Gracchus proposed a law known as Lex Sempronia Agraria. The law would reorganize control of the ager publicus, or public land; meaning land conquered in previous wars that was controlled by the state but leased to citizens. Under Ti. Gracchus' proposal, no one citizen would be allowed to possess more than 500 iugera (that is, approximately 310
acres, or 130
hectares) of the ager publica and any land that they occupied above this limit would be confiscated by the state. To mollify these landowners, they would be allowed to purchase and own their land, instead of just renting it from the state.