Final answer:
Sulla's march set a dangerous precedent by showing that military power could undermine republican institutions, which led to the rise of ambitious leaders culminating in civil wars.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sulla's march on Rome in 88 BCE was a pivotal event that set the stage for the civil wars during the periods of the First and Second Triumvirates. Sulla's actions demonstrated how a powerful military leader could use an army's personal loyalty to seize control, even at the expense of Republican institutions. His march, along with his subsequent actions as a dictator, led to the emergence of ambitious military leaders who later replicated his tactics. This created a precedent for individual authority to override the collective rule, which directly contributed to the destabilization of the Roman Republic and the eventual rise of autocratic rulers like Julius Caesar.
The correct answer to the student's question is: b) Sulla’s actions led to the emergence of ambitious military leaders.
Post-Sulla, Rome's republican institutions were significantly weakened. Powerful generals now had an example of how to leverage their own armies to gain political power. This ultimately led Rome to descend into a series of civil wars and internal strife, paving the way for the end of the Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire.