SOCIAL UNREST & VIOLENCE IN THE REPUBLIC
Rome had growing social discontent in their new empire. Throughout the empire wealthy Romans acquired land from small farmers who found it difficult to rebuild their farms, homes, and villages. Upper-class Romans lived with danger and revolts.
Slaves eventually formed about 30 percent of Rome’s people. An army of 70,000 slaves led by the slave Spartacus made effort to win freedom. The Romans finally crushed the uprising and killed about 6,000 of Spartacus’s followers.
As the violence got worse Romans proposed reforms to narrow the social gap and to stabilize society.
Slaves eventually formed about 30 percent of Rome’s people. An army of 70,000 slaves led by the slave Spartacus made effort to win freedom. The Romans finally crushed the uprising and killed about 6,000 of Spartacus’s followers.
As the violence got worse Romans proposed reforms to narrow the social gap and to stabilize society.
I got my information from the World History book (Mounir A. Farah, Andrea Berens Karls , 1999)