How did the Roman elite handle the problem of poverty?
A)Having learned from the Gracchi incidents, Rome periodically redistributed land to the landless.
B)The Roman elite totally ignored the poor.
C)Roman authorities encouraged the excess rural population to move to the cities in order to be retrained.
D)The Roman elite bought off the urban poor by providing free bread and entertainment.
E)Poverty was not a problem because the poor were regularly absorbed into the expanding armed forces.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Roman elite handled the problem of poverty by buying off the urban poor with free bread and entertainment. This was known as the "bread and circuses" policy, which helped to pacify the masses and maintain social stability. This approach became more widespread during the later years of the Roman Empire as social and economic conditions deteriorated.

How Did the Roman Elite Handle the Problem of Poverty