Title: H102_25 Fall of the Roman Republic, 133-27 BC
Headings: Lecture 26: Fall of the
Roman
Republic
, 133-27 BC

Lecture 26: Fall of the Roman Republic , 133-27 BC
I. FOUR STEPS TO THE FALL OF THE REPUBLIC 133-27 BC
II. Causes of the Political Decline:
Economic and Social Changes Consequent to Imperialism
2. Heightened Status of Roman Senators.

Content: C. Gracchus also attempted to grant Italian allies Roman citizen status. Both men were killed with their political followings through urban mob violence fomented by the aristocracy. 2. THE RISE OF PRIVATE ARMIES. When the oligarchy failed to resolve the military problem, Roman generals, specifically C. Marius (consul 106, 104-100 BC) and L. Cornelius Sulla (consul 88, dictator 82-79 BC), recruited private armies more loyal to themselves than to the state. In addition to the draft, they recruited landless poor citizens by offering them bounties and land upon discharge. The soldier's status as Roman or allied mattered little to these generals either, both of whom made extensive grants of citizenship to allied forces. Ultimately, the two men came to blows in 88 BC in the midst of the Social War and the Asian rebellion induced by Mithradates. So violent were popular feelings that Sulla was able to persuade his field army in southern Italy to march on the city of Rome to expel Marius and his followers. So began the first Civil War and the gradual transference of soldiers’ loyalties from the laws of the state to the persons of their commanding officers.