The Gracchi Brothers
Who were Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus?
Two brothers who tried to reform Rome and help poor citizens
Who was Gaius Marius, and where was he from?
A talented general from Arpinum, not from the noble class
Who were the three men who formed the First Triumvirate?
Pompey, Crassus, and Caesar
Cause: The Punic Wars ended. What effect did this have on small farmers?
Many lost their land to rich estates (latifundia)
“These are my jewels.” — Who said this, and what did it mean?
Cornelia, mother of the Gracchi; she valued her sons more than wealth
What problem did Tiberius Gracchus try to fix with his land reform?
The loss of small farms and rise of rich estates (latifundia)
What major reform did Marius make to the army?
He let poor citizens join and promised them land after service
What did each man gain from this alliance?
Pompey got land for his soldiers, Crassus gained power, Caesar became consul
Cause: Marius opened the army to the poor. What effect did that have on loyalty?
Soldiers became loyal to generals, not the state
“The die is cast.” — Who said it, and when?
Julius Caesar, when he crossed the Rubicon
How did the Senate react to Tiberius’s reforms?
They saw him as a threat and had him killed
How did this change the Roman Republic?
Soldiers became loyal to their generals instead of to Rome
What made Caesar popular with his soldiers?
His victories in Gaul and his leadership style
Cause: The Senate blocked reformers like the Gracchi. What effect followed?
Violence and political instability increased
“They have robbed you of your honor — shall we let them?” — Who said this?
Sulla, rallying his army to march on Rome
What laws did Gaius Gracchus pass to help the people?
Grain for the poor, colonies for settlement, and courts to stop corruption
Who was Sulla, and what shocking act did he commit?
A Roman general who marched his army on Rome to take power
What was the significance of crossing the Rubicon?
Caesar chose civil war over losing power knowing he could bring down the Senate.
Cause: Sulla seized power and made proscriptions. What lesson did future leaders learn?
That armies could take and hold political power
What did Tiberius mean when he said the wild beasts had homes, but Roman soldiers did not?
He criticized the unfairness that soldiers fought for Rome but had no land or shelter
What do the deaths of the Gracchi brothers show about Roman politics?
Violence became a political tool; reformers could be killed for challenging power. People with differing thoughts could be killed without a trial.
What were Sulla’s proscriptions?
What were Sulla’s proscriptions?
What did Caesar’s rise symbolize for Rome?
The end of the Republic and the beginning of one-man rule. Loyaltyfrom the troops and republic to one man rather than to the Senate.
Cause: Caesar crossed the Rubicon. What was the effect on Rome and the Senate?
Civil War and the fall of the Senate
“The Republic still calls itself free. But freedom, once broken, never quite returns.” — What does this line mean?
Once violence and corruption entered politics, true freedom was lost forever