry. Among more expensive forms of art, the emperor’s portrait appeared in illuminated manuscripts, mosaics, and wall paintings such as murals and donor portraits. Several types of statues bore his likeness, including those worshiped as part of the imperial cult, examples erected by public 1 officials, and individual or family groupings placed in buildings, gardens and even harbours at the emperor’s personal expense.
    [Show full text]
  • A BRIEF HISTORY of ANCIENT ROME a Timeline from 753 BC to 337 AD, Looking at the Successive Kings, Politicians, and Emperors Who Ruled Rome’S Expanding Empire
    Rome: A Virtual Tour of the Ancient City A BRIEF HISTORY OF ANCIENT ROME A timeline from 753 BC to 337 AD, looking at the successive kings, politicians, and emperors who ruled Rome’s expanding empire. 21st April, Rome's Romulus and Remus featured in legends of Rome's foundation; 753 BC mythological surviving accounts, differing in details, were left by Dionysius of foundation Halicarnassus, Livy, and Plutarch. Romulus and Remus were twin sons of the war god Mars, suckled and looked-after by a she-wolf after being thrown in the river Tiber by their great-uncle Amulius, the usurping king of Alba Longa, and drifting ashore. Raised after that by the shepherd Faustulus and his wife, the boys grew strong and were leaders of many daring adventures. Together they rose against Amulius, killed him, and founded their own city. They quarrelled over its site: Romulus killed Remus (who had preferred the Aventine) and founded his city, Rome, on the Palatine Hill. 753 – Reign of Kings From the reign of Romulus there were six subsequent kings from the 509 BC 8th until the mid-6th century BC. These kings are almost certainly legendary, but accounts of their reigns might contain broad historical truths. Roman monarchs were served by an advisory senate, but held supreme judicial, military, executive, and priestly power. The last king, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, was overthrown and a republican constitution installed in his place. Ever afterwards Romans were suspicious of kingly authority - a fact that the later emperors had to bear in mind. 509 BC Formation of Tarquinius Superbus, the last king was expelled in 509 BC.
    [Show full text]
  • Fractures: Political Identity in the Fall of the Roman Republic by Juan De
    Fractures: Political Identity in the Fall of the Roman Republic by Juan De Dios Vela III, B.A. A Thesis In History Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Texas Tech University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS Approved Dr. Gary Edward Forsythe Chair of Committee Dr. John McDonald Howe Mark Sheridan Dean of the Graduate School August, 2019 Copyright 2019, Juan De Dios Vela Texas Tech University, Juan De Dios Vela III, August 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................... iii INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 1 CHAPTER I: FOUNDATIONS..................................................................................... 13 Part one: Political Institutions ..................................................................................... 13 Part Two: Citizens, Latins, Colonies and the Social Web .................................... 23 Part Three: Magistrates and Local Control ........................................................... 26 Part Four: Patrons and Clients .................................................................................... 28 CHAPTER II: THE FIRST CRACKS ......................................................................... 32 The Gracchan Seditions ....................................................................................... 32 Impotent Interlopers ............................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The Military Reforms of Gaius Marius in Their Social, Economic, and Political Context by Michael C. Gambino August, 2015 Directo
    The Military Reforms of Gaius Marius in their Social, Economic, and Political Context By Michael C. Gambino August, 2015 Director of Thesis: Dr. Frank Romer Major Department: History Abstract The goal of this thesis is, as the title affirms, to understand the military reforms of Gaius Marius in their broader societal context. In this thesis, after a brief introduction (Chap. I), Chap. II analyzes the Roman manipular army, its formation, policies, and armament. Chapter III examines Roman society, politics, and economics during the second century B.C.E., with emphasis on the concentration of power and wealth, the legislative programs of Ti. And C. Gracchus, and the Italian allies’ growing demand for citizenship. Chap. IV discusses Roman military expansion from the Second Punic War down to 100 B.C.E., focusing on Roman military and foreign policy blunders, missteps, and mistakes in Celtiberian Spain, along with Rome’s servile wars and the problem of the Cimbri and Teutones. Chap. V then contextualizes the life of Gaius Marius and his sense of military strategy, while Chap VI assesses Marius’s military reforms in his lifetime and their immediate aftermath in the time of Sulla. There are four appendices on the ancient literary sources (App. I), Marian consequences in the Late Republic (App. II), the significance of the legionary eagle standard as shown during the early principate (App. III), and a listing of the consular Caecilii Metelli in the second and early first centuries B.C.E. (App. IV). The Marian military reforms changed the army from a semi-professional citizen militia into a more professionalized army made up of extensively trained recruits who served for longer consecutive terms and were personally bound to their commanders.
