Marcus Livius Drusus

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Last update:  29.12.2016

Marcus Livius Drusus was a Roman "Tribune of the Plebs". In 91 BC, he used the power of his office to propose an extraordinary series of reforms aimed at solving Rome's most pressing problems of the day. The most dramatic of these were (1) a land bill to redistribute public land to the poor and (2) full Roman citizenship for all of Italia.

The Assembly of the People passed these laws, but the Senate, fearful of dilutions to their own power and of Drusus' increasingly popular appeal, ultimately overturned them after ruthless political maneuvers. The results were tragic -- an assassin murdered Drusus in his home and the Italians rose in open rebellion via the Social War of 91-88 BC.