The shape of the City - State by which the exercise of political rights was subordinate to the personal presence in Rome, have always ensured a leading position in the State to the metropolis and its older citizens. Samnites were particularly farmers and Lucan, who were not quite ready to comply with these rights merely external, which only tied them more closely to world politics, which cost so many burdens and sacrifices. They tended, therefore, to separate from a state in which the peasantry could always be a servant, but never owned. Only after long and severe struggles they also recognized the State italic unified (88). But his resistance shows that granting civil rights issue had come into a new stage, but that in no way been solved. The part that remained and was more difficult for Italy to create a government, a constitution, an administration that satisfy the just claims of all its citizens.
But also among the contrasts Roman citizens had, meanwhile, deeply exacerbation. From war italics, conducted with extreme exasperation, the economic situation had gone insane at frightening proportions, and this time, which is understandable, given the existing distribution of land had been greatly damaged their property and cattle to the fore the large landowners. The big capitalists, ie the gentlemen who had invested significant portions of their land assets in italics, had suffered too much damage, but could offset losses with gains in other fields. This economic crisis began again facing each other for the nobility and chivalry. The capitalists wanted, of course, take advantage of the situation, demanding with ruthless severity of insolvent farmers pay the principal and interest. In their rush farmers were unable to do more than resort to the exhumation of the old and absurd prohibition of charging interest, which, notwithstanding the change in economic relations, had not yet been removed. In contrast, under the Law of the Twelve Tables, the creditors could be accused before the jury at a rate four times the interest charged. The urban praetor, Asellio, who should intervene in these processes, after vain efforts at conciliation was revealed that the letter would have applied to the Law of the Twelve Tables, so the capital came to be in a situation of great distress. Again he thought usual recourse to the means and the murder. While celebrating a sacrifice in the marketplace, Asellio was stabbed to death, despite the size placed on his head, the murderer was never found. In any case, the murderers got their end: no one dared to put into effect over the long-standing prohibition on charging interest. The proletariat was not directly interested in the issue of claims, could eventually do better business with the gentlemen and the nobility also were disgusted with the government because it had not been able to refuse applications for the Italians.
It was not so easy to get out of that chaos. Only fans of the likes of Livius Drusus could imagine how to find a way out before the old order of things had been pretty insane. An optimist honorable, but an impractical statesman was the tribune Publius Sulpicius Rufus, the most powerful orator of his time.
As a Druse, who had been a friend, also believed he could fully realize their projects based on the ethical content of them. Also toying with the idea of conciliation and removing the most obvious reasons recrimination, trying to channel the quiet evolution paths. To fight corruption in bureaucracy, proposed to dismiss from office any senator who owed a debt of more than 2,000 dinars (about 1. 500 marks): a very good idea, certainly, but only a child could believe achievable under the conditions then. He called after an amnesty for friends Druse, convicted and deported for being friends of the Italians, not realizing that with this strongly irritated the knights, who had succeeded with those processes away from Rome to their most hated political opponents. And finally, urged a more serious application of civil and political equality, both from the Italians as the freedmen distributed among the four urban tribes: that is, asked its distribution in all constituencies, thus raising the disgust from the crowd. Instead, she found support for his plans for former Confederates and the freed slaves. Although it was small, the scope of projects, they were approved only through the use of violence, adding new grounds for the previous fight, whose removal had been in the intentions of Sulpicio.
It seems that Sulpicio did not include in his original plan the idea of monarchy, on the contrary, the regeneration of the Senate bill gives him more "well the impression that Sulpicius was still thinking of the old regime to restore Senate. The news that had gathered around him 3. 000 mercenaries and children of families constituted a counter gentlemen - Senate devoted to him, lies in the memories of their mortal enemy, Sulla, who in that year (88) occupied the consulate and had been found often in very difficult situations and humiliating to the impetuous proceed Sulpice. But in the course of Sulpicio realized that without a strong arm to convert good intentions into action would have been spent in vain wisdom and courage. There needed the iron fist of a man of war, a famous name, and an army accustomed to victory. Not because Sulpicio despairing of finding a peaceful solution, but it was necessary for recalcitrant and opponents know that the new order also would be sufficiently supported by actual force factors. In the field of military glory, no one could compete with the old Marius. The winner of Jugurtha in Africa and the sticks and Teutons in Gaul, had won new laurels in the war italics, and even as a politician had behaved very badly with his party, reaching to betray him, as head of an army was the ally more precious. For these reasons Sulpicio chose Mario as a protector of his work.
The external situation contributed greatly to aggravate the chaotic internal situation. While in Italy burned in Confederate war in the East the brilliant and energetic Mithridates, king of Pontus threatened Rome's possessions, having already seized the Roman province of Asia (former Kingdom of Pergamum). Following an order given by him, all the Italians living in that province were killed. Mithridates the population welcomed as a liberator: the Roman administration was reaping what they sowed their greedy officials, businessmen and tenants. Mithridates I also began to confiscate provincial Roman possessions in Greece. Meanwhile the Roman armies were still in Italy, not having yet achieved the submission of Sannio and Puglia. The consul Lucius Cornelius Sulla had to leave early for the East with the necessary troops, but was again postponed his departure.
