What effect did latifundus have on Romes small farmers?

Answer 1

The small farmers were the backbone of the Roman army. This was not a problem in local wars, where the farmers turned out and were in fact defending their own land. However, as Rome extended its reach, and in particular the period of the Punic Wars against Carthage, they were away for extended periods. Their own farms (about a hectare) were protected, but the small plots meant that they were dependent on the common land to graze their ploughing ox and gather other produce to supplement the grain they grew on their small plots.

During their absence on service the rich landowners progressively took possession of sections of the common land, creating the latifundia, which put the farmers in a desperate situation, many having to sell out (to the latifundia owners) when they returned from extended campaigns unless their share of any loot covered them. So the latifundia grew and the small farmers shrank. By the time of the Germanic invasions in the late 2nd Century BCE, there were insufficient farmers to man the army, and it became necessary to recruit from the un-propertied class to make up the numbers required, and as these had no land to return to after a campaign, they had to rely on their patron (their generals) to get them land grants in conquered territories - Spain, North Africa and Macedonia - to give them a living. So the small farmers were largely dispossessed, joined the un-propertied class, and relied on their generals (latifundia owners) to get them resettled - and this gave the generals a large clientele dependent on them, and thus the power which led to them having power and rivalry, which fed the civil wars.