Here is a video of a re-enactment of the murder of Tiberius Gracchus —>
Was the murder of the Tiberius Gracchus justified? Many scholars and historians have widely debated on whether or not this murder was justified. Our group’s job was to determine our own opinions about this murder. Therefore, we defended both sides of the argument. The Pro-Gracchus argument defends the side that his murder was completely unjustified and that the senate killed an innocent man. The Anti-Gracchus argument defends the idea that the murder was justified to eliminate a tyrant.
The actions taken against Gracchus set a new precedent for Roman politics. The murder of Tiberius Gracchus introduced the idea of using violence in order to gain political power. Once this violence was introduced, it only spiraled from there. Tiberius Gracchus committed no illegal crime. He did, although, push legal matters past the points that they had ever been pushed before. Was this enough to be murdered over and then dumped into a river like a criminal? Or was his death completely unjustified?
Sculpted bust of Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus.
Picture Sources:
http://bigpictr.com/?p=4222767833%2C3796848812%2C3820720087%2C3769847051&t=Photos+by+Rob+Sheridan
http://www.livius.org/va-vh/velleius/paterculus2.html