Gracchuss

Gracchus is a surname of a plebeian family in ancient Rome, most famously associated with the brothers Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus and Gaius Sempronius Gracchus. They were prominent tribunes of the plebs who rose to prominence in the late 2nd century BCE, a period of significant social and economic tension in the Roman Republic.

Tiberius Gracchus served as tribune in 133 BCE. He proposed radical land reforms aimed at redistributing public land, much of which was held by wealthy elites, to landless Roman citizens. His efforts faced fierce opposition from the senatorial aristocracy, and he was ultimately killed in a riot instigated by his political opponents.

His younger brother, Gaius Gracchus, served as tribune in 123 and 122 BCE. Gaius pursued a broader reform agenda than his brother, encompassing not only land distribution but also grain subsidies, judicial reforms, and extending Roman citizenship to Italian allies. Like Tiberius, Gaius encountered strong resistance from the Senate. Facing political isolation and the threat of arrest, he committed suicide in 121 BCE.

The Gracchi brothers' reforms and their violent deaths are considered pivotal events in Roman history, marking a turning point in the increasingly bitter political struggles between the populares, who advocated for popular interests, and the optimates, who defended the traditional power of the Senate. Their legacy remains a subject of historical debate, with some viewing them as courageous reformers and others as demagogues who destabilized the Republic.