The people's tribune is ... The history of Ancient Rome

Social struggle has always been interesting to researchers, and the history of Ancient Rome became the center of the research of scientists in the Renaissance. The works accumulated since then cover almost all aspects of the political, cultural, and economic development of the tsarist, republican and imperial periods. As a result of the class struggle between powerless plebeians and omnipotent patricians, a new post was created, designed to protect the lower strata of the population.

Origin of the Institute of People's Tribunes

The people's tribune is an elective post, the main purpose of which was to ensure the legal protection of the common people against the willfulness of the authorities.

The plebeians are practically a disenfranchised category of the population, which was formed as a result of social struggle. They were entitled to a small piece of land. But it was the plebeians that sought to rely on the Roman royal power, they wanted to make the main force of the army. For the first time, the mixing of the lower and higher layers of the population occurred during the reign of Servius Tullius. He reformed the administrative system - territorial tribes came to the place of tribal tribes. The male population was divided into 6 categories regardless of origin. During the tsarist period, the election of the authorities was virtually eliminated, but with the establishment of the republic, people's assemblies began to be assembled. The centuriate comitia replaced the king and had similar powers. Patricia monopolized power in the Senate. At the same time, the struggle of the plebeians for rights is exacerbated - they wanted to get equal opportunities with the patricians in public life, they tried to limit the debt interest. In 494 BC. E. - in protest against the senate - the plebs are gathered on the Holy Mountain. This was the first secession. The Senate made concessions and allowed to organize a magistrate and introduce the position of defenders of people's rights.

What does the word "people's tribune" mean? It comes from the concept of "tribe" - a community in ancient Rome. So called representatives from the common people, his defenders, elected every year.

Struggle for rights

The plebeians had the opportunity to provide armed resistance, since by that time many were in the army and had certain skills. The people's tribune is a post that arose as a result of a campaign against the patricians. The latter were frightened and made concessions. But not everyone was happy about the formation of a new position. Fierce fighting led Marcius Coriolanus - he launched a large-scale war. The battle was stopped at the request of the patricians themselves, who wished to establish peace. Then it became clear what the word "people's tribune" really means - not just an elective office, but the result of the aspirations and struggle of the entire unqualified people of Rome. Social struggle showed the consistency of the new post and its strength.

Powers and responsibilities

The main task was to protect the rights of the common people - the plebs. The rostrum could influence the decision of the magistrate, the senate. They had no power only over censors and dictators. Their rights were expressed in the ability to veto, fine magistrates, ordinary citizens for various violations. Over time, they received and legislative rights.

The doors of his house had to be open to the people always - the people's tribune, a sacred person in Rome, was obliged at any time to provide support and protection to those who needed it. You can say that he was tied to Rome - you could not leave the city for more than a day.

This post was the center of development of democratic ideas and aspirations. But they had to work together, otherwise the confrontation caused stagnation and the inability to make a single decision. At different times, powers and rights were different and gradually disappeared during the empire.

Development of a new post

With the approval of the tribunate of enemies, the plebeians did not become smaller. The most ambitious struggle against them was led by the patriotic clan Apiev Klavdiev. The chronology of the events of the republican period is studied in school, the theme is "Ancient Rome" (5th grade).

Over time, the tribunes became larger - the number increased to 10. During the reign of the Decemvirs, the post was temporarily abolished. The resumption of the activity of the tribunes is connected with the adoption of the laws of the "XII tables". They have changed a lot: the rights, powers, the composition of tribes.

According to the laws of Valeria and Horace, the plebiscite had national power. The popular tribunes in Rome gradually received legislative rights. Soon an unequal marriage of plebeians and patricians was resolved. By IV century BC. E. The committees of the tribunes became the legislative assembly. At that time, a great victory was achieved - obtaining part of the land from the "common field" of the conquered lands, debt obligations became not so burdensome. The plebeians could claim the position of consul - the first was Licinius Stolon. For the IV century BC. E. The people's tribune is an inviolable state person with the right to legislative initiative.

The Time of Great Laws

Guy and Tiberius Gracchi - the people's tribunes, who managed to adopt the most fateful laws related to the agrarian situation in the country. A special commission was created to work on the draft law. The essence of the proposal is the nationalization of the lands, thanks to which many people have become rich in wealth, and transferring them to the people. The People's Assembly passed the law, but the patricians began to provide armed resistance. Tiberius was killed, but his activities continued Guy.

He was also elected a people's tribune, but he pursued a different policy. His laws were more flexible in relation to all layers. Judicial reform elevated the riders, practically equating their influence to the greatness of the senators. Gai made a lot of efforts to create overseas colonies. His main goal was Carthage.

Guy's activity frightened the patricians. The Senate gave preference to the opponent of Gracchus, as a result, the reformer was also killed - under his own order the slave inflicted a mortal wound on the rostrum. This decision was made because of the death of Guy's supporters in an armed duel with the Senate. The reforms of the Gracchi brothers were defeated.

Years of decline

The Senate gradually limited the rights of the tribunes. For a short period, due to the opposition of optimas and populists, their influence and prestige again increased. But the unsettled land problem hit the popularity of the tribunate. An attempt by Libya Drusa to implement his agrarian bill ended fatal - he was killed.

Weakened the rostrum and dictator Cornelius Sulla. Under his law, the Senate had to confirm legislative initiatives. And the rostrum could not claim a position higher. At the time of the consuls of Crassus and Pompey, all privileges were temporarily restored.

The post lost its former meaning after the coming to power of Julius Caesar - he declared himself an eternal people's tribune. All the emperors did the same. Finally, the post disappeared in the III century AD. E. The people's tribune was only a relic of the republican period of Rome's development.