    [Show full text]
  • The Late Republic – Crises and Civil Wars a Society Falls Apart in Italy
    The Late Republic – Crises and Civil Wars A Society Falls Apart In Italy, much had changed after Rome rose to a world power. In the long wars, many peasants and their sons had died. Others had not been able to properly cultivate their farms for years. More and more small farmers left the countryside. In their place, many large farms arose, because large landowners had bought up the land of indebted peasants, forcibly driven some farmers out, and laid claim to large portions of state-owned land for themselves. Their standard of living rose, because they specialized themselves in certain products. They grew wine-grapes and olives on a grand scale, or reorganized themselves toward livestock. Around the cities, there were large landowners who obtained high profits by raising poultry and fish. Such large landowners usually owned several farms, which were managed by administrators, while they themselves pursued political business in Rome. On their estates, slaves worked, who were obtained either as prisoners of war or on the slave markets. According to careful analysis, in the time between 200 B.C. and 150 B.C., approximately 250,000 prisoners of war were brought to Italy as slaves. In the following 100 years, more than 500,000 slaves – mainly from Asia Minor – came to Rome. Especially the small farmers suffered in this situation. Earlier, they had gotten for themselves additional income as daily workers on the estates, but now they were needed there, at most, only for harvest. So many had to give up their farms, and moved with their families to Rome.
    [Show full text]
  • Hannibal, Practical Experience, and the Model Historian
    Chapter 2 Hannibal, Practical Experience, and the Model Historian 1 Introduction The previous chapter demonstrated that, despite his belief in the didactic pur- pose of history, Polybius places considerable emphasis on the instructive value of practical experience. As this chapter will show, the significance of practical experience for Polybius becomes evident not just in the digressions and pro- grammatic passages discussed previously but also in his narrative of historical events. Polybius’ depiction of Hannibal, the great Carthaginian leader and ad- versary of Rome, is a model example of the importance of practical experience in Polybius’ narrative. In contrast to other leading figures prominent only in the later, fragmentary books of Polybius, the surviving early books preserve a more complete account of Hannibal’s early progression from a young man to a more seasoned commander. This presents an opportunity to trace the impact of practical experience on the development of an individual who had a pro- found impact in the events recorded in Polybius’ work.1 When Polybius pauses in Book Nine (9.22–6) to reflect upon the character (φύσις, 9.22.7) of Hannibal,2 he claims that Hannibal alone was the cause of all that happened both to the Romans and to the Carthaginians in the Second Punic war (9.22.1). Polybius here singles out Hannibal as a great and marvelous subject (μέγα τι φύεται χρῆμα καὶ θαυμάσιον, 9.22.6). The choice of the adjective θαυμάσιον holds important historiographical weight – both for Polybius and 1 Pédech (1964), 204–53 provides a full discussion of the pivotal role that historical agents play in shaping the events of history in Polybius’ text.
    [Show full text]
  • Distortions in the Historical Record Concerning Ager Publicus, Leges Agrariae, and the Gracchi Maria Therese Jeffrey Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH
    Xavier University Exhibit Honors Bachelor of Arts Undergraduate 2011-3 Distortions in the Historical Record Concerning Ager Publicus, Leges Agrariae, and the Gracchi Maria Therese Jeffrey Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH Follow this and additional works at: http://www.exhibit.xavier.edu/hab Part of the Ancient History, Greek and Roman through Late Antiquity Commons, Ancient Philosophy Commons, Classical Archaeology and Art History Commons, Classical Literature and Philology Commons, and the Other Classics Commons Recommended Citation Jeffrey, Maria Therese, "Distortions in the Historical Record Concerning Ager Publicus, Leges Agrariae, and the Gracchi" (2011). Honors Bachelor of Arts. 22. http://www.exhibit.xavier.edu/hab/22 This Capstone/Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Undergraduate at Exhibit. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors Bachelor of Arts by an authorized administrator of Exhibit. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Distortions in the Historical Record Concerning Ager Publicus, Leges Agrariae, and the Gracchi Maria Jeffrey Introduction: Scholarship on the Gracchi is largely based on the accounts of Plutarch and Appian, historians who were far removed temporally from the Gracchi themselves. It is not known from which sources Plutarch and Appian derive their accounts, which presents problems for the modern historian aiming to determine historical fact. The ancient sources do not equip the modern historian to make many definitive claims about the Gracchan agrarian reform, much less about the motives of the Gracchi themselves. Looking to tales of earlier agrarian reform through other literary sources as well as exploring the types of land in question and the nature of the agrarian crisis through secondary sources also yields ambiguous results.
