Gracchi - Definition and Overview

The Gracchi were a noble plebeian family of ancient Rome.

The most notable members were:

• The elder Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus, who was consul in 177 BC;
• His son the younger Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus, tribune in 133 BC
• The younger son of the former and brother of the latter Tiberius, Gaius Sempronius Gracchus, tribune in 123 BC.

The Gracchi brothers, Tiberius and Gaius, went down in history as two martyrs to the cause of social reform. Both were killed by members of the Senate for attempting to make the system more friendly to the lower classes of Rome. The Gracchi were connected through marriage to the Scipiones, Cornelii, Claudii, and Paulli.

See also: Scipio-Paullus-Gracchus family tree