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A few decades after the fall of Carthage, a Roman politician and social reformer called Gaius Sempronius Gracchus tried to establish a Roman colony on the site of the ancient city of Carthage. This colony would last only 30 years, due to the site’s unpopularity with Rome.
Gaius Sempronius Gracchus was born around 153 BCE, in an influential Roman family: his father was a consul, and his mother Cornelia was the daughter of Scipio Africanus, the Roman general who defeated Carthage in the Second Punic War. He was a member of the plebe, the social class composed of free Roman citizens who were not patricians (aristocrats).
After serving in the army, he started a political career; at the time, in 133, his brother Tiberius was serving as plebeian tribune. Together, the two brothers tried to implement certain measures in favor of the poorest Romans. They especially wanted to adopt a land reform, to redistribute land belonging to the State or to the richest landowners. This reform generated hostility from the Senate, as its members were rich patricians who did not want to lose their privileges. Tiberius Gracchus forced the adoption of his project by overstepping his prerogatives as a tribune and usurping the Senate’s powers, which cause fear of an authoritarian shift despite the popularity of his reform. After trying to stand again for a second mandate, he was finally killed, together with his supporters. Roman historians saw his death as the beginning of the decline of the Roman Republic.
Gaius Gracchus was also elected plebeian tribune in 123. At this time, this function was the main check to the power of the Senate in a highly aristocratic Roman Republic. Gaius Gracchus defended a new land reform that went even further than his brother’s reform. He was also aware that the land available in Italy was not enough for all the inhabitants of the peninsula, which is why he became the first to suggest establishing Roman colonies outside of Italy.
By the end of his one-year mandate, Gaius Gracchus left Rome to supervise the establishment of a new colony in Africa: Colonia Junonia, on the site of the ancient city of Carthage. It was the first Roman overseas colony. Gaius Gracchus did not stand again for a second mandate, but he was so popular that he was reelected in absence, without being a candidate.
Despite his personal popularity, he had a hard time convincing his fellow Romans of his colonial project, as they were still very hostile to Carthage. Many even thought that the city’s site was cursed; some superstitious sources mention bad omens while the colony was built.
During his second mandate, Gaius Gracchus proposed a law broadening access to Roman citizenship. This law had a negative impact on his popularity, so that he was not reelected for a third mandate. He continued arguing for new colonies elsewhere in the Mediterranean basin.
After he finished his mandate, his opponents started attacking his program. They especially wanted to put an end to the colony at Carthage. After an incident at a religious ceremony, when a bystander jeered at Gaius Gracchus, and was then stabbed by his supporters, the Senate allowed consul Lucius Opimius to use force against Gaius Gracchus and his allies. Gaius Gracchus was killed, like his brother before him.
After Gaius Gracchus’ death, his colonial project was forgotten. The 3.000 Romans who were already living there stayed, but no others joined them. Colonia Julia would finally disappear after about 30 years. Two generations later, Julius Caesar rebuilt Carthage.
