Rome+Post+Punic+War+Era

this is what I have been trying to findSo, now Rome is the biggest dog in the pound .media type="file" key="dogs-01.wav" width="300" height="50"

Rome is now the undisputed power in the Mediterranean.

panem et circenses: bread and circuses

scientia potestas est: knowledge is power

companion: one with whom you would share bread science:what is known

Rome's second war against Carthage reduced the number of people in the Italian countryside. Men had gone off to war. People had died and people had moved to the cities to escape war. Some people had left the countryside to work in the arms industry, and some went to Rome looking for subsistence. Farmland was cheap, as many farmers who had gone off to fight had fallen into debt and were forced to sell their farms. Thus we see the rise of two things: 1) the latifundia : very extensive parcels of privately owned land. The latifundia (Latin: lātus, "spacious" + fundus, "farm, estate")[|[1]] of Roman history were great landed estates, specializing in agriculture destined for export: grain, olive oil, or wine. As a result of the war, much farmland in Italy could be bought cheaply. Those with wealth began buying this farmland, some landowners expanding their holdings and some businessmen from the cities looking for a secure investment and a source of social respectability. With the accelerated trend toward larger farms came a greater use of slaves. More lands in the countryside were transformed into pasture, vineyard, and olive orchards – more suited to Italian soil and climate than was the growing of grain. The richest lands were converted to vineyards and the poorer tracts to olive groves, while ranching was the most profitable for capitalist landowners. Holdings that were a mix of ranching and farming grew to more than 300 acres, found mostly in southern and central Italy, the area most heavily devastated by the Second Punic War.

2) the proletariat: the landless urban poor Many small farmers found themselves unable to compete with the larger farms and their more numerous slaves. Moreover, a greater importation of grain from Sicily and North Africa brought a drop in grain prices, and many small farmers gave up, sold their farms to the wealthy and joined the migration to the cities. The wars that began with the minor incident at Messana had brought unintended consequences – as wars often do. Many of Rome's small farmers, who had been the backbone of the Roman Republic, had become city-dwellers living off welfare – free bread and circuses.

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12/14

Vitanda est improba siren desidia - One must avoid that wicked temptress, Laziness.

Ad captandum vulgus - To appeal to the crowd

inevitable: not able to be avoided

vulgar: common, base

Tiberius Gracchus was born between 168 and 163 BC (his birthdate cannot be confirmed); he was the son of Tiberius Gracchus the Elder and Cornelia Africana, who is remebered in history as the best of mothers, utterly supportive of her children, even in the face of public criticism, and who raised them to love thier country and all of its people, not just the wealthy ones. His family, the Gracchi branch of the gens Sempronia, was one of the most politically connected in Rome. Tiberius' maternal grandparents were Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus and Aemilia Paulla, Lucius Aemilius Paulus Macedonicus' sister, and his own sister Sempronia was the wife of Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus, another important general. Tiberius was raised by his mother, with his sister and his brother Gaius Gracchus. Later he married Claudia Pulchra, daughter of Appius Claudius Pulcher.

Kaufmann Cornelia mater gracchorum

As you can see, he was from an illustrious family. He was also a military tribune and then a tribune of the plebes. He was the first man over the wall in the invasion of Carthage...so, not a wuss. Tribune was a title shared by elected officials in the Roman Republic. Tribunes had the power to convene the Plebeian Council and to act as its president, which also gave them the right to propose legislation before it. They were sacrosanct, in the sense that any assault on their person was prohibited. They had the power to veto actions taken by magistrates, and specifically to intervene legally on behalf of plebeians. The tribune could also summon the Senate and lay proposals before it. The tribune's power, however, was only in effect while he was within Rome. His ability to veto did not affect regional governors.

So, Rome is having a land crisis. Tiberius saw the effects of this on the Italian populace and is greatly effected by it, and decides to do something about it, and he has the power to do so, because he is tribune. tiberius Gracchus part 1

12/18

Urbes constituit aetas, hora dissolvit (Seneca the Younger) A lifetime builds up cities, a single hour ruins them. This reminded me of the destruction of Carthage...so, I thought it apropos.

bellum internecinum: Internecine war, a war of extermination

internecine: occurring between members of the same country, group, or organization ( inter+necatus); totally destructive

noblesse oblige: Benevolent, honorable behavior considered to be the responsibility of persons of high birth or rank. It's French.

As a quaestor in Spain, Gracchus got his first bitter taste of factional politics. The Roman army had suffered miserably against the Celtic tribes and he proposed a treaty that was written to spare the lives of up to 20,000 Roman soldiers. The treaty was firmly rejected in Rome, because passage would've been akin to admitting defeat. This terribly disappointing incident marked Tiberius' break from the optimates and the beginning of his opposition to the elite authority as a supporter of the populares movement.

