Rome, Blood and Politics: Reform, Murder and Popular Politics in the Late Republic 133-70 BC

The last century of the Roman Republic saw the consensus of the ruling elite shattered by a series of high-profile politicians who proposed political or social reform programs, many of which culminated in acts of bloodshed on the streets of Rome itself. This began in 133 BC with the military recruitment reforms of Tiberius Gracchus, which saw him and his supporters lynched by a mob of angry Senators. He was followed by a series of radical politicians, each with their own agenda that challenged the status quo of the Senatorial elite. Each met a violent response from elements of the ruling order, leading to murder and even battles on the streets of Rome. These bloody political clashes paralyzed the Roman state, eventually leading to its collapse. Covering the period 133 - 70 BC, this volume analyzes each of the key reformers, what they were trying to achieve and how they met their end, narrating the long decline of the Roman Republic into anarchy and civil war.
About the Author: Dr Gareth Sampson holds a Phd in Ancient History from Manchester University and now lectures on Roman history. His previous books were the Defeat of Rome (2008), The Crisis of Rome: Marius and the Jugurthine and Northern Wars (2011), The Collapse of Rome (2013) and The Eagle Spreads Her Wings: Roman Expansion Between the Punic Wars (2016), all published by Pen & Sword.