Watch Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire Season 1 Episode 1 Online

Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus first makes a mark on history winning the golden crown from General Scipio Aemilianus by being first over the wall at the victorious Battle of Carthage. Back in Rome, now the "capital of the world", he finds the growing gap between rich and poor threatening the foundations of the republic. Urged to achieve greatness through further military exploits, he sets out with reinforcements for the campaign of General Gaius Hostilius Mancinus against the rebellious Numantine tribe in Spain but is defeated and forced to negotiate a peace treaty that the Senate later refuses to ratify. His actions, while repudiated in the Senate, have made him a hero amongst the Roman people and his new father-in-law Senator Appius Claudius Pulcher supports him in a successful campaign to become their Tribune. He snubs the Senate and takes his proposed land reforms directly to the People's Assembly, where his old friend Octavius vetoes them. He brings the city to a standstill when he vetoes all other business in response and has Octavius deposed. Octavius and the Senate spread false rumours that he intends to make himself king and in the ensuing unrest he is murdered.