15525. DECLINE OF THE ROMAN REPUBLIC. Argues that the root cause of the decline was the fact that the leaders were not adequately prepared for the territorial expansion that occurred between the 4th and 2nd Centuries B.C. This lack of preparation resulted in various political, social and economic problems, and contributed to the instability that enabled various military commanders to exploit the situation in order to fulfill their personal ambitions. 10 pages, 22 footnotes, 8 bibliographic sources.