Agrarian crisis and Gracchus

I. Agrarian crisis
A. Too little Italian land used for food production (population level at 1.5% growth)
B. Land ownership consolidates in hands of few, wealth also consolidates
C. # of voters in top 213 centuries now smaller (i.e. fewer own 750,000 sesterces)
D. Agitation of the poor
E. The census of 131BC showed that there were 318,823 Roman citizens. This represented a drop in population from 337,452 recorded for 159, each census in the intervening years showing a decline. In 125 the number again grew to 394,736. It has been assumed that this increase of 76,000 between 131 and 125 BC resulted from the Gracchan land distributions.
F. Ti. Sempronius Gracchus steps forward to solve problems as tribune in 133

II. Tiberius Gracchus
A. from a wealthy plebeian noble family, father was consul + censor; g-father 3x consul, his mother the famous Cornelia – herself daughter of Scipio Africanus
B. As Tribune in 133 proposes restoring lex Licinia traditional cap of 500 iugera per citizen, with all excess land to be rendered to the state and rented out to landless urban plebs. Hotly opposed by the senatorial magnates, so Tiberius took it directly to the people until M. Octavius, another tribune vetoed it. Tiberius agreed to bring his bill before senatorial debate.
C. After this bill fails in the Senate, Gracchus takes back it to the comitia tributa (why there?) upon which Octavius vetoes it. Gracchus tries to get Octavius to withraw veto, Octavius refuses, Gracchus has Octavius deposed by a vote of the tribes, and pushes through the bill.
D. Second bill to establish a commission of Tiberius, App.Claudius Pulcher, and C. Gracchus to allot the land passes
E. Senate blocks his funding
F. Attalus of Pergamum wills his kingdom to Rome; Tiberius wants to settle the land or its profits for landless urban plebs
G. Against the lex Villia of 180, Tiberius wants to run a second time for Tribune
H. Riots at the election, led by Scipio Nasica, lead to Tiberius’ death
I. Tiberius’ policy goes through, Nasica dies abroad, no one punished
J. Scipio Aemilianus returns and dies mysteriously

III. Gaius Gracchus
A. Laid low after Tiberius’ murder until he was quaestor in 126, tribune in 123
B. Grand legislative program 123-22 and got reelected easily
1. new roads (jobs + more grain to Rome)
2. new colonies near Capua, Tarrentum, Carthage = Junonia
3. storage of grain in horrarea in Ostia for public sale at cost
4. no draft for those under 17, limit to length of military service
5. exiled P. Popillius (cos 132) who had executed Tiberius’ supporters
6. transferred court cases of bad governorship to juries of equestrians
7. set consular provinces for next year before this year’s elections
8. reinstated taxation on new province of Asia (needed revenue), from which publicani benefited immensely

IV. The Fall of Gaius
A. Senate finds its own people’s champion in M. Livius Drusus, who curries favor
B. Gaius Gracchus defeated for third tribunate
C. Senate declares martial law, kills Gaius and 3,000 followers by Opimius (cos 122)
D. Aside from a few modifications, Gracchus program retained
E. Arrival of the Caecilii Metelli as a dominant family