Notes

Control over the army became the key to success. Gaius Marius (155-86 BC), a government leader and general, reformed the army of the republic. By removing the requirement that soldiers must own land to serve in the army, he opened the door for farm labourers and debtor farmers to enlist. He also made the army a full-time professional force. Soldiers were supplied with all their weapons and clothing, and were trained in a uniform manner.

These military reforms helped make the republic more secure, but they had serious consequences at home. Romans who signed up for a term of 16 (later 20) years in the military expected something in return for their services. Many of them were land­less poor. They wanted a share in any military booty, and a piece of land from the grateful government when they retired from the army. When the government failed to provide these land grants, soldiers turned to their generals for support, transferring their loyalty from the state to their commanders. From then on, anyone who wanted to control Rome needed the support of the army.

A number of men seeking the leadership of the republic plunged Rome into turmoil. Often their drive for power was so great that they would use any means to achieve their goals. Most followed the same plan of attack. They gained command of a professional army, used it in an imperial cause to gain booty for themselves and their soldiers, and therefore won the army's undying loyalty. They then used the army to march into Rome and seize power.