The second half of the 2nd century BC. C. The city of Rome became the scene of a dirty battle between the two main political options of the Roman aristocracy. Before continuing, to this article we can coin the famous phrase “any resemblance to “current” is pure chance”, or not. Just one paragraph before daring to compare it, in the Republic of Rome only the wealthiest classes entered politics.
In the Rome of the second century a. C. there were two political parties that fought for control of the governing bodies of the Republic. On the one hand, the optimates (the main ones), converted into guardians of Roman traditions, before the advance of the different customs of the recently conquered peoples. For this purpose, they relied on the control of the Senate, which they protected against any attempt to change the established norms.
In front of them a new party arose, which sought the support of the people of Rome. That's where even his name came from; the Popular , (from town). Its main purpose was to expand the Roman Senate to give greater coverage to the needs of the Plebs of Rome. They also advocated the rapprochement of the Latin peoples conquered by the Republic, to the rights and obligations of any citizen of the Roman capital. Despite what we may believe, the latter had a hard time winning over the Plebe, in short, the "beneficial" contacts of the people with the Optimates were difficult to counteract.
The economic climate of the city of Rome, and therefore of the territories conquered by the Republic, undoubtedly favored this degree of confrontation. The wars in Hispania, the last blows of the confrontation with Carthage, the problems with the Gauls, or the revolt of the slaves of Sicily, had left the decimated armies and the Roman coffers close to bankruptcy. Currency depreciations were constant. With the obvious consequence of the increase in social differences, and the generalized impoverishment of the lower layers.
Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus.
The favorite of the people, he was born around 164 BC. C. within one of the most powerful families in Rome, his father, of the same name, was one of the best generals who knew the Roman conquest of Hispania. His mother, Cornelia, was the daughter of Scipio Africanus. The young Tiberius studied in Rome, alongside characters who were developing his personality. He was imbued with stoicism (philosophy that rejects material goods, to find happiness), with Blosio de Cumas. In addition, he studied rhetoric with the great teacher Diophanes of Mytilene, an essential subject to connect with the public.
The Graco brothers, Musée d'Orsay (Paris)
In the year 137 a. C. he witnessed in Hispania, the disaster of Hostilio Mancino against the Celtiberians. It is said that on his return he met the terrible problems of the peasantry. Without going any further in the region of Etruria, where the old farmers had abandoned his work, leaving it in the hands of slaves in the service of rich landowners. There he decided to reverse the situation when he had a chance.
Tribune of the Plebs and his Lex Sempronia.
In the year 134 a. C. Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus is elected Tribune of the Plebs. So he decides to try to carry forward his agrarian reform, based on ancient Roman laws that had been written by some of his predecessors in office. The Lex Sempronia it was presented at the end of that year for a vote in the tribunate of the Plebe. He left for his approval with certain advantages, knowing that some of his greatest rivals in the capital, such as Scipio Emiliano, were fighting in Hispania.
Even so, at first he couldn't get it forward. Since he met with the veto of Marco Octavio, one of the tribunes in the service of the optimates. Tiberius accused him of going against the interests of the Plebe, the one he had promised to defend. It doesn't seem like it will be difficult for him to get him removed from the post, putting a man he trusts, Quino Mummio, in his place. Now yes, the law was approved and the Senate had no choice but to ratify it.
What was signed forced the rich landowners to return the lands obtained improperly, such as with the conquests. As well as to limit the extension of large farms, in order to avoid the accumulation of agricultural land in the hands of a few. The surplus land would go to the hands of the poor, as an attempt to mitigate their hardships. Another aspect that stands out in the Lex Sempronia are the new articles destined to the distribution of the territories conquered by the Republic, which from now on were going to be distributed among the citizens, including the Italians. At this point, Tiberius's intention to justify the granting of Roman citizenship to the inhabitants of the territories of the Italian Peninsula is observed. It could not be, the reaction of the optimates was immediate.
Cornelia the African, along with her children. The older Tiberius, the little Gaius.
The death of the eldest of the Gracchi.
Rome ended those days by becoming a powder keg. The rich senators and landowners spread the word about the problems that Tiberius's law was going to cause them in the future. The people of Rome, according to them, were in danger, the lands of all life could end up in the hands of the citizens of other peoples. In front of these, the Plebs, faced with an opportunity awaited for centuries.
Another event, which occurred more than 1000 km away, added fuel to the fire. Attalus III, the king of Pergamon, died in that year 133 a. C., leaving in his will that all his possessions, including his land, should be for the Republic of Rome. According to the new laws of Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus, the possessions of the king of Asia Minor were to be distributed among the Roman citizens. The rich aristocracy was about to lose a great opportunity to expand their possessions. But there was a lifeline for them, in December Tiberio's mandate was fulfilled, someone related to the optimates had to be placed in his position.
In front Tiberio, with little help and against the ropes, decides to try to stay in his position, with the firm intention of saving his newborn Lex Sempronio. The extension of stay for Tiberius had to be approved by the Tribunate of the Plebs. But that day did not seem to be the best for our protagonist. His supporters, mostly peasants, were immersed in his agricultural work. While the Plebs of the city of Rome, had already gone through the box to collect the "favors" of the rich optimate landowners.
It was the leader of the Roman Senate, a certain Scipio Nasica, who decided to take a step forward; to the cry of “follow me those who want to defend our laws ” caused the tumult that led to the first blow to the head of Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus. By the way, a cowardly blow to the neck of our protagonist who, after falling to the ground, was beaten and kicked to death, and later thrown into the Tiber River. The Senate did not even heed the request to extract the corpse from the river by Tiberius's young brother, Gaius Sempronius Gracchus, who spent the rest of his days faithfully determined to finish the job started by his brother.
More info:
Ancient History II, history of Rome, Pilar Fernadez and Javier Cabrero, Ed. Uned, 2014
Images:
commons.wikimedia