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tiberius gracchus

1/4

anquis in herba: a snake in the grass ( Vergil); a treacherous person

corruptio optimi pessima : corruption of the best is the worst

a sad, sordid affair

corruption: dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery herbivore : an animal that eats only grass and plants

So, after this humiliation, having his treaty rejected, Tiberius ran for and won the office of TRIBUNE OF THE PLEBS. This is a big one, it has veto power. He put forth some legislation to try to protect the rights of the plebs. The LEX SEMPRONIA AGRARIA.

The law would reorganize control of the ager publicus, or public land; meaning land conquered in previous wars that was controlled by the state. Previous agrarian law specified that no citizen would be allowed to possess more than 500 jugera the ager publica and any land that they occupied above this limit would be confiscated by the state. However this law was largely ignored and rich landowners continued to acquire land through fictitious tenants initially before transferring the land directly to themselves.They then began to work it with slave labour, giving rise to latifundia, alienating and impoverishing free Roman citizens.

Tiberius saw that reform was needed. He met with three prominent leaders: Crassus, the Pontifex Maximus, the consul and jurist Publius Mucius Scaevola, and Appius Claudius, his father-in-law. Together, the men formulated a law which would have fined those who held more of their allotted land and require them to forfeit illegal possessions to the ager publicus, for which they would be compensated. The people simply wanted assurances of future protection, but the senatorial elites opposed the law, claiming Tiberius was seeking a redistribution of wealth, thereby shaking the foundations of the Republic and inciting social revolution. He proposed his law in 134 BC, and to mollify these landowners, they would be allowed to own their land rent free, and would be entitled to 250 jugera per son, above the legal limit. They would also be paid for the land they had to forfeit.

Furthermore, Tiberius Gracchus called for the redistribution of the re-confiscated public land to the poor and homeless in Rome, giving them plots of 30 iugera upon which to support themselves and their families, not to mention that the redistributed wealth would make them eligible for taxation and military service. Thus the law sought to solve the twin problems of increasing the number of men eligible for military service (thereby boosting Rome's military strength) and also providing for homeless war veterans.

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1/6 pennstate gracchi arma tuentur pacem ( Cicero...eum amo!) Weapons guard peace.

arma amens capio, nec sat rationis in armis( Vergil) I madly take up arms, but have not the wit to use them

unorthodox: not traditional or conventional; really unusual

rational: governed by reason

The Senate and its conservative elements were strongly against the Sempronian agrarian reforms, with most of their hostility due to Tiberius’ highly unorthodox method of passing the reforms. Because Tiberius clearly knew the Senate wouldn’t approve his reforms, he sidestepped the Senate altogether by going straight to the Concilium Plebis (the Popular Assembly) which supported his measures. This was neither against the law or even against tradition (Mos Maiorum: the custom of the ancestors, by which the Roman senate largely abided in lieu of a written constitution), but it was certainly insulting to the Senate and it alienated Senators who otherwise might have shown support.

However, any tribune could veto a proposal, preventing it from being laid before the Assembly. In an effort to stop Tiberius, the Senate persuaded Marcus Octavius, another tribune, to use his veto to prevent the submission of the bills to the Assembly. Gracchus then moved that Octavius, should be immediately deposed, arguing that Octavius as a tribune acted contrary to the wishes of his constituents. Octavius, Tiberius reasoned, violated a basic tenet of the office of the tribune, which was to ensure the protection of the people from any political or economic oppression by the Senate. Octavius remained resolute. The people began to vote to depose Octavius, but he vetoed their actions as was his legal right as tribune. Tiberius, consigning himself to the worst situation, had him forcefully removed from the meeting place of the Assembly and proceeded with the vote to depose him.

These actions violated Octavius' right of sacrosanctity and worried Tiberius' supporters, and so instead of moving to depose him, Tiberius commenced to use his veto on daily ceremonial rites in which Tribunes were asked if they would allow for key public buildings, for example the markets and the temples, to be opened. In this way he effectively shut down the entire city of Rome, including all businesses, trade and production, until the Senate and the Assembly passed the laws. The Assembly, fearing for Tiberius's safety, formed a guard around Tiberius and frequently escorted him home.

1/13

arma togae cedent (Cicero): weapons yeild to the toga

inter arma enim leges silent ( Cicero): among weapons even laws are silent

recede( re +cedere): to yeild back, to go back

intercede (inter +cede): to go between

gracchi movie start at 31

At the next assembly Gracchus proposed that Marcus Octavius (one of the other tribunes...see above) should be deposed from office. This was not within the Roman constitution, but the assembly voted for it nonetheless. Tiberius' agrarian bill was then voted on once again and became law.

