Hallie > Status Update

chapter 7 was called "rebuilding amid the wreckage," but it seemed more to be the story of what happened after Sulla restructured Rome, particularly as regards two rivals, Crassus and Pompey. I kept expecting the subject matter to relate to the chapter title, so I am not sure I got all that I could have from the unexpected subject matter as it came up. I am wondering how we know so many intimate details of the time.

Chapter 6 - how Sulla took over Rome with the Roman army, assumed dictatorship, destroyed all his enemies, restructured the Republic to suit him, then slipped out to lead a quiet life and let the Republic see if it can survive as he's left it. According to this author, violence as political tactic has weakened the Republic's ability to stand. Bit confusing to the uninitiated, starting to forget what I learn.

On Marius, of lower status, who aimed for higher status than his social rank afforded him, he wielded populist sentiments to achieve status, but ultimately it led to him having to choose between the state & his populist allies in conflict. Having to burn all his bridges, he was ousted, & yet violence in elections, uncompromising spirits, & distrust of the establishment remained as we move into the first century BC.

The last ten pages have been a murderous litany of the wars and battles of Rome from around 200-150BC and I endured it with glazed eyes just sure that eventually there would be a summarizing statement, and I finally got to it: The nearly endless warfare of the period had profound demographic and economic consequences that combined to shatter the politics of cooperation and consensus that had long governed Roman life.