History of Rome from the Earliest Times down to 476 AD | Page 2

of the conditions preceding and
determining the great conflict of interests with which our story opens.
A. H. J. G.
OXFORD, _August_, 1904

CONTENTS


CHAPTER I
: Characteristics of the period. Recent changes in the conditions of
Roman life. Close of the period of expansion by means of colonies or
land assignments. Reasons for social discontent. The life of the
wealthier classes. The expenses of political life. Attempts to check
luxury. Motives for gain amongst the upper classes. Means of acquiring
wealth open to members of the nobility; those open to members of the
commercial class. The political influence of the Equites. The business
life of Rome; finance and banking. Foreign trade. The condition of the
small traders. Agriculture. Diminution in the numbers of peasant
proprietors. The Latifundium and the new agricultural ideal. Growth of
pasturage. Causes of the changes in the tenure of land. The system of
possession. Future prospects of agriculture. Slave labour; dangers
attending its employment; revolts of slaves in Italy. The servile war in
Sicily (circa 140-131 B.C.). The need for reform.


CHAPTER II
: The sources from which reform might have come, too. Attitude of
Scipio Aemilianus. Tiberius Gracchus; his youth and early career. The
affair of the Numantine Treaty. Motives that urged Tiberius Gracchus
to reform. His tribunate (B.C. 133). Terms of the agrarian measure
which he introduced. Creation of a special agrarian commission.
Opposition to the bill. Veto pronounced by Marcus Octavius. Tiberius
Gracchus declares a Justitium. Fruitless reference to the senate.
Deposition of Octavius. Passing of the agrarian law; appointment of the

commissioners; judicial power given to the commissioners.
Employment of the bequest of Attalus. Attacks on Tiberius Gracchus.
His defence of the deposition of Octavius. New programme of Tiberius
Gracchus; suggestion of measures dealing with the army, the
law-courts and the Italians. Tiberius Gracchus's attempt at re-election to
the tribunate. Riot at the election and death of Tiberius Gracchus,
Consequences of his fall.


CHAPTER III
: Attitude of the senate after the fall of Tiberius Gracchus. Special
commission appointed for the trial of his adherents (B.C. 132). Fate of
Scipio Nasica. Permanence of the land commission and thoroughness
of its work. Difficulties connected with jurisdiction on disputed claims.
The Italians appeal to Scipio Aemilianus. His intervention; judicial
power taken from the commissioners (B.C. 129). Death of Scipio
Aemilianus. Tribunate of Carbo (B.C. 131); ballot law and attempt to
make the tribune immediately re-eligible. The Italian claims;
negotiations for the extension of the franchise. Alien act of Pennus
(B.C. 126). Proposal made by Flaccus to extend the franchise (B.C.
125). Revolt of Fregellae. Foundation of Fabrateria (B.C. 124). Foreign
events during this period; the kingdom of Pergamon. Bequest of
Attains the Third (B.C. 133). Revolt of Aristonicus (B.C. 132-130).
Organisation of the province of Asia (B.C. 129-126). Sardinian War
(B.C. 126-125). Conquest and annexation of the Balearic Islands (B.C.
123-132).


CHAPTER IV
: The political situation at the time of the appearance of Caius Gracchus
as a candidate for the tribunate (B.C. 124). Early career of Caius
Gracchus. First tribunate of Caius Gracchus (B.C. 123). Laws passed or
proposed during this tribunate; law protecting the Caput of a Roman
citizen. Impeachment of Popillius. Law concerning magistrates who
had been deposed by the people. Social reforms. Law providing for the

cheapened sale of corn. Law mitigating the conditions of military
service, 208. Agrarian law. Judiciary law. Law permitting a criminal
prosecution for corrupt judgments. Law concerning the province of
Asia. The new balance of power created by these laws in favour of the
Equites. Law about the consular provinces. Colonial schemes of Caius
Gracchus. The Rubrian law for the renewal of Carthage. Law for the
making of roads. Election of Fannius to the consulship and of Caius
Gracchus and Flaccus to the tribunate. Activity of Caius Gracchus
during his second tribunate (B.C. 122). The franchise bill. Opposition
to the bill. Exclusion of Italians from Rome; threat of the veto, and
suspension of the measure. Proposal for a change in the order of voting
in the Comitia Centuriata. New policy of the senate; counter-legislation
of Drusus. Colonial proposals of Drusus. His measure for the protection
of the Latins. The close of Caius Gracchus's second tribunate. His
failure to be elected tribune for the third time. Proposal for the repeal of
the Rubrian law. The meeting on the Capitol and its consequences (B.C.
121). Declaration of a state of siege. The seizure of the Aventine;
defeat of the Gracchans; death of Caius Gracchus and Flaccus. Judicial
prosecution of the adherents of Caius Gracchus. Future judgments on
the Gracchi. The closing years of Cornelia. Estimate of the character
and consequences of the Gracchan reforms.


CHAPTER V
: The political situation after the fall of Caius Gracchus. Prosecution