Republic Civil War

Civil War and the Destruction of the Republic By the time Gaius Marius became a consul in 107 B.C.E., opposition to reform was widespread within the Senate. Nevertheless, Marius reorganized the military by allowing landless citizens to join the army in return for land as a retirement pension. He then created a professional army with standardized training and equipment that was more effective for waging the growing number of extended military campaigns the Republic was involved in. Because their pensions were tied to the conquered territories, these professional soldier’s loyalties were joined to the generals under whom they served in order to receive those pensions. Thus Rome’s armies became more the property of her generals rather than
The Social War would see the rise of Lucius Sulla to both military and political power as he led the southern Legions to victory during the rebellion. Marius had returned from retirement to lead the northern Legions. Once the Social War was ended, this created a power duel between the two commanders. The Republic soon fell into full-scale civil war, requiring Sulla to direct his Legions against Marius’ supporters holding Rome. Sulla became the first general to lead Roman legions against the city of Rome itself. The war would rage on for one and a half years before Sulla prevailed. He then carried out a series of purges to remove his enemies, a political tool that was becoming more and more common in the Republic. With much of his opposition removed and an air of terror instilled, Sulla was appointed dictator, whereby he then doubled the size of the Senate and gave it veto power over the Plebeian Assembly, in effect changing the balance of power in the government. At the same time, this gave him overwhelming support from the Senate. He also stripped the tribunes of much of their power, while limiting the powers of provincial governors. Sulla would resign his dictatorship for a consulship
Within the next decade, Sulla’s march on Rome would be repeated again and again as first Marcus Lepidus and then Pompey Magnus would march armies on the city of Rome in attempts to seize power. The Roman Republic would be rocked at is core by a slave revolt in 73 B.C.E. Led by a gladiator named Spartacus, some 70,000 slaves and gladiators would carry their rebellion across the Italian peninsula. In the process their numbers would swell to over 100,000 and they would defeat no les that five Roman Legions in battle before the revolt was ultimately crushed by combined Legions under Crassus and Pompey. The revolt, known as the Third Servile War was a clear indication that the Republic had lost its hold on even the most controlled of its inhabitants. Crassus and Pompey would then march their armies to the walls of Rome and demand to be made consuls. In the face of this threat, the Senate appointed both men to office. With these developments the existence of a true republican government existed in name only. Pompey would go on to greater military fame as he was given extraordinary military command over Roman forces to deal with long standing