What was the character of the senate at this period?
19.

What was the character of their adherents?
20.

What was the nature of their government?
31.

What concurred to perpetuate this tyranny?
FOOTNOTE: [1] From the death of Gracchus until the first consulship of Marius, Rome was governed by a venal and profligate oligarchy, formed from a coalition of the most powerful families.

Shame was unknown to this body; the offices of state were openly sold to the highest bidder, redress of grievances was to be obtained only by paying a heavier sum for vengeance than the oppressor would give for impunity: advocacy of popular rights was punished as treason, and complaints were treated as criminal acts of sedition.