Optimates vs Populares

During the Roman Republic, the Optimates were typically associated with the elitists in society such as the aristocrats and the senate. The Optimates were lead by notorious men such as Sulla, Pompey, and Cicero. The Populares were typically associated with the common man and were considered "populists" hence their name. The Populares were lead by famous personalities such as Gaius Marius, Julius Caesar, and Tiberius Gracchus.