Roman Senator example essay topic

Who was Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus and why is his career as Tribune of Plebs important for Roman History? Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus was a born Roman Aristocrat who after making a name for himself in military service became the Roman Tribune of Plebs, and began a serious economics revolution. The fact that Gracchus was not a pheasant nor merely a landowning citizen, but a member of the aristocratic society is one of the main reasons for his success in economic change, but also for his eventual fall. As Tribune of Plebs, Gracchus found unique and revolutionary ways of advancing his own agenda, by simply ignoring tradition forcing his will. Finally when discussing such a revolutionary figure it is as important to discuss why Gracchus did what he did as it is to discuss what he did.

Gracchus was born in 163 BC, son of Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus and Cornelia Africana. While not of patrician stock his family was very wealthy and also very influential politically. His family's political connections first came into play during the Third Punic War, when he was appointed to serve on the staff of his brother in law, Scipio Aemillianus. This would give Gracchus his first experience in public service. His first campaign ended in disaster but he did save his army from destruction by signing an unadvised peace treaty.

While this act gained him favor among those who served under him it was viewed as cowardice by the Senate, and shortly after made void. This act by the Senate would become the start of what would be many controversies between Gracchus and the aristocratic ruling body. His career in the military would not only give to Gracchus the needed prestige and political weight but it would also go a long ways in forming his opinions toward the small land owners with in the Roman society who made up the core of the Roman Legion. It was these soldiers that he had served with that would be at the center of Gracchus domestic economic reforms.

Due to Rome's numerous and lengthy wars many of the small landowners had left their farms in the hands of wives and children while they, the men, went off to join the Legions. Eventually these small farms went under and were bought up by the wealthy class who gradually formed very large estates. The economic downfall of the middle class farmers posed two major problems for Rome. First thousands of war veterans were returning from war only to be listed among the homeless. As they flocked to the cities in need of work and food, the cities became over populated and unsanitary. Secondly in order to become a Roman soldier you must first be a land owner, with much of the land being concentrated in the hands of a few individuals the number of eligible men for the army was increasingly shrinking, which would only become perpetuated by the passing of each generation.

To further complicate the issue many of the land barons were also Senators. In 133 BC Gracchus was elected as Tribune of Plebs, and immediately bypassed the conservative aristocratic Senate and proposed to the Assembly laws known as Lex Sempron ia agrarian. These laws marked a serious domestic economic revolution sponsored by an aristocrat. These laws required all land owners who had purchased land that had been won in war to sell back to the government all land in excess of 500 acres, and then that land would be redistributed to the war veterans. These new laws would fulfill a dual purpose, first they would aid the homeless veterans and second it would provide a population base for an army. Despite the practical side of the reforms they sere still highly radical and the passing of and implementation of would be no simple task.

Much of the land had already been resold and mortgaged, and many of these barons were in fact Senators. The conservative Senate's dislike helped to influence Octavius, the other tribune, to use his veto power to strike down the laws. In response to Octavius's veto Gracchus passed a law that any leader who went against the voice of the people should immediately be removed from office. Then, acting under power given to himself by himself he literally had Octavius forcibly dragged from his bench. Much discussion has been made as to the motives behind Gracchus liberal reforms. He being from the upper ring of society himself had no monetary and very little political gain to be made from such reforms.

I believe that Gracchus was motivated by three main factors. First, he was a very prideful individual, born to a prideful well to do family, he had had his pride hurt early on when his treaty was declared cowardice and void. He would never forget this and always held distaste for the Senate, and saw the economic reforms as a way to pay retribution for his previous embarrassment. Second, after serving in the military he gained a great appreciation for those soldiers who served under him. After he returned from war and was elected Tribune of Plebs he decided to use his position to help those whom he had served with. While his reforms were revolutionary it was mainly the veterans who were aided, and little aid was given to the lower classes in general.

Finally, I believe that Gracchus, being educated by the finest Roman scholars, was well aware of history and had wished to make his own place in it. I believe it was a combination of his pride and distastes for the senate, his loyalty to the veterans he served with, and a desire to cement his own name in Roman history that spawned his revolutionary reforms and his controversial ways in which he advanced his agenda. With the new law firmly in place all he needed was the money to implement the reforms, but the budget was handled by the Senate who refused to fund these unfavorable laws. To the Senates dismay King Attalus died and left all his fortune to Rome.

