form of constitution and situation in the 80s

form of the constitution

comprised of monarchical (the two consuls), aristocratic (the senate), and a democratic (the voting population) elements. these powers were supposed to balance each other out in order to prevent one imposing rule over the other and stopping mob rule.

challenges of the constitution

annual switch of consuls meant that changes could be overwritten and not much progress would be made

some people became consul just for the social standing

constitution not fit for such a large expansion of territory

lex villia annalis 180 bc

Strict age restrictions for magistracies of the roman republic, restricts speed at which you can rise up the cursus honorum

examples of people ignoring this law

countryside crisis

rich people bought up the ager publicus, and used laterfundia (slaves) to work the land instead of farmers as they were cheaper this increased the wealth gap (appian)

appian on the country side crisis

the rich had land then took the undistributed lands and absorbed their poorer neighbours allotments too : through force and purchase. they used slaves (added benefit of them being exempt from military service). appian calls them evil as they were idle men not working who employed slaves instead of freedmen as cultivators

all about appian

Greek historian writing under Roman Empire in 2nd century AD

Focused heavily on civil conflict

Presents Gracchi as beginning of Roman political violence

Valuable because his Civil Wars survives in detail

Sometimes oversimplifies complex political divisions

lex gabinia

secret balot by lucius cassius - to stop corruption

cicero says the mob would use this for perverted reasons against the optimates

cicero pro sestio on the gracchi

the gracchi are optimate who rely on the mobs and peoples interests that werent in alignment with the good of the republic

agrarian law - mob likes it as it gives financial stability to the lower classes,, optimates didnt like it took land away from them and land=morality

grain law - mob likes it they get free food,, optimates didnt like it as it means the plebs wont be working and become lazy = moral decline and it could drain treasury

all about cicero pro sestio

speech - gives insight into his political motives and beliefs of the equestrians

Contemporary statesman and senator

First-hand witness to late Republic

Deeply committed to senatorial government

Extremely biased against populares and dictators

Essential source because he lived through events

plutarch life of sulla

soldiers show blind subservience to their generals - even against the senate - as shown by sullas troops throwing stones and marching on rome

Sulla won the secret dislike of the Senate,, the plebs hated him clearly as they rejected sullas nephew who was a candidate for office and picked others who they thought sulla would be most annoyed by

sulla killed many people - some due to personal reasons, others to gratify his followers - 6k equites killed

sulla introduced proscriptions - without consulting magistrates

he set a price on the head of Marius, an act both ungrateful and undiplomatic

all about plutarch

Highlights scale of proscriptions

Greek biographer writing in 1st-2nd century AD

Interested in moral character rather than strict chronology

Uses biography to teach ethical lessons

Often dramatises personalities and motivations

Useful for insight into character and political culture

Less reliable for exact constitutional detail

appian on sulla

made radical changes, tribune position now a political dead end as they were no longer able to propose legislation to the people and were deprived of their judicial powers and ability to veto and being a tribune made you ineligible for any other office

made it so you could only be a consul once every 10 years