The backbone of the Roman army was the citizen-soldier of some means.
A soldier had to provide his own weapons and armor, and therefore the Roman army consisted of farmers, while the poor
and unemployed avoided military service.
A roman soldier had to serve in 20 campaigns, and therefore many soldiers had to sell their farms, while they served as
soldiers.
When they had served in 20 campaigns, they found themselves with no money and no farm.
This naturally meant, that more and more romans became unemployed.
A patrician general, Tiberius Gracchus, suggested that each soldier should have granted a piece of land by the Senate. This
land should be taken from the estates of rich farmers.
Unfortunately most of the senators were rich farmers, and Tiberius
realized that it would be impossible to get the reforms passed in the Se- nate.
Therefore Tiberius ran for tribune of the people. It was not well-liked for a patrician to be tribune, but in 133 he was
elected.
The Senate now persuaded the other tribune to veto the bill. He just had to go to the speakers podium and say "veto" (
Latin: I deny ).
It was obvious that the reforms would pass, and therefore the other tribune went to the speakers podium to veto.
However some of Tiberius soldiers did not want to see the reforms stopped, and therefore they stopped the tribune and
carried him out of the assembly.
This was the first time in the Roman history, violence had been used for political matters. The reforms passed.
The Senate was absolutely furious. Many of the senators meant, that Tiberius should be stopped, before he made any
further damage.
While a consider Tiberius request of another year as tribune, many of his followers assembled at Forum.
Now the senators thought it to be enough, and a band of them came to forum armed!
Tiberius and 300 of his followers were killed.
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