The rich in Rome relied on the idea that the citizenry would respect the ‘constitutional’ order, even if the rich themselves broke it (such as when they illegally murdered two democratically elected reformers for daring to suggest land reform). They SHOULD have been more worried about such a prospect, as the Late Republic ended up embroiled in several civil wars precisely because of this issue, as the soldiers realized “Hey, we have the swords - doesn’t that mean WE hold the power?”