The Roman army, prior to the Marian Reforms, was divided into several subcategories — velites, hastati, principes, triarii, and equites. The grouping of an individual was generally determined by the individual’s wealth and social status — specifically, what kind of armor they could afford. The equites were often the wealthiest members of the army of the Roman Republic. They fought on horseback and were armed with a light spear. They advanced alongside the infantry and were expected to attack the enemy’s archers or missile units and chase retreating units across the battlefield.

The Marian Reforms were enacted in 107 BCE by Gaius Marius. The reforms were designed to improve the fighting capabilities of the Roman army. One of the ways in which Marius hoped to achieve this was by opening up service in the Roman army to landless peasants.

The Battle of Corinth was fought in 146 BCE between the forces of the Roman Republic and the Achaean League led by the Greek city-state Corinth. It ended in total victory for Rome and the beginning of Roman dominance over Greece.

The Gallic Wars were essentially in Julius Caesar’s rise to power. They were fought from 58 BCE to 50 BCE and ended in Roman conquest of Gaul. The conquest was led by Julius Caesar, and his successes made him immensely popular with the Roman people and the army, and paved the way for his dictatorship beginning in 49 BCE.

Along with Octavian and Mark Antony, Marcus Lepidus was part of the Second Triumvirate which governed Rome from 43 to 33 BCE. Lepidus tried to consolidate his own power base in Sicily, Gaul, and Iberia, but was outmaneuvered by Octavian. Lepidus’ own troops defected and joined forces with Octavian, effectively stripping Lepidus of any political power. He was driven into exile by Octavian and spent the rest of his life in obscurity.

The armies of the early Roman Republic (prior to the Marian Reforms of 107 BCE) were comprised of a series of different groups, each with different responsibilities and roles on the battlefield. These groups were determined according to class and generally related to the type and quality of armor that an individual could afford. Velites were the poorest members of the Roman military and were generally unable to afford armor. Velites were frontline skirmishers who threw javelins as the hastati advanced upon the enemy.

The Battle of Alesia was the decisive conflict in the Gallic Wars. It was fought in 52 BCE between the forces of the Roman Republic, led by Julius Caesar, and the forces of the Gauls led by Vercingetorix. It ended in victory for the Roman Republic and consolidated Roman control over Gaul.