The Gracchi brothers emerged from a prestigious family, yet they were plebeians in a corrupt Roman Republic where wealth and land were concentrated among the elite. Tiberius, the elder, followed a promising political path, serving in key military roles and as quaestor, while their mother Cornelia stood out as a remarkable figure in Roman history, influencing her sons' careers and embodying the ideal Roman woman. The backdrop of land scarcity and unemployment among citizens set the stage for the brothers' future reforms.
