The gap between the rich and the poor grew. Large wealthy landowners took over the "abandoned" farms of those serving in the military. These soldiers came back and found that they had no land. They were basically homeless. Without land, they had no basis for earning a living and no say in the government. Without farms to earn an income, these men could fall into debt. This could lead to becoming slaves of the landowners. When the next census was held, they might even lose their citizenship if they didn't own Roman property. Citizenship was an important factor in the government of the republic. Citizens were expected to perform certain civic duties, such as voting. Without citizenship, the people would lose their voice.