Three commissioners were appointed to administer the scheme; Tiberius himself, his younger brother Gaius Sempronius Gracchus and Appius Claudius Pulcher, 'leader' of the senate - and Tiberius' father-in-law. The commission began work at once and some 75'000 smallholdings may have been created and handed to farmers. As the commission began to run out of money Tiberius simply proposed to the popular assemblies to simply use the available funds from the kingdom of Pergamum, which Rome had recently acquired. The senate was in no mood to be outwitted again, particularly not on matters of finance. It unwillingly passed the proposal. But Tiberius was not making any friends. Particularly as the deposition of Octavius was a revolution, if not a coup d'état. Under the given conditions Gracchus could have introduced any law on his own, given popular support. It was a clear challenge to the senate's authority.

So too, hostile feelings against Gracchus arose, when rich, influential men discovered that the new law may deprive them of land they saw as their own. In such hostile conditions it was distinctly possible that Gracchus was in danger of prosecution in the courts as well as assassination. He knew it and therefore realized that he had to be re-elected to enjoy the immunity of public office. But the laws of Rome were clear that no man was to hold office without interval. His candidacy was in effect illegal.

His opponents were quick to characterize his quest for power as a quest for a crown, and the Romans had no use for kings at all.

The senate failed in an attempt to bar him from standing again, but a group of enraged senators, led by his hostile cousin Scipio Nasica, charged into an election rally of Tiberius', broke it up and, alas, clubbed him to death.

1/15

A fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi.: a precipice in the front, a wolf behind; between a rock and a hard place

Donec eris felix, multos numerabis amicos.( Ovid): As long as you are successful (lucky), you will have many friends.

pre·cip·i·tous :very steep; happening in a very quick and sudden way;done too quickly and without enough thought or planning

 * felicity: great happiness **

So, Tiberius was beaten to death by the Senate who feared his policies were a threat to the social order of the time. They also suspected that he was using the "mob" (i.e. the proletariat) to further his own ambition and power. The Senate, particularly those who were turned to the Optimate faction/ideology, viewed his land reform and trying to be elected Tribune for a second consecutive time as a power grab. So, they put a stop to it, with clubs in the Forum on election day.

Who takes up his cause? His brother, Gaius Gracchus whom he had appointed to his commission to execute his land reforms.

Gracchi Bros.

Following a similar path, he served under Scipio Aemilianus, and then was elected Consul, in which he spent two years governing Sardinia. Returning to Rome he was elected to two consecutive terms as Tribune of the Plebes in 123 and 122 BC. In the position of harnessing the power of the Roman masses, Gaius had far wider reaching plans for administrative reforms and social equity issues.

Initially, his measures saw to the exile of the Consul Popolius for his involvement in the death of Tiberius Gracchus. To cement the authority of this action, he initiated a law stating that any magistrate who had been deposed from office by the will of the people would, in the future, be ineligible to ever serve in any capacity at all. Avenging the murder of Tiberius, he then set about a new strategy of popular political legislation. His next proposal was a direct strike against the Gracchi enemies in the Senate. Through another Tribune, Glabrio M' Acilius, the Lex Acilia provided for judices to be chosen from the equestrian class rather than the senate. Damaging both the prestige of the conservative optimates and its potential for revenue through the court system, and giving more power to the equestrians, he then looked to implement direct policies aiding the lower classes. (Ranking immediately below senators, equestrians became an important human resource, whose work underpinned the smooth running of the Roman Empire.

As its name suggests, the equestrian class was originally composed of the Roman cavalry. In 218 BC, equestrians took on more commercial roles when Lex Claudia prevented Senators from becoming involved in trade or business.)

The taxation of Asia Minor, which had recently become a province through the will of King Attalus III of Pergamum, was then completely overhauled to cause further economic damage to the Senate. Equestrians were awarded the right to contract for the collecting of the enormous taxes due from there, rather than senatorial agents. These taxing companies were called publicani, essentially tax collecting companies. The mob was won over further when he next proposed a state subsidized grain law, which allowed every citizen to buy grain at half the market price, directly from the Roman state. His brother's agrarian law, which was revoked after Tiberius' death, was then re-adopted to allow the Plebes more access, once again, to available public land. Additional legislation was put forward to protect provincial residents from the greed, corruption and excessive taxation by local governors and other officials. Furthermore, Gaius forced through huge expenditures on public works, such as roads harbors and baths, which once more mainly benefited the equestrian business community. An orator of great magnitude, later admired by one of history's great orator's, Cicero, his laws and proposals were far more successful than those of his brother. While surpassing the success of Tiberius, he redeemed the legacy of the Gracchus name and forever put the family into the annals of history. http://www.unrv.com/empire/gaius-gracchus.php http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Publicani.html Let's review: 1) Who are the equestrains and why did Gaius court them?

