Question

select the correct answer.

all citizens in the roman republic had to serve in the military during wars. what was one effect of their military service in the last years of the republic?

• citizen farmers could not look after their farms and lost their land and livelihood after returning from war.
• citizen farmers used the money they earned through military service to buy land and improve their farms.
• citizen farmers felt more loyal to the roman republic after serving in the military during wars.
• citizen farmers involved in military service supported the senate more than other plebeians did.
• citizen farmers who fought in foreign territories remained there and became landowners after roman victories.

Explanation:

Identify the historical context

The question asks about the effects of military service on Roman citizens during the late Roman Republic. In this era, the Roman military relied heavily on citizen-farmers who were drafted to fight in long, overseas campaigns.

Analyze the impact on citizen-farmers

Because campaigns in the late Republic lasted for years and took place far from Italy, citizen-farmers were away from their smallholdings for extended periods. Without their labor, these family farms fell into neglect, decay, or debt.

Evaluate the consequences of farm neglect

Upon returning from war, many soldiers found their farms ruined or acquired by wealthy patricians who consolidated land into massive estates (latifundia) worked by enslaved labor. This led to widespread landlessness and poverty among the plebeian class, fueling the social and political crises of the late Republic.

Assess the given options

• Option 1: "Citizen farmers could not look after their farms and lost their land and livelihood after returning from war." This directly aligns with the historical reality of the agrarian crisis.
• Option 2: "Citizen farmers used the money they earned..." is incorrect; most soldiers did not earn enough to save their farms, and many returned to poverty.
• Option 3: "Citizen farmers felt more loyalty..." is incorrect; the crisis actually alienated citizens from the Republic, leading them to support charismatic generals instead of the state.
• Option 4: "Citizen farmers... supported the Senate..." is incorrect; the landless class largely opposed the conservative Senate.
• Option 5: "Citizen farmers... remained there and became landowners..." is incorrect; they generally returned to Italy, only to find themselves displaced.

Answer:

• Citizen farmers could not look after their farms and lost their land and livelihood after returning from war. (Correct answer)
• Citizen farmers used the money they earned through military service to buy land and improve their farms.
• Citizen farmers felt more loyal to the Roman Republic after serving in the military during wars.
• Citizen farmers involved in military service supported the Senate more than other plebeians did.
• Citizen farmers who fought in foreign territories remained there and became landowners after Roman victories.