Plutarchs Gracchi
1. Social and Economic Crises and the Gracchi's Reforms
According to Plutarch, the period following the Punic Wars was marked by significant social and economic turmoil in Italy. The consolidation of lands by the wealthy, coupled with the widespread use of slave labor, had drastically undermined the position of the small Roman farmer. The disenfranchisement and displacement of these smallholders contributed to a crisis in the Roman military, as the landless poor were ineligible for military service, which traditionally had been the backbone of Rome's legions (Plutarch, Life of Tiberius Gracchus).
To address these crises, the Gracchi proposed a series of land reforms aimed at redistributing public land (ager publicus) to the landless poor (Life of Gaius Gracchus, V). The Lex Sempronia Agraria, sought to enforce the ancient limit on the amount of public land any individual could hold, and to redistribute the surplus to landless citizens, thus reviving the smallholder class essential for the Roman military and law (Lex Frumentaria) that aimed to secure a stable grain supply at a lower price for the urban population, and other laws to improve the rights of the Roman soldiers (Plutarch, Life of Gaius Gracchus, V).
2. Effective Rhetoric in...
…seen as having failed in the short term, with both brothers meeting violent ends and many of their reforms being overturned or diluted, their efforts had a lasting impact on Roman society. They highlighted the growing socio-economic inequalities and the urgent need for reform, setting a precedent for future tribunes and reformers. The question of whether
politics is doomed, if based on Roman history, would indicate that the answer is yes (Plutarch, Life of the Gaius Gracchus, XVII).. However, the story of the Gracchi suggests that although reform can provoke violent backlash, there is also the potential for rhetoric and legislative action to bring about important social…
