Good morning all & OTD in 49BC, Gaius Julius Caesar & his Army crossed the Rubicon. Caesar had served as a military tribune, quaestor, praetor, Consul & pro-consul, conquering Gaul. When a corrupt Senate sought Caesar's recall, he commenced his march on Rome. "Alea iacta est" 
Not sure if it is the date but noticing a lot of very bad Roman history takes. The Romans of 49BC did have massive senatorial corruption problems. But also a huge problem of underemployed Romans, as empire's growth meant slaves (product of conquest) doing formerly paid work doing
I find Roman history endlessly fascinating - #SPQR and all that - but in 49BC, everyone (even people I otherwise despise like Cicero and Cato) were serious people, not grifting, not performing. What should worry was Caesar & his Army pushed at an open door, winning many over.
The one thing that was always open to the Roman Republic's senatorial class was to police its own, to reform itself, and to ensure that the Roman plebian and even equestrian classes felt the Republic worked for them. This they refused to do. Hence Caesar's army only grew. #SPQR
If the State - especially a Republic, that least stable of all polities - becomes little more than a sclerotocracy run for the benefit of a few, especially an older few, do not be surprised when the younger and disenfranchised see the appeal of the "new man" promising 'reform'.
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