Lucius Julius Caesar, in an attempt to break the military deadlock between Rome and Italia, proposes a law that the Senate quickly passes, granting citizenship to those allies (mostly Etruscans, Latins, and Umbrians) who had not joined the revolt and had remained loyal and to those who immediately laid down their arms.

The Latins of Latium in western Italy, who have maintained political and social autonomy despite their colonization by Rome, are made Roman citizens in 90.

However, the law offers the option of citizenship to whole communities and not to individuals.

This means that each individual community has to pass the law, most likely by a vote in assembly, before it could take effect.

It is also possible under the Lex Julia for citizenship to be granted as a reward for distinguished military service in the field.

It is assumed that the Lex Julia was closely followed by a supplementary statute, the Lex Plautia Papiria, which states that a registered male of an allied state could obtain Roman citizenship by presenting himself to a Roman praetor within 60 days of the passing of the law.

This statute enables inhabitants of towns disqualified by the Lex Julia to apply for citizenship if they desire.

Roman citizenship and the right to vote is limited, as always in the ancient world, by the requirement of physical appearance on voting day.