The bequest of Pergamum to Rome must have ignited some fires of an almost all-consuming greed in the hearts of men in the Republic. Pergamum was known for the collossal majesty of her monuments, and also the wealth of the cities under her rule, indeed this was the most magnificent bequest in history. However--the wealth of Pergamum posed a huge question for Rome. How was the enormous wealth of the kingdom to be handled? The Senate was supposed to have responsibility for the way the wealth of Pergamum was to be appropriated. Membership in this body of three hundred of Rome's best and brightest was not guaranteed by birth, but by achievement and reputation. The Senate's deliberations carried enormous moral and guiding authority, however its decrees did not have the technical force of the law. Even so -only a very brave or foolish magistrate would ignore them. It was the Senate that cemented the foundation of the Republic together with the people. "Senatus Populusque Romanus" or "SPQR" was the shorthand that referred to the constitution of the Republic. This phrase or its abbreviation was stamped on everything from the smallest of coins to the most majestic official buildings and temples, that described the bond between the Senate and the people. However, the bequest of Pergamum was about to open up a Pandora's Box of troubles for the Senate, the people and Rome herself. First of all, news of the new wealth from the East, literally seemed to appear as a gift from the heavens for the previously mentioned Tiberius Gracchus in his quest to help the poor of Rome. He wanted the treasure to be spent on funding his ambitious reforms. Of course, the people agreed with him, but his fellow senators did not, and ended up being partly responsible for his murder. Some other things showed just how paradoxical this 'gift' from the East were: Romans had long associated gold with moral corruption and the idea of inheriting a fabulously wealthy kingdom was anathema to ancient Roman values. The matter of governance was a more pragmatic and immediate concern to Rome than the lofty upholding of ancient values. The Republic had always considered provinces bothersome to administrate. Rather than impose direct rule on the kingdoms of the East, the Senate practiced a delicate maneuver of exploitation, but from a distance preferrably-only intervening when absolutely necessary.
This policy was practiced in Pergamum, until the kingdom started to disintegrate into anarchy, which threatened the stability of the surrounding areas. Rome sent in an army. It took several years before the region was brought back under control, and even then, the Senate didn't establish Rome's first province in Asia until 129 BC. The commissioners sent to oversee the kingdom were told to enforce the laws of the kings they were replacing. This was part of the unique 'isolationism' Rome practiced. Respect was what the Republic truly demanded from the people it conquered and ruled over. As long as there was sufficient deference in the way the ambassadors from the East came to learn of the Senate's every desire; as long as the barbarians of the West feared any military engagements with the legions in Gaul or Hispania, everything was fine. It was all fine and good for the senatorial elite, who already had more than their fair share of wealth and status to feel this way about respect offered to Rome. But what of the people of lesser status in Rome, to say nothing of the vast mass of the poor-they wanted their share of the Pergamene loot too, and they found a spokesman for this in none other than Gaius Gracchus.
To anyone who reads this blog-I am going to be posting information to it as soon as I can. I have a long way to go before I have anything remotely resembling what I wanted this blog to look like.I am working on a very large project for my other blog-and I hope it does not 'die' as I get things together. My health is becoming an issue again, and I had to finally decide to concentrate on the 3 things that most interest me. The 3 things being history-as I feel we can still learn from it-the second being my major subject (topic) for my other blog which I have no clue how long it will take to get together-and also the new 'book' :-) I have decided to write-and keep my personal life story to myself-although having said this, I agree with a dear friend overseas who I have never met-but feel I have known him all my life-that everyone should write "their" story-whether for public or private. The thing I most had to discard was constantly doing 'little subjects' constantly in between at my other blog-although this is not to say anything against them as I think the study of paranormal phenomena is of immense value-what I had to do was slow down the speed over there with always getting into a new subject so quickly-I would love to be able to do it-but I know longer have the energy to juggle that much at one time-I may have another post here by the am-as I have to do an all-nighter tonight-providing connection holds and my back pain is at a tolerable level. Peace and be well to anyone stopping by!
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