Page:Roman Constitutional History, 753-44 B.C..djvu/179

Rh sum totaL There could be no better justification of the reform than this, nor could there be any greater charge against the ruling class than the conditions thus revealed, and the unwillingness to remedy them in a constitutional way.

When the commission had apparently distributed the lands occupied by Roman citizens and was proceeding to reclaim public lands in the possession of Latins and other allies, Scipio Aemilianus was entreated by the Latins to protect them, and in 129 secured the passage of a law remitting to the consuls the task of deciding what lands belonged to the state. This was practically a suspension of the work of distribution, which had probably gone as far as was beneficial. But it was possibly this interference which caused the death of Scipio, the noblest and most generous citizen of Rome.

II. The Revolution of Gaius Gracchus.

The Political Parties. — In the time of Aemilianus, the contrast between the two highest classes and the rest of the people resulted in the formation of two new parties, the aristocrats (optimates, boni cives) and the democrats (populares). The former favored and advocated a government by the best men, in reality by the noble and the rich. It was naturally conservative, as its members were already supreme in politics and in wealth. The democrats professed belief in a government by the people for the public welfare. They, too, were working for themselves, but relied on the people, not on the senate. As they did not possess, but desired, the control of the government and wealth for themselves or their adherents, they were in favor, not necessarily of progress, but of change. They were radicals. The party lines and programs had been rather indefinite, but recent events made them distinct and definite. The democrats endeavored chiefly to maintain the agrarian law, and individual leaders