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Quiz for Primary Source 5.4: Plutarch on the Reforms of Gaius Gracchus

Question

1. According to Plutarch, what was the main motive behind Gaius Gracchus’s decision to champion reform?

To alleviate the plight of the Roman poor

To make himself dictator

To return the republic to its original constitution

To win the favor of the people and undermine the power of the Senate

Correct. The answer is d. Plutarch presented Gracchus as working to consolidate his own power and undermine that of his opponents in the Senate.

Incorrect. The answer is d. Plutarch presented Gracchus as working to consolidate his own power and undermine that of his opponents in the Senate.

Question

2. Which of Gracchus’s reforms presented a direct threat to the power of Roman senators?

The division of public land among poor citizens

The clothing of soldiers at public expense

The expansion of the number of Roman citizens eligible to sit as judges

The granting of Italians the same voting rights as citizens

Correct. The answer is c. Prior to the reforms, only senators were eligible to sit as judges, giving them great power over other Roman citizens. The reforms divided responsibility for the judiciary equally between senators and citizens of equestrian rank.

Incorrect. The answer is c. Prior to the reforms, only senators were eligible to sit as judges, giving them great power over other Roman citizens. The reforms divided responsibility for the judiciary equally between senators and citizens of equestrian rank.

Question

3. According to Plutarch, what message did Gracchus seek to convey through his actions and policies?

That he was a friend of the poor and the humble

That he was a mighty warrior

That he was the champion of traditional Roman virtues

That he alone was capable of ruling Rome

Correct. The answer is a. Plutarch linked Gracchus’s decisions to live near the forum and his efforts to ensure that the poor could attend a gladiatorial exhibition to his desire to impress the common people of Rome.

Incorrect. The answer is a. Plutarch linked Gracchus’s decisions to live near the forum and his efforts to ensure that the poor could attend a gladiatorial exhibition to his desire to impress the common people of Rome.