Gracchus saw this as an opportunity to implement his reform but was hindered by the set tradition that the Senate handled all finances and by the fact that his term in office was nearing an end. In a highly controversial move Gracchus went against a long held tradition that a tribune could not be re-elected and began to gather support for a second term. Running on a radical platform to shorten military service, abolish the exclusive right of senators to serve as jurors, and to admit Italian allies to Roman citizenship helped him to gather a large support base, and reelection looked inevitable. During the election violence broke out in the middle of the forum. Senators incited the crowd claiming that Gracchus intended to make himself king. A subsequent riot broke out and Gracchus along with 300 of his followers was killed.

Eventually, to appease the plebs, the senate would execute the Grucchan reforms, and the next census would reveal a significant rise in Roman citizens, accomplishing the original goal that Gracchus set out after. Gia us Gracchus, his younger brother, would pick up for his brother where he had left off, but would encounter many of the same problems with the senate and would eventually share the fate of his brother. Tiberius Gracchus marked many firsts in Roman history and broke many long standing traditions. He was the first wealthy aristocrat to push for social reforms.

He was the first Roman tribune to use violence to accomplish his agenda as he did when he had a fellow tribune Octavius dragged from his bench. He shocked the Roman senate when he bypassed them and sent his reforms straight to the Assembly for approval, which while technically legal, violated a longstanding tradition. He angered and incited a riot that would be his doom, when he broke the Roman tradition and ran for re-election, and also became one of many Roman political martyrs. These changes to tradition would soon become stepping stones for other Roman statesman such as Julius Caesar. Gracchus's entire life was that of controversy and liberal reforms. He was at constant war with the senate throughout his public life.

His pride would not yield to the traditions of the Republic, and while his reforms were very much practical and seemingly necessary, the means which he used were very much revolutionary, and arguably even treason ess. He directly defied the unwritten Roman constitution to a point that in our country would be labeled as tyrannical and unpardonable. In the end he did provide Rome with an answer to several economic and social dilemma's. He claimed more executive power than any other previous leader, but his death became an example of the Senates ultimate power to check the executive branch.

Consuls: The Roman office of consul fulfilled the role of an executive in the Roman Government. They always consisted of two annually elected magistrates who were first nominated by the senate before being elected by a popular assembly. They had power over the army, foreign affairs and presided over the senate and assemblies. To keep each consul in check and from becoming a king each had veto power of the other. Much of the United States executive branch was formed in like manner. Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus: On of Rome's greatest generals and consuls.

He became a Roman legend during the Second Punic War against Carthage. After failing to arrive in Gaul in time to prevent Hannibal from advancing on Italy, he led a surprise attack the Carthaginian headquarters at Nova Carthage and succeeded in cutting the Carthage army off from their supply base. He was elected consul from 204-203 B.C. and led a successful invasion of North Africa, were he defeated Hannibal in the Battle of Zama. Scipio is widely considered the greatest roman up until Julius Caesar. Cannae: The historical significance of Cannae rests mainly in the Battle of Cannae, which was fought between Rome and Carthage during the second Punic war. The Romans with 80,000 men, met Hannibal and his 50,000 that were comprised of Gallic, Spanish.

African and Cathagians. By allowing his center to retreat Hannibal gradually surrounded and massacred the Romans. Rome lost approximately 65,000 men compared to the meager 6,000 lost by Hannibal. While the lost of men was a significant defeat in itself the greatest loss was in momentum.

The victory at Cannae helped Hannibal gain support from Capua, Syracuse, and Tarentum. Legion: At first there were two legions each led by one of the two elected consuls. Later on in more legions were formed, but they continued to have a unique individuality. Troops knew the history and were proud to be a part of their specific person. Each legion was led by a legate, who was usually a Roman Senator and would serve a term of three years. Each legion was divided into three different groups: 1: Cavalry, the most prestigious position, usually well skilled and armored.

Each Legion consisted of about 300 horsemen. 2: Light Infantry, consisting of Javelin throwers. 3: Heavy Infantry: This was the principle unit composed of citizens who could afford the heavy armor. The most commonly used weapon was a gladius.

Legions could total anywhere from 6000 men to 1000. They became one of the most well organized and successful militaries in world history. Corvus: Latin for "raven" it was a device that the Romans used to board Carthage's ships during the First Punic War. It is described as a bridge with a system of pulleys that allowed the bridge to be raised and lowered. On the end of the bridge was a heavy spike shaped like a bird's beak that would smash into and grab onto an enemy ship's deck. This instrument helped the Romans to develop a respectable fleet and became key weapons in the Roman naval victories at My lae, Sulci, Tindarys, and Ecnomus.

The corvus still had a huge drawback. The extra weight added to the front of a ship reduced the ships ability to navigate, and after a storm that caused the loss of two entire fleets its use was discontinued.