The supreme command in Asia was also paramount to the domestic situation, for the nobility and chivalry. The general, once the war ended happily, have had to reform the constitution and reorganize the administration of the country, completely ruined. The Knights (capitalist) had every reason to distrust Sila, known as ultra-conservative and that had no regard for their interests. Important, therefore, against Mithridates sent a general who not only annihilated the powerful enemy, but also serve the interests of meekly gentlemen. Also the looks of them were set at Mario, especially as it was no longer feared her proletarian politics. Had not given in his sixth consulate Mario evidence of total disability policy? Sulpicio, meanwhile, could go along with the wishes of the gentlemen, even revulsion they inspire him. Mario's prestige could be enhanced not only by the likely success in East war, and alliance with him, though absent, so it acquired greater value. Sulpicio thus proposed in the Assembly to surrender to popular Mario instead of Sila, the direction of the war against Mithridates, and the Assembly approved the proposal.
But now it became clear that change had occurred in the situation. Mario itself, more than any other, had contributed to the transformation of the citizen army into a mercenary army, for which the commander in chief replaced the country. The legions, whom Sulla led to victory in the war italics, refused obedience to the law, and tribunes who told them the appointment of Mario, they were torn. Sila did nothing but go along with the inclinations of his soldiers to march with them from the Campania on the capital. Rome was contestability by Romans and then Sulla restored the full extent the power of the Senate. Was restricted to powers of the tribune and the old was replaced with the reformed constitution of the centuries. In the social field, nothing was done except setting a maximum rate of interest, which helped predominantly noble landowners who needed credits. Sulpicio laws were repealed; Sulpice, Mario and other popular party leaders were exiled. And if Mario had saved his life after a long and bumpy flight, Sulpicius, however, fell victim to his political naivete (88 ad C).
Sila believed to have imposed the order of a radical and definitive way only because opponents were silent because of the usual "military methods". He felt so strong and secure in their position, which quietly welcomed the election of a political opponent consul, Lucius Cornelius Cinna, who swore merely require new laws. But hardly Sila left for Asia, the gentlemen who had been stripped by him of all his political influence were felt freed from a heavy weight and immediately opened hostilities. The proletariat, which had been treated only as an enemy by Sylla, joined the Knights. Mario, who was a refugee in Africa, was recalled to Rome and again fighting occurred in and outside the walls of Rome. The revolution triumphed. Mario and Gina entered the capital at the head of his victorious army. Mario reoccupied for the seventh time, the consulate (86 ad C).
But this so-called democracy have argued, under the direction of Gina, for the space of four years his power in Rome, democratic ideas - regardless of the restoration of Sulpicio laws and the abolition of the Sila-not indicate the most minimal progress. All that Cina and his adherents were "Mario was spiritually broken and died 179 days of his seventh consulship, were mere records. Small deliveries of grain, some distribution of land, a reduction of all debts, rents, etc.., 75% believed such measures to put the economy moving again deeply deranged. They could, indeed, miss the revenge against the party in the Senate. Sila had set a bad example exiling his enemies and confiscate their property, although such measures would limit the principal chiefs. Mario and Gina answered with real fury. Nearly every prominent party members of the Senate, except those who managed to flee, were killed and their property used to provide land to the veterans of Marius and to cover cereal distributions among the proletarians. The knights, whom such a subversion of property relations was certainly not sympathetic, were bound to further support the revolutionary party, to prevent it also turned against them. How they have been in this bloodbath, it follows from the fact that the bravest among the officers of Marius, Sertorius led his troops against the murderous gangs, making killing in a single day to 4.000 "Marian".
These arrangements, which I had no idea what it wanted, nor how it wants something, he was unfit to lead the fight against a system, however unpopular it was. Indeed, Sulla had little ground in Italy, as demonstrated by the victory won by Marian with little difficulty. But this alleged democratic regime collapsed quickly, as quickly had emerged, no sooner had Sulla returned to Italy from Asia with his victorious army (83 C ad). If it were not for the Samnites and other Italic strains who were still in arms since the wars of the Confederates and wanted no part of the unit Italic Roman enemies of Sulla had not long been able to stop their entry into the capital . But as these people, with their vigorous peasant troops, though defectively designed, cut off the road, a new war raged for nearly two years (83-82) the poor country, obtaining finally enter the capital Sila, evacuated by its enemies after a final, bloody battle under the walls of the same
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That the scheme of this democracy, purely destructive, has not taken long to be regarded as a fortune to human culture in general and democracy in particular. Sila was also fierce to his enemies. As Mario and Gina said lands and assets to the faithful, killing, banishing and robbing the vanquished. The knights had to pay dearly for their unnatural alliance with the proletariat. His enormous wealth, movable and immovable object were the main opponent of greed, and reading the stories of so many monstrosities, one wonders if all the tactics of that time consisted only of murder and robbery. There are, however, take into account that Sila was retaliation for the killing of their classmates and party and according to the ethical concepts of retaliation, then could not be otherwise. Satisfied that duty of vengeance, Sila not ended his mission with this, but he ran with his constitution a sincere and earnest attempt, albeit inadequate, leaving a vital vein.
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