It also began to realize the importance of the military in politics. Originally a duty expected of all adult male citizens, membership in the army during the budding Empire became a professional, fully time job. Soldiers in the legion were soldiers - more often than not - for life, enlisting for periods of twenty years and expecting a hefty pension upon retirement.
Such individual fighting men, however, were completely dependent upon the lobbying skills of their general for pay and upkeep. These generals were upper-class politicians seeking military glory to further their own careers. The resulting situation was a series of military units loyal more to their officers - and subsequent goals - than the Roman Senate.
In a series of military coups between 88 and 78 B.C.E. under such individuals as Marius and Sulla, the Republic was witness to the political power a general could wield when occupying Rome with his army. Upon gaining control again, the now paranoid Senate did all it could to stifle the ego's of up and coming "New Men" and blocked political moves they deemed dangerous.
One such group of three "New Men", still wishing
to live up to the glories of their fathers and grandfathers, formed a pact
to support each other politically against the Senate. This became known
as the First Triumvirate, and included such individuals as Marcus Crassus,
Gnaeus Pompey, and Julius Caesar. Wildly successful, this new group found
most of its competition with the actual Triumvirate rather than in the
Senate.
As each strove to outdo the other with military victory and conquest, the Empire underwent considerable expansion in a short period of time. The Republic died with Crassus and Pompey, giving rise to a puppet government under the dictatorship of Caesar. It took Caesar with it in its death throws, however, and gave rise to the Second Triumvirate made up of Caesar's adopted son Octavian (Augustus), Mark Antony, and a prominent general named Lepidus.
This new Triumvirate duplicated the activities of the first group, and once again a Caesar reigned triumphant in the end. Thus, by 29 B.C.E., Octavian - now called Augustus - was the sole master of an Empire with almost 4000 miles of newly conquered borders. Using the administrative and political genius he is famous for, Augustus turned the remains of the Empire into an institution that would last another 500 years. In the provinces, this was accomplished through the use of a process called Romanization.
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