Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus

Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus (died 212 BC) was a Roman republican consul in the Second Punic War. He was son of the Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus who was consul in 238 BC, who was apparently the first man from his branch of the family to become a consul. Political career Gracchus is first mentioned in 216 BC as a curule aedile; he was made magister equitum in the dictatorship of Marcus Junius Pera after the defeat at Cannae. He was elected consul to serve for 215 BC, at the recommendation of the dictator whose orders he had faithfully obeyed even when obliged to abandon Italian allies to their fate. His colleague-elect Lucius Postumius Albinus was killed in an ambush in Gaul on his way home. Marcus Claudius Marcellus was elected suffect consul, but his election was declared invalid by the augurs, who forced him to resign. The invalidity was supposedly the result of patrician agitation, claiming that two plebeians could not serve as consuls together. Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus was then elected suffect consul to serve out the year. During his consulship, Gracchus raised forces and took his forces to garrison Campania and the city of Cumae after conducting the elections for both suffect consuls. During his first consulship, Fabius and the senate decided to enlist slave volunteers into the Roman army in separate legions in return for their freedom. Gracchus was appointed commander of the slave troops. He rapidly became known as an effective general of the volunteer slaves, winning their loyalty and trust for his clemency when some broke and ran from the field.