The Roman Republican system was not perfect. Loopholes were there which more and more aggressive, enterprising politicians were taking advantage of. The next series of articles will talk about major events that led to the fall of the Roman Republic.

It took over a century, with multiple civil wars, maverick personalities, external invasions that would finally see Octavian defeat Anthony and establish the Roman Empire in the year 31BCE.

The first article will start with the emergence of the Grachus Brothers. The 2 youngsters were amongst the first populares, or the non-conservative faction of the Senate. After their demise, we will see the Jurgetine and Cimbrian wars, the Marian Legion and the Civil wars between Sulla and Marius.

The middle of the century we see Cicero, Pompey, Crassus, Cato the Younger and Julius Caesar dominate the talks. The final sets of civil wars end with the assignation of Caesar, which set the stage for the last civil wars between his successors.

The series ends with the Battle of Actium, which effectively destroyed Anthony’s power permanently and paved the path for the ascension of Octavian as the undisputed leader of the Roman territory and bought an end to a Republic that stood for nearly 500 years.