2) How did he win their favor?

3) How did he secure the backing of the "mob" ( aka the proletariat)

All of this is threatening to the Senate because....?

1/20

= Utile Dulci: the useful with the agreeable. =

In Ars Poetica, Horace offered this advice:

"He who joins the useful with the agreeable, wins every vote, by delighting and at the same time instructing the reader."

In other words, the successful poet – or more broadly, communicator – combines the edifying with the enjoyable, turns business into pleasure.

CASTIGAT RIDENDO MORES: laughing corrects morals ;
the best way to change the rules is by pointing out how absurd they are.

utility: the quality or state of being useful castigate:to punish or rebuke severly

By 122 BC, Gaius was firmly entrenched as the champion of the people, but one piece of legislation proved to be his eventual undoing. Complaints from Italian Latin rights citizens that the agrarian laws were helping the lower classes of Rome, while leaving the Italians behind didn't fall on deaf ears. Through his political ally, M.Fulvius Flaccus, who was fresh back from the conquest of Gallia Narbonensis, Gauis next proposed a law to incorporate all the Latin rights citizens into full citizenship. Unfortunately for Gaius and his allies, this move was extremely unpopular with not only the Senate, but the head count of Rome as well. The lower classes of Roman citizenship would be forced to share their land allotments with the Italians, and the Senate saw an opportunity to strike at Gaius. A senate backed Tribune, Livius Drusus,  began to propose laws far more liberal and beneficial to the Roman head count, while decisively against the Italian allies. While not a position traditionally backed by the Senate it was at least not as harmful as complete inclusion of the Italian tribes would have been. It had the added benefit of keeping the Romanmob happy, while temporarily replacing the Gracchus status of popular champion with their own man, Drusus. The laws of Drusus, however, were never intended to be permanent, and were only supported by the Senate long enough to do damage to Gracchus. Rapidly losing popularity, Gaius' attempt for a third straight election to Tribune failed in 121 BC.

1/22

ex officio: out of the office of; an official act

ultra vires: beyond the powers

exercise: training officious: being annoyingly eager to do more than is required.

Realizing the tactics of the Senate too late to counter them, Gracchus, along with Flaccus and thousands of their supporters, led a protest in the streets of Rome. A large angry mob turned out in favor of Gracchus on the Aventine Hill, but unfortunately, the protest escalated into an armed revolt. The Consul Lucius Opimius, an obvious political enemy of the populares party, was all too happy to see this occur. The unlawful carrying of weapons by Gracchus' supporters was all the excuse needed for the Senate to act out. Giving Opimius the first ever, and soon to be regular occurring, Senatus Consultum Ultimatum (the ultimate decree of martial law),  he set out after the protesters with an armed militia of legionary infantry and auxilia archers. Swooping down on the Aventine,  all hope was lost for the Gracchus party. Ordering his own slave to stab him to death, the political career of the famous Gracchi came to a violent end. In the end, thousands of the mob were killed outright, and later, up to 3,000 more Gracchus supporters were rounded up, arrested and strangled

http://www.unrv.com/empire/gaius-gracchus.php

. That's the end of the Gracchi Brothers.

1/28 hostis genus humanus: an enemy of the human race

non sibi sed suis: not for one's self but for one's own

hostile: enemy-like degenerate: away from the race/ancestors; declined in morals or character

The actions and ultimate fates of the brothers Gracchus constituted a watershed in Roman politics. Their legislation highlighted the links between the problems of property holding, poverty, the army, and the extension and retention of the empire. Their use of a popular assembly to initiate legislation gave it powers rivaling those of the Senate. That political conflict could lead twice to violence established a precedent which affected the equilibrium of Roman society and instigated periods of anarchy and civil war.

The legacy of the Gracchi brothers was one of social upheaval and the eventual disintegration of the Roman political and governing system. Their violent deaths were the first of many more political riots and executions to come over the next 100 years. Traditional powers of the Senate and the people were being torn apart, rebuilt and torn apart again. Ambitious politicians now had many new ways to exploit a system teetering on collapse and powerful men and political parties began to develop in extreme polar opposites. The voice of violence, riots and mob tactics was quickly to become the mainstay throughout the perilous era in Roman history. The Senate even, once steadfast in cooperation against the Tribunes of the Plebes, now even began to splinter off against one another. With the fast rise and fall of the Brothers Gracchi, the stage was set for the rise of Marius, Sulla, Pompey and the eventual last dictator, Gaius Julius Caesar.