What was a key problem in the history of Rome that undermined its stability?
The fickleness of the Legions was one of the “key problems”, especially during the first century B.C., “year of the four emperors” (69 A.D) and the disastrous 3rd century A.D. It not only undermined the vaunted Legions, but Rome as well. Civil wars was an inescapable problem that plagued Rome from the beginning i.e. the supposed mythical dispute between the brothers, Romulus and Remus. This “problem” was not only due to ambiguity of succession in the principate, but the age old Roman tradition of patronage. According to Phillip Spann, “Marius and Sulla learnt the Arcanum rei publicae, the secret of the Republic . . . that power and honors lay not in law and traditions of the Republic . . . but in a loyal army made up of men whose experience in war and devotion to their commander had been forged in extended provincial command, of men who were eager for farms and retirement, men ready to conquer Rome and kill Romans for their general and their price.” This secret was later used by others
