Gracchi facts for kids

The Gracchi brothers, Tiberius and Gaius, were important Roman figures. They both served as a tribune of the plebs. A tribune was a special elected official. Their job was to protect the rights of ordinary Roman citizens, called plebeians. The brothers tried to make big changes in Rome. They wanted to share public land more fairly. This land was mostly controlled by rich families. They also wanted to help poor people and soldiers who had finished their service. While they had some early success, both brothers were killed. They were opposed by a group called the Optimates. This was a conservative group in the Senate.

The Gracchi Brothers: Roman Reformers

Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus were brothers from a powerful Roman family. They were known for trying to help the common people of Rome. Their mother, Cornelia, was also very famous. She was the daughter of Scipio Africanus, a great Roman general. She raised her sons to be strong leaders.

Why Rome Needed Change

In ancient Rome, there was a big problem with land. Much of the land belonged to the public. However, wealthy Roman families had taken control of most of it. This left many poor citizens without land or jobs. Many soldiers, after fighting for Rome, returned home to find they had nothing. This caused a lot of unhappiness and tension in the city.

Tiberius Gracchus's Plan

Tiberius Gracchus was elected tribune in 133 BC. He saw the problems of the poor and landless. He proposed a new law to fix this. His law aimed to give public land back to the poor. It would limit how much land any one person could own. The extra land would then be divided among the poor citizens and veterans. This idea was very popular with the common people.

Opposition to Tiberius

Many rich senators did not like Tiberius's plan. They owned large amounts of public land. They did not want to give it up. They tried to stop his law from passing. Tiberius faced strong opposition. Sadly, in 133 BC, Tiberius was killed by his political enemies. This was a shocking event in Roman history.

Gaius Gracchus's Reforms

After Tiberius's death, his younger brother Gaius continued his work. Gaius Gracchus became tribune in 123 BC. He was even more ambitious than Tiberius. He brought forward many new laws. These laws aimed to help the poor and weaken the power of the Senate.

Gaius's Key Ideas

Gaius's reforms included several important points:

• He wanted to give land to the poor, just like his brother.
• He proposed selling grain to citizens at a low price. This helped feed the poor in Rome.
• He also suggested giving Roman citizenship to more people. This included people from other Italian cities.
• He tried to change how courts worked. He wanted to make them fairer for everyone.

The End of the Gracchi Brothers

Like his brother, Gaius faced strong opposition. The wealthy senators and their supporters feared his growing power. They saw his reforms as a threat to their way of life. In 121 BC, violence broke out in Rome. Gaius Gracchus was declared an enemy of the state. He was killed during the conflict.

The Gracchi Legacy

The Gracchi brothers' story is very important. They showed that ordinary people could challenge the powerful. Their actions led to a period of political unrest in Rome. This period lasted for many years. They are remembered as early reformers. They tried to solve the problems of inequality in the Roman Republic. Their efforts highlighted the deep divisions in Roman society.

Images for kids

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  Engraving after Vincenzo Camuccini, Cornelia, Mother of the Gracchi, Presents Her Children to a Capuana Woman, 1870/1909, Department of Image Collections, National Gallery of Art Library, Washington, DC.

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  Gaius Gracchus addressing the Plebeians.