
Originally Posted by
Pannonian
Rome depended on grain from the conquered provinces, such as Sicily, Africa, and later Egypt. About the migration to Rome:
1. Hannibal scourges land. Result: land is devastated.
2. Land conquered from enemies and confiscated from former allies turned rebels. There aren't enough small farmers to work all of it, so large tracts are rented out to large landowners who can work them with clients, and thus provide the state with taxes.
3. Roman campaigns abroad require men serving for extended periods. Result: small farmers called away for long periods, and smallholdings become neglected through lack of manpower.
4. Large numbers of slaves captured from Roman conquests abroad. Result: rich landowners can work their farms with slave labour, resulting in economies which small farmers cannot match.
5. Small farmers are unable to make a living from their farms, so they sell up and move to Rome in search of better fortune.
Among the Gracchi, Gaius was by far the most revolutionary and influential. Tiberius tried to effect land reforms that weren't revolutionary in and of themselves, and was killed before he had the chance to push on. But Gaius effected reforms that affected the very structure of Roman society, creating a fully realised split between equites and the senatorial class, setting up the corn dole, looking to extend citizenship to all Italians, and other reforms.
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