Cicero's Return to Rome

The rivalry between Clodius and Milo would define Roman street politics for the next few years. Both controlled gangs of former soldiers and gladiators, who could be mobilized at a moment's notice to support this or that proposal. Violent clashes and small-scale riots became a frequent feature of Roman life. The degeneration of discourse from verbal sparring to literal sparring would be the catalyst for Pompey's elevation to a near-dictatorship.