Young men attracted attention by their seditious behaviour in the
army in much the same way as they did in politics. As an army
officer, the famous Clodius, later Cicero’s arch-rival, was unhappy
with the promotion he was receiving. He wanted to be top man but,
on account of his dissipated life-style, there were many who passed
him over. Plutarch reports that he had already in those days made
a name for himself as a troublemaker, as someone who urged the
soldiers, who were only too keen to hear his inflammatory words, to
mutiny.