8/14/2019 Deadly struggles within the roman republic
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History IV
Chapter 30
pp. 26-29
Deadly struggles within the RomanRepublic
The Gracchi, Marius, Sulla & Pompey
the GreatRead pages 26-29 in your textbook and answer the
following questions.
1. Why did conflicts begin to erupt between the populares and
the optimates in the 1st
century BC? What might the Roman Senate have done to solve the
conflict? Think of 2
possible solutions. (3 pts)
2. How did Tiberius Gracchus attempt to undermine the Senate?
Why did he have
support from the popular assembly? How did his political
opponents deal with him? (3 pts)
3. How did Gaius Sempronius Gracchus continue and extend his
brothers political agenda?
What effect did these maneuvers have on the aristocratic Senate?
Why do you think hisagenda provoked so much physical violence in
Rome? Your textbook is not very clear about
his death - why do you think he committed suicide? (4 pts)
4. Marius was a novus homo what did this mean? Why would this
category be a threat to
the aristocracy? (2 pts)
5. Who supported Marius and why? (1 pt)
20 pts total
score: _____
8/14/2019 Deadly struggles within the roman republic
2/3
History IV
Chapter 30
pp. 26-29
6. Why do you think Marius and his followers were so violent? (1
pt)
7. Sulla switched sides, going from a supporter of Marius to his
most brutal enemy. Why
do you suppose Sulla became Marius greatest rival? What
motivations did he have? (2pts)
8. What were proscriptions and why do you suppose they made Rome
and Italy an unstable
place? (2 pts)
9. How did Sullas actions reverse the legacy of the Gracchi? Why
would this be a
significant victory for the aristocrats? (2 pts)
10. How did Pompey begin to build his power base? On whose side
was he? How did
Pompeys military brilliance provide safety for Rome and also
serve to enlarge the Roman
Empire? (3 pts)
Anyone with a knowledge of Roman history at the end of the
Republic must know the terms
populares and optimates. These were not political parties per
se, but rather descriptions of how a
Roman politician would build his base of power.
Optimates were politicians who exercised power in traditional
ways, through the recognized
channels of the senate and magisterial offices. An optimate
would appeal to his peers in the upper
classes to strengthen his position.
Populares were politicians who sought to exercise their
influence, not through the senate andmagistrates as was
traditional, but through appeals directly to the Roman people. They
often used
the office of tribune, an office specifically created to
represent the plebs, and proposed reforms
that would benefit the lower classes.
11. Were these political figures considered Populares or
Optimates? (2 pts)
a. Marius -
b. Sulla -
