The equites were not only left in possession of the tribunals, but their power as jurymen was considerably increased, partly by a stricter ordinance regarding the standing commission--especially important to the merchants--as to extortions on the part of the public magistrates in the provinces, which Glaucia carried probably in this year, partly by the special tribunal, appointed doubtless as early as 651 on the proposal of Saturninus, respecting the embezzlements and other official malversations that had occurred during the Cimbrian movement in Gaul.

For the benefit, moreover, of the proletariate of the capital the sum below cost price, which hitherto had to be paid on occasion of the distributions of grain for the -modius-, was lowered from 6 1/3 -asses- to a mere nominal charge of 5/6 of an -as-.
But although they did not despise the alliance with the equites and the proletariate of the capital, the real power by which the confederates enforced their measures lay not in these, but in the discharged soldiers of the Marian army, who for that very reason had been provided for in the colonial laws themselves after so extravagant a fashion.

In this also was evinced the predominating military character, which forms the chief distinction between this attempt at revolution and that which preceded it.
Violent Proceedings in the Voting They went to work accordingly.

The corn and colonial laws encountered, as was to be expected, the keenest opposition from the government.
They proved in the senate by striking figures, that the former must make the public treasury bankrupt; Saturninus did not trouble himself about that.

They brought tribunician intercession to bear against both laws; Saturninus ordered the voting to go on.