Rome’s wars of conquest brought the Romans land, power, and wealth. They also led to a social and political upheaval that culminated in the fall of the republic. The wars produced a flood of slave labor, concentrated wealth and land in the hands of the few, and created a growing class of landless citizens. The social and economic problems associated with these developments triggered political conflict, with advocates of reform battling the forces of the status quo. As the conflict continued, republican institutions began to break down, and then collapsed completely, as rival generals vied for supreme power. The documents in this section shed light on this process.