Assess the impact of the Gracchi on the Roman Republic.

Essay by marlboro_642High School, 12th gradeA, April 2004

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Few figures in Roman history had the unforeseen historical impact of Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus. Their careers prefigured so much of what led to the fall of the Roman Republic, which Scullard conveys when he says that they "...precipitated the revolution that overthrew the Republic" . The Gracchi brought about huge political, economic and social changes, all of which impacted both immediately and created repercussions for the future. Their reforms had a powerful impact on the tribunate and the people's assemblies, divided the ruling class into two political groups, resulted in introducing the senatus consultum ultimum into roman politic, sanctioned the use political murder and violence and initiated civil war and riot. Paterculus says, when speaking of Gaius (but also for Tiberius):"He left nothing undisturbed, nothing untouched, nothing unmolested, nothing, in short, as it had been" . In this way it is evident that the Gracchi had a powerful impact on the roman republic.

The Gracchi showed the way for future tribunates how the tribunate could be used as an instrument of change. They had used it to undermine the traditional powers of the senate and revealed the potential for ambitious men to promote their own political careers. According to Crawford 'the awfulness of the way in which the tribunate had been politicized the normally passive majority of the senate and produced a climate of opinion hostile to gradual reform' . On Tiberius' behalf this was achieved by bypassing the senate with the Lex Agraria. The immediate outcome of this was that "...the resettlement of citizens on land would at a stroke enhance the body of manpower available for legionary recruitment" Appian asserts that the Lex Agraria impacted by benefiting the Italians whereas according to Cicero: "...the Latins have been roused to anger, treaties have been broken, the commissioners...