    [Show full text]
  • The Lex Sempronia Agraria: a Soldier's Stipendum
    THE LEX SEMPRONIA AGRARIA: A SOLDIER’S STIPENDUM by Raymond Richard Hill A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in History Boise State University August 2016 © 2016 Raymond Richard Hill ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY GRADUATE COLLEGE DEFENSE COMMITTEE AND FINAL READING APPROVALS of the thesis submitted by Raymond Richard Hill Thesis Title: The Lex Sempronia Agraria: A Soldier’s Stipendum Date of Final Oral Examination: 16 June 2016 The following individuals read and discussed the thesis submitted by student Raymond Richard Hill, and they evaluated his presentation and response to questions during the final oral examination. They found that the student passed the final oral examination. Katherine V. Huntley, Ph.D. Chair, Supervisory Committee Lisa McClain, Ph.D. Member, Supervisory Committee Lee Ann Turner, Ph.D. Member, Supervisory Committee The final reading approval of the thesis was granted by Katherine V. Huntley, Ph.D., Chair of the Supervisory Committee. The thesis was approved for the Graduate College by Jodi Chilson, M.F.A., Coordinator of Theses and Dissertations. DEDICATION To Kessa for all of her love, patience, guidance and support. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thank you to Dr. Katherine Huntley for her hours spent proofing my work, providing insights and making suggestions on research materials. To Dr. Charles Matson Odahl who started this journey with me and first fired my curiosity about the Gracchi. To the history professors of Boise State University who helped me become a better scholar. v ABSTRACT This thesis examines mid-second century BCE Roman society to determine the forces at work that resulted in the passing of a radical piece of legislation known as the lex Sempronia agraria.
    [Show full text]
  • Aguirre-Santiago-Thesis-2013.Pdf
    CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS: TYRANNICIDE AND VIOLENCE AS POLITICAL TOOLS IN REPUBLICAN ROME A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Master of Arts in History By Santiago Aguirre May 2013 The thesis of Santiago Aguirre is approved: ________________________ ______________ Thomas W. Devine, Ph.D. Date ________________________ ______________ Patricia Juarez-Dappe, Ph.D. Date ________________________ ______________ Frank L. Vatai, Ph.D, Chair Date California State University, Northridge ii DEDICATION For my mother and father, who brought me to this country at the age of three and have provided me with love and guidance ever since. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you for all the sacrifices that you have made to help me fulfill my dreams. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost, I want to thank Dr. Frank L. Vatai. He helped me re-discover my love for Ancient Greek and Roman history, both through the various courses I took with him, and the wonderful opportunity he gave me to T.A. his course on Ancient Greece. The idea to write this thesis paper, after all, was first sparked when I took Dr. Vatai’s course on the Late Roman Republic, since it made me want to go back and re-read Livy. I also want to thank Dr. Patricia Juarez-Dappe, who gave me the opportunity to read the abstract of one of my papers in the Southwestern Social Science Association conference in the spring of 2012, and later invited me to T.A. one of her courses.
    [Show full text]
  • Tribuni Plebis and the End of the Roman Republic
    Promotor Prof. Dr. Andries Johan Zuiderhoek Vakgroep Geschiedenis Decaan Prof. dr. Marc Boone Rector Prof. dr. Anne De Paepe Faculteit Letteren & Wijsbegeerte Loonis Logghe The tribuni plebis and the end of the Roman Republic Proefschrift voorgelegd tot het behalen van de graad van Doctor in Geschiedenis 2016 List of Abbreviations C Clark, Albert Curtis, ed. Q. Asconii Pediani orationum Ciceronis quinque enarratio. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1907. CIL Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum, 17 vols. Berlin: de Gruyter, 1853-. F Flemisch, Michael, ed. Grani Liciniani quae supersunt. Leipzig: Teubner, 1904. FGrH Jacoby, Felix, ed. Die Fragmente der griechischen Historiker, 19 vols. Berlin: Weidmann, 1923-26; Leiden: Brill, 1940-99. ILS Dessau, Hermann, ed. Inscriptiones Latinae Selecae, 3 vols. Berlin: Weidmann, 1892-1916. Inscr. It. Degrassi, Attilio, ed. Inscriptiones Italiae, 13 vols. Rome: Libreria dello Stato, 1937-86. MRR Broughton, T. Robert S. The Magistrates of the Roman Republic, 3 vols. New York: American Philological Association, 1951- 86. RE Wissowa, Georg et alii, eds. Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft, 34 vols., 15 suppls. Stuttgart: J.B. Metzler, 1894-1980. RRC Crawford, Michael H. Roman Republican Coinage, 2 vols. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1974. Stangl Stangl, Thomas, ed. Ciceronis Orationum Scholiastae. Leipzig: Freitag, 1912. v List of Figures Figure 1 Simplified schematic representation of contention ...................................... 38 vii Table of Contents Introduction 1 The tribuni
    [Show full text]