The Social Wars: A Long Simmering Conflict Boils Over

1
The Social Wars A Long Simmering Conflict
Boils Over
2
The Roman Franchise

• By the late second century BCE the franchise had
  been extended to some of the allied states
  outside of Rome. But
• These groups were always under-represented in
  Roman politics rarely could significant numbers
  come to Rome for a particular meeting.

3
The Land Commission

• This under-representation caused friction under
  Ti. Gracchus land-reform proposalssince much
  land would come from allies territories.
• Acting in allies interests, Scipio Aemilianus
  passed law limiting land commissions
  scope/ability to take allies land following
  death of Ti. Gracchus.

4
Fregellae

• The next few years see the situation of the
  Italian allies come to the fore.
• Allies protests lead to law preventing
  non-Romans from settling in Rome.
• M. Fulvius Flaccus' attempts to extend the
  franchise/ provide protections against Roman
  magistrates are voted down.
• Fregellae revolts, indicating how serious the
  problem had become.

5
Gaius Gracchus

• Gaius Grachhus downfall , in fact, comes when
  he attempts to extend the franchise to the cities
  of Italy, a move that displeased the nobles and
  the urban plebs alike.
• This proposal causes Gaius to lose his bid for a
  third term as tribuneand leads to the riot in
  which Gaius is killed.

6
Saturninus

• In 100 Marius returns to Rome victorious and
  seeking land for his soldiers.
• Saturninus passes the necessary legislation by
  his usual methods, but includes a modest proposal
  regarding the Latin and Italian allies who had
  fought with Marius, providing them with land and,
  in some cases, the franchise.
• This leads to open battles in the Forum between
  Marius' veterans and the urban mob, who were
  vehemently against giving land allotments and the
  franchise to the allies.

7
A Festering Issue

• With the death of Saturninus and the
  decommissioning of Marius' army, we find an
  uneasy return to the status quo, with the Senate
  maintaining its traditional authority, but
  tensions persist.
• The "Italian question" continues to fester.
  Various attempts to extend the franchise to the
  Italians are defeated, often through violent
  tactics of the sort employed by Saturninus (gangs
  of thugs, assassination).
• In 91, tensions boil over and the Romans find
  themselves confronted by an armed revolt
  throughout central and southern Italy. This
  conflict is known as the Social War (91-89).

8
The Death of Drusus

• Precipitating event was assassination of Marcus
  Livius Drusus, tribune in 91 BCE.
• While aim was to strengthen Senate, his reforms
  would have granted the allies Roman citizenship.
• He lost support from the Senate, the equites, the
  Roman plebs, and wealthy Italian landlords.
• In retaliation, his previous bills were declared
  invalid, and he was soon assassinated.
• Loss of proponent in Rome led allies to revolt

9
Italia

• The most inveterate of Rome's opponents were the
  Samnites of south-central Italy.
• Like the South in the American Civil War under
  Robert E. Lee, the rebels could draw on local
  military expertise and were a force to be
  reckoned with.
• To quell the revolt, the Romans grant the
  franchise to those allies who remain loyal or lay
  down their arms. This eventually brings
  hostilities to a conclusion, but only after a
  bitter war.

10
Mithdirates

• Mithridates takes advantage of Social War to
  expand kingdom.
• Romans put surprisingly quick end to bitter
  struggle.
• Essentially grant allies franchise demands.

11
Gerrymandering

• The granting of the franchise does not end the
  allies' dissatisfaction.
• Although virtually all free men in Italy and
  Cisalpine Gaul had been granted Roman citizenship
  by 89, they were registered within a relatively
  few tribes, thus limiting the impact of their
  vote.

12
Sulpicius

• The conclusion of the Social War also saw more
  populares spring up with various proposals for
  reform, all aimed at winning the new "Italian"
  vote.
• P. Sulpicius Rufus in 88 proposed to divide the
  Italians evenly among the existing 35 tribes
  (thus undoing the gerrymandering that to date had
  limited the Italians political influence) and to
  expel from the Senate those senators who were in
  debt.
• To win Marius' support, Sulpicius proposes giving
  him the command against Mithridates.

13
Sulla and the Allies

• This causes Sulla to march on Rome.
• Having regained control of Rome, Sulla instituted
  a series of reforms designed to restore the
  Senate to its traditional authority. The main
  features included
• A measure giving the Senate a veto over acts
  passed by the popular assemblies
• The addition of 300 new members to the Senate
  (bring number to about 500), most drawn from the
  Italian equites and all loyal to Sulla.