CORNELIA AND HER JEWELS

The Gracchi brothers, Tiberius and Caius, were social reformers who tried to obtain more rights for the landless peasants of Rome. They were strongly resisted by the wealthy landowning class, who did not want to give up their privileges. In 133 B.C. Tiberius was elected tribune, and worked to pass laws that would reduce the concentration of wealth and lands in the hands of a few nobles. The patricians bribed the other tribune Octavius, so that no legislation could pass. The issue became critical when Attalus III, the king of Perganum, died and bequeathed a great deal of property to Rome. There was much at stake when Tiberus ran for tribune again the following year, and the patricians postponed the elections. They eventually incited a riot against Tiberius and his followers, and in the tumult that followed, Tiberius was killed and thrown into the river.

Key events during the life of Tiberius Gracchus:

Year	Event
146 BC	Fought at the siege of Carthage.
137 BC	Fought in the Numantian wars in Spain; became alarmed at the lopsided distribution of wealth.
133 BC	As tribune, fought for laws which would grant more land and wealth to the lower classes.
133 BC	Killed in a riot instigated by his patrician opponents.

Other Resources

Story Links	Book Links
Of Tiberius Gracchus  in	Stories from Roman History  by  Lena Dalkeith
Noble Brothers  in	Tales of the Romans: The Children's Plutarch  by  F. J. Gould
Death of Tiberius Gracchus  in	The Story of the Romans  by  H. A. Guerber
Gracchi  in	Famous Men of Rome  by  John H. Haaren & A. B. Poland
Tiberius Gracchus  in	Our Young Folks' Plutarch  by  Rosalie Kaufman
Tiberius and His Friend Octavius  in	The Story of Rome  by  Mary Macgregor
Gracchi and Their Fall  in	Historical Tales: Roman  by  Charles Morris
The Gracchi  in	Plutarch's Lives W. H. Weston  by
Tiberius Gracchus in	Plutarch's Lives W. H. Weston  by

Image Links
The young Gracchi and their mother Cornelia  in  Augustus—His Life and Work	Cornelia and her jewels  in Famous Men of Rome	Cornelia and her Sons in the Streets of Rome  in Famous Men of Rome

Contemporary	Short Biography
Cornelia	Mother of the Gracchi. Highly revered Roman matron.
Gaius Gracchus	Continued reforms of his brother, but was undermined by the senate.
Octavius	Tribune who served with Tiberius. Bribed by patricians to veto all reform efforts.
Attalus III	King of Perganum. Died and left much property to Rome, precipitating crisis for reformers.