Tiberius Gracchus

Tiberius and his brother Gaius were influential Tribune of the Plebs after the end of the Third Punic War, who pushed for land redistribution to poor Romans. Their activism was linked to a return to more traditional tribunate politics (as there was in the early Republic).

They were both from wealthy and powerful, though plebeian, familes. They were accused by a defensive senate of wishing to undermine the Roman state, among being called populists.

Tiberius' Tribunate

 * Tiberius pushed for redistributing land to landless Romans by dividing up public land in excess of 500 iugera (acres)


 * He proposed and put this motion to vote in the assembly without consulting the Senate


 * Octavius tried to stop him, (using veto power), but the law passed and he was kicked out of office

Enacting Land Reform
Tiberius caused the formation of a commission with his step-father and brother Gaius on it, with the task of overseeing the redistribution of land. The Senate severely underfunded the commission, which pushed Tiberius to claim the land of Attalus, who had left his Italian holdings to the state, to fund the commission, and work begun with the new funds.

Tiberius sought re-election to the tribunate (which was unprecedented) and the Senate stirred up discontent at his power-mongering, accusing him of being a tyrant, and he was eventually killed by an angry mob before the voting.