What did Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus want to do?

Answer 1

The Gracchi brothers were reformers who tried to redistribute the land of the major patricians to the plebeians [Tiberius Gracchus 133 BCE]. Gaius ten years later, [123 BCE] with the assistance of publicans tried to impose taxes in Asia but he was in conflict to senatorial influence. Both brothers were killed by their opponents

Answer 2

Tiberius: break up huge estates accumulated by wealthy patricians and redistribute the land

Gaius: Wanted allowance of cheap grain for the poor, new employment opportunities on public work projects, and granting citizenship to most Italians dick nozzles

Answer 3

Tiberius and Gaius Sempronius Gracchus were two brothers. They were populare politicians and plebeian tribunes (leaders of the plebeian movement). They tried to introduce reforms that addressed the economic problems of both the urban and rural poor. Many people had become landless because rich landowners using slave labour on their large estates had encroached on the land of poor peasants. Many of the latter had lost their land because they had to neglect it due to protracted military service. They flocked to Rome to eke out a living. Under their leadership the plebeian movement became revolutionary again. The brothers have been seen as heroes of the people and as the forerunners of populism and socialism.

Tiberius proposed a law (Lex Semronia agraria) in 133 BC, which made the land in conquered areas public. Previous laws had put a 500 jugera (125 ha) limit for property anyone could own, but it had been ignored. The new law set a fine for those who owned more than the limit and provided for the confiscation of the excess land, subject to compensation. It included land redistribution, giving 30 jugera of confiscated land to the poor. To circumvent the opposition of conservative senators, Tiberius had the plebeian council pass the law, enraging even the liberal senators who could have been supportive. An agrarian commission was set up to implement the law, but the senate gave it paltry funds and did its best to obstruct it. The implementation also proved very difficult due to a lack of properly defined property boundaries. Things worsened when Tiberius decided to appropriate land bequeathed to Rome by the king of Pergamum to fund the reform as he had been kept cash starved. This was seen as an attack on the senate which was responsible for the treasury and for overseas affairs. The senate saw him as an enemy and as becoming too powerful. Eventually, Tiberius was murdered. He was seen as a hero of the people.

Gaius continued Tiberius' work and broadened it. In 122 BC he extended Tiberius' land reform, providing for larger plots of redistributed land so that labourers could be employed on them. He planned large colonies in the provinces to settle thousands of people, both Romans and Italics. He also proposed the Lex Frumentaria which required the state to buy imported grain the distribute rations for the poor at a low price. Gaius gained wide popular support and rallied the people in fight for his policies. The struggle with the senate became bitter. Gaius was murdered as well.

Gaius created a weakness with his franchise bill which would have given Roman citizenship to Latins and Latin rights (which included land rights) to all Italic allies. Whilst this measure was fair and was needed to redress the fact that the land reform would have otherwise excluded the Italics, it weakened his support because Roman citizens did not want to share their privileges.

Answer 4

The Gracchii were both power hungry. They used land reform to get the people on their side and give them a base for power. Which means they wanted to take over the Roman government.