Gaius Gracchus:

1. Background
a. Lucius Aurelius Orestes to Sardina
i. Accompany him
ii. Extended governor three time to keep Gaius away
iii. Returned before the end of consuls promagistary
iv. Welcomed like a hero citizens advocate
1. Great speaker could motivate the crowds
v. Elected as tribune
vi. Flaccus as his associate brought on board as tribune as
well
2. Laws and actions
Many thought that he was trying to over through the senate but his
was not the case. His laws suggest that he was trying to limit the
abuses of the senate.
a. Investigations and punishments
i. Before the senate authorize theselead to death of a lot of
bros supporters
ii. Gaius created that those in relations to capital punishment
must have been authorized by a citizen assembly
iii. EX: Publius Popillus flea the city and went into exile to
avoid prosecution
b. Land Law
i. Renew his bros land law
ii. Later secure passage of Junonia a colony in Carthage
c. Rice
i. Fixed rice prices for citizens of Rome every month to have
a limited quality at that price so people could get their rice
ii. It forced to improve grainers and harbor factories
d. Corruption of providences
i. Most important limitation
ii. Before senate in charge of cases involving corruption of
provinces
1. Senators judged other senators
iii. Gaius created a new list of jurys that exclude the senate
iv. Now would be chosen from the equities
1. Part of the roman elite
2. Cavalrymen
a. So much many that were required to supply
their own Calvary into the Roman army
3. Gaius made them ruler over the senate
3. Opposition and turn of Gaius popularity
a. Turning point citizen ship

i. Tried to pass law that granted Roman citizenship to all

Latins, and gave all Latin privileges to Italian allies.
ii. Unpopular
iii. Decline in popularity
b. Marcus Drusus the Elder
i. Purpose the founding of a series of colonies that land
would be given to more peoplegain popularity
ii. Gaius and Fulvius left Rome to build colony of Carthage
iii. When get back political field changed
iv. Try to run againfail
c. Consul Opimuis try to revoke a lot of laws made under Gaius
i. Final confrontation repeal the colony of Carthage
ii. Giaus and Fulvius bring supporters to stop this
iii. Hearld of Opimuis is killed
iv. Treat as attack on the state
v. Summon them to the senate for prosecution
1. Flee to Aventine hill
2. Opiumus orders the attack
3. Fulvius is killed and Gaius commit suicide
d. The ultimate decree
i. What justified the actions of Opiumius
1. take care that the state did not experience no
harm
2. Gave the senate authority to authorize investigations
and punishments
4. Importance of all of this
a. Ultimate decree will be seen again
b. Two different ways to power trends in Rome
i. Optimates
1. Build alliances to gain power
2. Best people in city
ii. Popularius
1. Popularity among the citizens like Gaius
2. Considerable power but must have constant
reinforcement of power cant leave the state