Marcus Livius Drusus
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Marcus Livius Drusus was the name of two magistrates in the Roman Republic.
The elder Marcus Livius Drusus was set up as tribune by the Senate in 122 BC to undermine Gaius Gracchus' land reform bills. To do this, he proposed creating twelve colonies with 3000 settlers each from the poorer classes, and relieving rent on property distributed since 133. He also said the Latin allies should not be mistreated by Roman generals, which was the counteroffer to Gaius' offer of full citizenship. These were known as the Leges Liviae, but they were never enacted, because the Senate simply wanted to draw support away from Gracchus. Their plan was successful and Drusus had enough support to veto Gaius' bill. Drusus was later consul in 112 and fought in the Balkans under Marius. In 109 he was elected censor along with the elder Marcus Aemilius Scaurus, but he died the next year in 108.
The younger Marcus Livius Drusus, son of the above, was tribune in 91. He wanted to grant citizenship rights to the Italian allies, and was allies with the younger Marcus Aemilius Scaurus and Marcus Licinius Crassus. To gain support from the plebs he set up a commission to grant them more land, both around Rome and in new colonies, and lowered the price of grain. He wanted to reform the judicial system, possibly by mixing together the Senatorial and Equestrian courts (which would then be subject to a special law against corruption), or possibly by enlarging the Senate with Equites, who would act as jurors in Senatorial courts. This was vehemently opposed by both sides, and despite his friendship with Crassus, he gradually lost support from the Senate, the equites, the Roman population who did not want the Italians to become citizens, and wealthy Italian landlords who did not want to lose their land. His bills were declared invalid, and he was soon assassinated. However, the expansion of the Senate that he proposed was later carried out by Sulla in 81.de:Marcus Livius Drusus fi:Marcus Livius Drusus