📌 The Equites—Rome’s Business Elite in the Shadows

In this episode, we uncover how the equites—Rome’s powerful business class—expanded their influence, not through political office, but through money, extortion, and control over the Republic’s institutions. Yet, in many ways, their rise wasn’t entirely their own doing. They were often used as a weapon by reformers seeking to curb senatorial power—Gaius Gracchus being a prime example, as his reforms placed the courts in their hands to weaken the Senate’s grip on justice.

🔎 This episode covers the Gracchan reforms, which gave the equites judicial power; the Jugurthine War, where their class and financial interests drove them to push for conflict; the rise of Marius and his military reforms; and the rise of Drusus, whose failed reforms deepened tensions between the Senate, equites, plebs, and socii, setting the stage for the Social War.

⚠️ Apologies for the background noise – I re-recorded multiple times, but it was impossible to fully remove. Next time, I'm working on setting up a proper recording space to improve sound quality.

🔔 Subscribe for Part 3! We’ll cover the Social War, its fallout, the rise of Sulla, and the accelerating collapse of the Republic.

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