Answer:
The correct answer is B. The reforms of Gaius and Tiberius Gracchus resulted in further instability and violence as they polarized various social groups.
Explanation:
The reforms of the Gracchus were a series of laws and proposals made in the years 133, 123 and 122 BC by the brothers Tiberius Gracchus and Gaius Gracchus. They were children of the general and statesman Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus, of the family of the Scipios. During this period, both brothers obtained the position of tribune of the plebs, from whose magistracy they could elaborate and propose a series of laws that were going to favor:
-The urban plebs.
-The italics who did not have Roman citizenship.
-The knights (equestrian order).
The laws were detrimental to the aristocratic class, the so-called optimates (word meaning "good among the good"), which constituted the majority of the Senate. Thus, two parties with different economic and political interests were organized: Â
-The Popular Party, headed by the Gracchus brothers; the popular ones approached the real problems that the Republic endured, posing them through the tribunes of the plebs and with the support of the military leaders whose armies were in the condition of poor citizens. They resorted to violence on multiple occasions, as did their opponents.
-Party of the optimates, constituted by the aristocratic class or citizens of the first orders. They had great interests to defend, both political and economic. They reacted violently to the new laws presented by the popular through the Gracchus brothers.
In the year 121 BC, and after multiple revolts and clashes between the two parties, the Senate authorized the consul Lucius Opimius to take any action, inside or outside the law, to end the policy followed by Gaius Gracchus. As a consequence, many of Gaius' followers were killed and Gaius himself killed himself. Such events are considered very serious in the history of Rome because according to the law, sacrilege was committed when a tribune of the plebs was touched and it was forbidden to kill any Roman citizen before he could turn to the courts.
