2. Wealth inequality and corruption: Wealth disparities between wealthy landowners, merchants, and the poor plebeians (common people) grew vastly. The wealthy elite engaged in bribery and corruption while avoiding fair taxation. This imbalance of wealth and rights led to profound discontent among the general population.
3. Decline in civic participation and public service: As the Roman republic expanded, the political system became more complex and distant from the lives of ordinary citizens. The number of people actively involved in public decision-making declined as wealthy elites and powerful families increasingly dominated political offices.
4. Growing social unrest and slave rebellions: The influx of wealth from military conquests and the resulting expansion of slavery created tension between slave owners and the enslaved population. Several major slave rebellions, such as the Third Servile War led by Spartacus (73-71 BCE), illustrated the fragility of the social fabric in the Roman Republic.
5. Internal political conflicts and rivalries: Political battles between different factions within the Senate, such as the famous rivalry between Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelius Sulla, led to civil wars and periods of political instability. Power struggles and conflicts eroded the stability of the republic's institutions and contributed to its downfall.
6. Rise of populism and demagogy: Some politicians, such as the Gracchi brothers, Tiberius and Gaius, used populist tactics to gain support from the plebeians by proposing reforms on land distribution and political rights. However, their initiatives met resistance from the elite, leading to unrest and further political divisions.