Page:Roman Constitutional History, 753-44 B.C..djvu/174

160 young man, Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus, came forward as the champion of reform. Tiberius and his younger brother Gaius were the grandsons of Africanus the elder. Both had received an excellent education, and were men of refinement and culture. They were the brothers-in-law and cousins of Aemilianus, and belonged in their political views to the Scipionic circle. Tiberius was the son-in-law of Appius Claudius, and his brother Gaius later married the daughter of Mucianus. Tiberius was a man of the noblest character and the best motives. But he was an idealist, lacked political insight, and had scarcely any political experience. In his party attitude he may have been somewhat influenced by resentment and indignation. In 137 he had guaranteed to the Numantines that a treaty which saved the Roman army would be accepted by the Romans; but it was rejected. The Roman commander-in-chief was surrendered to the enemy, and Gracchus, who should have suffered the same fate, escaped through the aid of Scipio, joined to his own popularity.

Agrarian Law of Tiberius Gracchus. — Tiberius became plebeian tribune in December, 134, and immediately proposed an agrarian law, which was in part a renewal of the Licinio-Sextian law. Those now occupying public lands were, according to its provisions, allowed to reserve about three hundred and eleven acres each, and about one hundred and fifty-six acres for one son, or three hundred and eleven acres for two. They were to become the owners of the land reserved and to pay no rent. Moreover, they were to the indemnified for any improvements made on the lands which they surrendered. The public lands, when resumed by the state, were to be distributed among individual poor citizens in parcels not to exceed about nineteen acres each. The parcels were heritable, but could not be alienated, and were to be subject to a moderate rent. A commission of three