The Storm Before The Storm

[Minimalist]

It was the disappearance of the yeoman farmer class which provided the army that led to Gaius Marius' "reforms" of the system.  By this he did away with the civilian army and made professional soldiers out of the urban mob.  The state provided their arms and equipment.  The soldiers' loyalty almost immediately became to their commanders rather than the SPQR as a whole.  It was roughly 20 years from Marius to Sulla and the first capture of Rome by a Roman army.

We are well-advanced along that pathway.  As far as the foreign labor thing goes the two wings of the republicunt party sit there and argue about keeping immigrants out or bringing them in while the Democrats munch popcorn and wait for them to decide.

[Chad32]

Yeah, we're basically modern day Rome. Tearing ourselves apart with income inequality, as the military budget grows and grows.

[Amarok]

Wonder if were will see Trump playing a Lyre while Rome burns ..... On second thought no he will likely be on the toilet tweeting.