week 9 questions Flashcards
What were Tiberius Gracchus’s proposed land reforms, and how did the Senate respond to them?
Tiberius Gracchus proposed land reforms that included limiting individual landholdings and redistributing excess land to the poor. The Senate opposed these reforms, leading to his re-election as Tribune and eventual violent death. His brother, Gaius Gracchus, extended these reforms and fixed grain prices, facing a similar fate.
What lessons can be drawn from the Gracchi’s attempts at reform? How did their actions impact the power dynamics in the Roman Republic?
The Gracchi’s reforms challenged elite power through plebeian support, but their actions led to violent backlash from the Senate, serving as a warning against challenging established power structures. The power of the plebs, as seen through the assembly and tribunes, influenced state affairs, but divisions and conflicts were reinforced. The Gracchi, despite being elites themselves, utilized the plebs as a political tool, marking the beginnings of political violence in Roman politics.
