The Gracchi Brothers: The Roman Republic

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As the Roman Republic began expanding further and further, land distribution issues arose within the society. Rich aristocrats acquired lands from their plebeian neighbors, creating expansive latifundia throughout Rome, while the voiceless plebeian class shrunk smaller and smaller. Amidst the unrest, two brothers, each elected as tribune, arose to give the lower class a voice against the wealthy aristocrats. Both Gracchi brothers, Tiberius and Gaius, fought so persistently that their opposition of the Roman government led to their respective assassinations. The assassinations of the impactful brothers led to a period of unrest and civil war in Ancient Rome, forever impacting the history of Rome. The Gracchi brothers were historically significant …show more content…

For example, Tiberius Gracchus passed a law known as Agrarian Law, which argues that land should be redistributed from the wealthy latifundia owners to the lower class. By redistributing land from the wealthy to the poor, Tiberius took land away from people of wealth and power and gave it to common people, furthermore advocating for the plebeians. By passing Agrarian Law, Tiberius Gracchus established himself as historically significant. However, Gaius Gracchus improved on his brother’s land reforms. For example, Gaius Gracchus slightly modified the laws put forth by Gaius, improving them. By doing so, he advocated even further for the rights of small landowners, fighting for even more land reform. He continued and expanded upon the legacy of his brother, continuing to fight for land reform. By adding onto the law of Tiberius, Gaius Gracchus, like his brother, cemented his significance in history. Thirdly, Plutarch recounts in his bibliography The Life of Tiberius Gracchus, when Tiberius Gracchus “observed that [Octavian] himself was amenable to [Agrarian Law] as a large holder of the public land, he begged him to remit his opposition, promising to pay him the value of the land out of his own means, although these were not splendid.” Tiberius exhibits his dedication to the issue of land reform most prominently here. By offering his own financial resources for Octavian’s support of his law, Tiberius exemplified the commitment he had to actually changing the land distribution in Ancient Rome, demonstrating his significance in history. Through their fighting for Roman land reform, the Gracchi brothers authenticated their historical

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