The Agrarian Law of Spurius Thorius (119/118 BC?): Some Notes

Authors

  • Roman V. Lapyrionok Irkutsk National Research Technical University, 83, ul. Lermontova, Irkutsk, 664074, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2597-9107

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu20.2024.203

Abstract

This paper considers one of the key events in the course of the post-Gracchan agrarian reform when the lex Thoria agraria was passed. This law sought to counter the effects of the political crisis brought about by the agrarian reform of Tiberius Gracchus. The author puts forward a hypothesis that the so-called sententia Minuciorum, an epigraphic document which is dated to 117 BC, can be regarded as a source for the agrarian law of Spurius Thorius. The argument is based on both ancient narrative of the lex Thoria agraria (Cicero, Appian) and two well-known inscriptions from the post-Gracchan time, the Sententia Minuciorum and the agrarian law of 111 BC. The author points out that the Sententia Minuciorum is the first epigraphic document in which a rent imposed on any part of the ager occupatorius is mentioned and that a rent paid in silver is also attested in the post-Gracchan time (117 BC) for the very first time. This fact could be well combined with Appian’s narrative of three post-Gracchan agrarian laws and the lex Thoria agraria, in particular (App. BC 1. 27). In conclusion, the author points out that the enactment of the lex Thoria agraria must be regarded as an historical triumph of the large landowners in Rome, because its provisions, as discussed above, denied poor Romans (by means of land distribution) direct access to the resources of the ager publicus populi Romani.

Keywords:

agrarian reform of Tiberius Gracchus, post-Gracchan agrarian reform, Spurius Thorius, public land of the Roman people, the Minucii brothers, agrarian law of 111 BC

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Published

2024-12-30

How to Cite

Lapyrionok, R. V. (2024). The Agrarian Law of Spurius Thorius (119/118 BC?): Some Notes. Philologia Classica, 19(2), 244–252. https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu20.2024.203

Issue

Vol. 19 No. 2 (2024)

Section

Orbis Romanus

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Articles of "Philologia Classica" are open access distributed under the terms of the License Agreement with Saint Petersburg State University, which permits to the authors unrestricted distribution and self-archiving free of charge.