BROOKLYN COLLEGE
CLASSICS 16
ROME: CITY OF EMPIRE
The Middle Republic
The Beginning of Revolution
Tiberius Gracchus (163-133 BC)
In the following questions, the numbers in parentheses are references
to pages in Shelton and paragraphs in Plutarch's Life of Tiberius Gracchus.
Send your answers to the following questions to me by e-mail: rdunkle@brooklyn.cuny.edu.
Read Shelton. pp. 152-53 ("Agriculture") and 154-58 ("An Attempt at Land
Reform" and the reading from Appian's The Civil Wars).
QUESTIONS
-
What did Roman magistrates want to do with the land in Italy confiscated
in war from peoples conquered in war (155)? How did the wealthy thwart
this plan (155)? According to Appian, what problems was Tiberius's agrarian
legislation supposed to correct (156)? Briefly describe the nature of Tiberius's
legislation (156).
Read Plutarch's Life of Tiberius Gracchus. Numbers in parentheses
are references to paragraphs in Plutarch's Life of Tiberius Gracchus.
In answering the questions that require one of a one (or more) paragraph
answer, make specific references to Plutarch's text to illustrate your
points.
-
What was the reaction of wealthy class to the Gaius Laelius's (8) and Tiberius'
Gracchus's (9) attempts at agrarian reform? How did Tiberius's opponents
use the tribunate of the plebs (see Shelton, p. 211-212 on the this magistracy)
against his legislation (10)? How did Tiberius counter this measure (11-12)?
What did Tiberius do when Octavius refused to give up his office (12)?
How does Plutarch explain the negative reaction of the aristocratic party
and the people to this action of Tiberius (15)?
-
What does Plutarch say was the purpose behind the legislation of Tiberius
(e.g., the admission of knights to the juries, which had previously been
exclusively composed of senators) in his unconstitutional second tribunate
(see first footnote on p.169)? How did Tiberius' enemies interpret his
gesture of raising his hand to his head (19)? What action did Publius Scipio
Nasica leading a crowd of senators take against Tiberius?
-
Why does Plutarch think that this action of Nasica and his supporters is
significant (20)? Write one or two paragraphs on how Roman politics had
changed with the death of Tiberius (20).
Return
to Classics 16 Home Page
Return
to Classics Department Home Page