For me, I view things as a series of feedback loops which interplay with each other.

What is also notable about the Roman Republic is how its demographics was changing. While Rome was always dependent on immigrants (at the beginning mostly Latin and partially Etruscan), in 1st century BC, you had ones coming from further afield.

In terms of the lower classes, there was an interesting dynamic between the urban plebs in Rome who had Roman citizenship and their opinions on immigrants to the city, as well as their stance on giving Roman citizenship to Italian allied tribes. Many of them were opposed to it, and were very vocal about it.

So you had all these underlying dynamics playing out there, which while they were specific to the era and the Roman Republic, give an interesting perspective on human nature and also on what is happening today.