Description
The Punic Wars are over, but Rome now faces a crisis due to internal strife in the aftermath of the wars. Certain people are calling for reforms while others are adamantly opposed to any type of change or reform. Which will you be? Will you oppose reform or will you propose reform?
Choose a character from the people listed below. Choose wisely! You have to keep up the persona you choose throughout the entire debate, so make sure you like that character and his/her point of view!
Tiberius Gracchus
Gaius Gracchus
An owner of a latifunida
A Roman Senator
A territorial governor
An unemployed farmer living in the city of Rome
A non-Roman citizen living in the conquered territories
INSTRUCTIONS: For this debate, you will write a two-three paragraph individual statement from your character’s point of view. What you write in your individual statement must answer the questions asked below–think of your statement as the time each person gets in a formal debate to present their arguments.
Then, choose two different students’ statements that particularly resonate with you. Write a response to each of these students from your character’s point of view. Think of the student responses as the part of a debate that each side gets for their rebuttal. At least one of your two student responses must be to a character whose viewpoint is opposite of yours.
Answer and address each of the following questions in your individual statement and student responses. Make sure that you give specific examples from the readings. Use a lot of historical facts and details to answer the questions.
- Discuss why the veterans returning home to Italy after fighting the 2nd Punic War could not get back to life as usual. What was their dilemma? What difficulties did the war vets come up against?
- Keeping the focus on Italy, discuss the problems/issues the plebeians had with the patricians in Rome (i.e. the capital city of the Roman Empire) after the Punic Wars. Exactly what were the plebeians upset about? What did the patricians do that caused such an uproar with the lower classes?
- Switching gears to the conquered territories, what policies did Rome enact to govern the areas they conquered? Discuss how Rome maintained order and established its dominance, especially when the regions were located far away from Italy.
- Keeping the focus on the conquered territories, discuss the problems the conquered people experienced with Roman dominance. What dilemma did the plebeians in the conquered territories face? What were their issues with Roman rule?
- Discuss the reform movements in Rome after the Punic Wars. What reforms did the tribunes propose? Why did plebeians feel the need for reform? Why did the patricians dislike the proposed reforms?
- Last but most certainly not least, does your character support reform? Why or why not? What reasons does your character give to support of their opinion?
Sample Solution
