Changes

Rome in 100 BC was a fast-growing power. Originally, Rome was only a small settlement on the Tiber. However, by force of arms, it was able to expand its power across much of Italy. The defeat of the Carthaginian Empire meant that Rome no longer had any serious enemy in the Mediterranean. The city-state’s armies were the most formidable in the region and they created a huge Empire. The Roman army was made up of citizens and they supplied their own arms and armor. Wealth and slaves flowed into Rome. However, the victory over the Carthaginians and the growing wealth of Rome created problems and eventually led to a crisis in the Roman Republic. The government of Rome was designed to govern a city-state and not an Empire. Increasingly, the Roman senate was unable to control the governors in the provinces who acted like independent sovereigns.<ref> Hildinger, Erik. <i>Swords Against the Senate: The Rise of the Roman Army and the Fall of the Republic </i> (NY, Da Capo Press 2002), p 14</ref>

The political system of Rome was unable to effectively govern an Empire. Rome’s wealth led to increased social divisions and the city was divided between the elite, the Optimates, and the popular party, Populares. The common people of Rome, including many citizens, were experiencing economic decline as slave labor in the cities and on landed estates resulted in many small farmers and traders going bankrupt. There was also tension between Rome and its Italian subjects who wanted a greater say in the Empire and citizenship. Rome had become the predominant power in the Mediterranean but it was a very unstable society with a political system on the verge of collapse.<ref>Holland, Tom. <i>Rubicon </i> (London, Faber, 2004), p. 34</ref>