Tiberius Gracchus

Question 1

When was Tiberius elected to the Tribune of the Plebs.

Answer 1

133BCE

Question 2

What was the Lex Agraria? What was its purpose?

Answer 2

The Lex Agraria was the land bill passed in 133BCE.

Its purpose was to solve the dilemma by reducing the amount of land that could be owned by the wealthy so that peasant soldiers would not be squeezed from the land.

Question 3

What land was targeted for the Lex Agraria?

Answer 3

Rightfully owned land was not targeted, but instead was targeted at ‘ager publicas’, public lands.

This would give land back to soldiers, italians etc.

Win for everyone but wealthy.

Question 4

What were the terms of the Lex Agraria that targeted the wealthy.

Answer 4

1. Wealthy landowners cannot hold more than 500 iguera of land.
2. Extra 250 iguera per son

Question 5

What were the terms of the Lex Agraria that targeted the poor.

Answer 5

The poor were given 30 iguera of inalienable land.

Question 6

What were Tiberius’s methods?

Answer 6

1. Bypassed the Assemblies
2. Ignored the veto of another tribunate
3. Used force against Octavius

Question 7

What were Cicero, Plutarch, Appian and Bradley’s answer on the motivations of Tiberius?

Answer 7

Cicero: Motivated by revenge against the senate. “wanted to be king and indeed ruled..”

Plutarch: Believes it was due to early teachers, and jealously of rivals.

Appian: “Tiberius believed nothing more advantageous or admirable could happen in Italy.

Bradley: Tiberius was a genuine reformer responding to a very real problem.

Question 8

What were the impacts of bypassing the Senate?

Answer 8

The impact of bypassing the assembly is it undermined the Senate as it made the senate redundant in the legislative process. It evolved the role of Tribunate to a more powerful position, highlighting the power a tribunate and the assembly can wield when pared. Most importantly, it set a precedent to bypass the Senate which was not only used, but abused by future leaders to come. Namely Gaius Gracchus in 123, Marius and others.

Question 9

What was the impact of introducing violence into politics?

Answer 9

Set a precedent used for years and years to come, namely Sulla under his conscriptions program.

Question 10

What was the significance of Tiberius Gracchus’ rule?

Answer 10

1. Conveyed the notion of sovereign will to the people.
2. Demonstrated the power of the of the assemblies coupled with the Tribunate.
3. Set a precedent to bypass the senate.
4. Challenged the power of the senate.
5. Split romans into Populares and Optimates
6. According to Cicero, “he shattered the stability of the state.”