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Many believe that the fall of the Roman Republic started with the Punic wars. The Punic Wars were a series of three wars fought between Rome and Carthage between 264 and 146 BC. The main cause of the Punic Wars was the clash of interests the existing Carthaginian Empire and the expanding Roman Republic. There is, however more to the fall of the Roman Republic than just the Punic Wars.

The Gracchi, Tiberius Gracchus and Gaius Gracchus, were two Roman brothers who tried to reform Rome's social and political structure to help the lower classes in the second century B.C. Tiberius, the eldest of the two, wanted to give land to some of the many free, poor unemployed. He proposed that some of the land illegally held by the larger landholders be taken by the state and given to the less fortunate. The nobles didn’t much like that idea, so Tiberius was killed in a riot in 133 B.C. (http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/people/p/gracchi.htm)


Tiberius’ brother Gaius was elected tribune in 123 B.C. and took over his brother’s responsibilities in the reform. He created a coalition of poor free men and equestrians (tax collectors) who were willing to go along with his proposals. Such proposals would give less power to the Senators. The people liked that , so they accepted it. His political successes enraged the nobles. They too, wanted him dead. In the end, he had one of his own slaves kill him. (Chambers 105) (http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/people/p/gracchi.htm)


The Gracci’s plans fell through because they had no Army to support them and protect the from the Senate. Marius first needed to build an Army, and that he did. He had abolished the old rule of needing to own a specific amount of property to join the Army, and came up with a new idea of accepting volunteers instead of drafting for service. Marius would offer payment for full time service and them men could partake in the spoils after the battle was...