attila

I think the Capite Censi were excluded because they did not have property, thus did not have a stake in Rome. Having propertied men serve probably made enforcing discipline easier since you were less likely to desert or commit any other crime if everyone knew where you lived and who your patron was. The other factor is that most Romans didn't actually live in Rome. The same issues we face today with crime in urban slums must have been around in 107 BC, many probably looked down on the headcount believing they would make poor and undisciplined soldiers. Patronage would have also played a major political reason as many of the newly enlisted lower classes would have gone to Marius as a patron since their rise was accredited to him. They gave him their loyalty, he provided land for them after the campaign and their enlistment ended. As for what happened to the farms when the men were away fighting; I remember reading somewhere, can't remember the source unfortunately, that many Romans would take loans to hold the families over until they got home. As service was for longer periods in foreign wars men spent longer periods away and couldn't repay the loans so they lost their farms. The men who loaned them the money were already rich and after gathering many such properties from debtors would buy an army of slaves and create a latifundium, a massive plantation like farm designed that since was run on slaves was very profitable. Many of the "Populares" like Marius and then Caesar argued against this issue, the rich pushing out the small plot farmers for profit. I think the Gracchi brothers did as well when they served as Tribune of the Plebians.