1. Cracks in the Foundation of Ancient Rome
The first to attempt to reform this problem within the republic was Tiberius Gracchus. Gracchus was a quaestor serving under Scipio Aemilianus in the Third Punic War, and supposedly realized the need for land reform while passing through Etruria and seeing that all of the land was worked by slaves, rather than Romans (Plutarch, Life of Tiberius, 8.7). ... He did so, and in passing the law, started with his brother Gaius, and Appius Claudius, dividing up land to be distributed to the poor. ... It was after this that Gracchus, perceived as acting like some sort of tyrant by the Optimates, was m...
- Word Count: 2928
- Approx Pages: 12
- Grade Level: Undergraduate