I. The Roman Republic: Empire and Its Consequences

A. 509-350: Struggle for Survival in Latium and Etruria; Internal Crises (Struggle of the Orders: Patrician and Plebeian).
B. 350-300: Samnite Wars; Consolidation of Italian Confederacy (Roman flexibility and inclusion principle in dealing with defeated Italian states).
C. 264-241 and 218-202 BC: The Romano-Carthaginian Wars.
1. Roman undisputed Mediterranean superpower.
2. Social and Economic Crises resulting from Roman imperial success (mass employment of slaves, huge
disparity between rich and poor in Roman society, creation of impoverished urban proletariat at Rome).
D. 200-150 BC: Rome conquers the Hellenistic Greek kingdoms.
E. 150-90 BC: Rise of publicani; Gracchi; Marius and the Warlord Phenomenon; Breakdown in Collegiality of the Senate.
F. 90-70 BC: Civil Wars and Proscriptions; Enfranchisement of Italians and Shrinking Tax Base; New Patronage and Enormous Expense of Political Careers; the Novus Homo (Cicero) and the Disgruntled Aristocrat (Catiline).

II. Paradox: Imperial Success and Internal Crisis (Middle and Late Republic)

A. Influx of Wealth from Conquest (booty, taxes, slaves); formation of large estates (latifundia).
B. Impoverishment of proletariat; massive use of slave labor; military recruitment crisis; attempted reform (Gracchan legislation).
C. Conflict of interests between senatorial aristocracy and equestrian class (publicani).
D. Social War of early first century BC = new rules for Roman politics; expanded clientage.
E. Marius and the New Republican Army. Professional, volunteer army under the charismatic commander (the rise of the warlords).
F. The New Man (novus homo) in Roman politics.
G. Precedent for Violence and Civil War as a Political Solution: The Sullan Years.
H. The failures of the old Republican aristocratic houses:
"... the senatorial aristocracy, blinded in part at least by short-term views of its own political and economic advantage, failed by timely concessions to satisfy the needs or aspirations of the Italian allies, the best-organized Equites, the urban plebs, the peasantry, and the soldiers" (P.A. Brunt, The Fall of the Roman Republic, pg. 81).