The transition from monarchy to republic for the ancient city of Rome was a long process filled with endless power struggles (Spielvogel 88). As Rome grew, more and more people wanted a part of this new great world power. The army played an important role in ancient Rome because it provided all of Rome's wealth necessary for sustenance. As a result, great military leaders were valued by the Roman people because they brought in money. Many people have gained power this way, but some are just born into a powerful family. However, during this time of unrest, people were desperate to gain power even if it meant murder. With this method many leaders died even if they did not gain power through the army. In the Roman Republic, many leaders gained power through unorthodox measures, or were dismissed to prevent them from achieving supreme power and support. According to legend, Romulus founded the great city of Rome (Spielvogel 87). Romulus and Remus were the twin sons of the god Mars and Rhea Silva (Hughes 16). They were orphaned and raised by a she-wolf. Disagreeing over the city, Romulus killed Remus for having objections over the city (Hughes 17). Furthermore, Romulus became the first leader and king of Rome. Romulus suddenly disappeared from the face of the earth and no one knows for sure what happened to the first king of Rome. Needless to say, Romulus set a precedent because he killed his brother to gain power (Hughes 19). Due to growing evidence that Rome was having economic problems in 130 BC, the Gracchus brothers believed that Rome's problem was the decline of small farmers and wanted change (Spielvogel 101). Tiberius Gracchus was a member of the aristocracy and a new tribune. He... middle of paper... people would do anything to stop him. This is why Gaius and Tiberius Gracchus were murdered, because they offered a solution for the poor of Rome and the senators did not approve. From the beginning with Romulus, murder was a common method of gaining power. Another common method was through the military. As you can see in the case of Marius, Sulla, Pompey, Caesar, and Octavian, a strong army in the times of Rome can take you far in the world of politics. Rome was a time when leaders rose and fell due to selfish ambitions. Works Cited: Bingham, Jane, Fiona Chandler, Jane Chisholm, Gill Harvey, Lisa Miles, Struan Reid, and Sam Taplin. Encyclopedia of the Ancient World. London: Usborne, 2002. Print.Hughes, Robert. Rome. New York: Knopf, 2011. Print.Spielvogel, Jackson J. Western Civilization: A Brief History. 7th ed. vol. 1. Boston: Wadsworth, 2011. Print.