Sulla's civil wars
Encyclopedia
Sulla's civil wars were a series of civil wars in which Lucius Cornelius Sulla
, a Roman statesman and general, attempted to take control of the Roman Republic
.
had gained great prominence during the second century BC, particularly as a result of his campaign against the rebelling African king Jugurtha
. The campaign was successful, and Marius was rewarded with re-election as consul
and a triumph
. However, to his disappointment, Lucius Cornelius Sulla
, one of his officers, was given credit for Jugurtha's capture.
In Asia, Mithradates
, king of Pontus
, began to attack regions that had been annexed by Rome. He also infiltrated his agents into Roman-held cities, which caused popular uprisings and vicious riots that resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Romans. The Roman governors, however, had few soldiers to stop him with, for Rome was embroiled in the Social War against Italian city-states in the south.
Sulla fled, sailing to Greece, where the Mithradatic War veterans had maintained their loyalty to him. The army was transported to Italy, and, with Sulla at its head, marched on Rome. Marius, with a hastily formed army, attempted to defend the city, but, after a few hours of street-fighting, Marius was driven out and Sulla installed as sole Roman ruler.
Sulla sailed across the Mediterranean yet again and pursued the campaign against Mithradates, restoring Roman rule to the eastern provinces.
However, the senators in Rome, now in complete control of the city, turned against Sulla in 87 BC. They invited Marius to return, and he hurried back, beginning a brief period of terror. Marius became so powerful that, if he failed to nod to one who spoke to him, his soldiers would kill the unfortunate man. Marius was an old man, though, and seventeen days into his seventh consulship, he died.
Marius' key ally and supporter, Cinna
succeeded him as consul. Meanwhile, across the Mediterranean, Sulla ensured the loyalty of his troops and prepared for a second voyage to Rome. The frightened senators attempted to negotiate with him, but Cinna was resolved to fight. He was murdered by mutinous troops, and Sulla broke off negotiations with the Senate.
Sulla was reinstated as Dictator of Rome. At his command, thousands of Marius' former supporters were executed, and countless others who disagreed with him were put to the sword.
After the second civil war, Sulla was not challenged by Marian supporters during the last year of his life, 79 BC. When he died, his allies organized a large funeral, at which his body was cheered by the entire crowd. According to one source, his friends applauded him because of their respect and his enemies because he was dead.
Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix , known commonly as Sulla, was a Roman general and statesman. He had the rare distinction of holding the office of consul twice, as well as that of dictator...
, a Roman statesman and general, attempted to take control of the Roman Republic
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
.
Background
The Roman general and longtime consul Gaius MariusGaius Marius
Gaius Marius was a Roman general and statesman. He was elected consul an unprecedented seven times during his career. He was also noted for his dramatic reforms of Roman armies, authorizing recruitment of landless citizens, eliminating the manipular military formations, and reorganizing the...
had gained great prominence during the second century BC, particularly as a result of his campaign against the rebelling African king Jugurtha
Jugurtha
Jugurtha or Jugurthen was a King of Numidia, , born in Cirta .-Background:Until the reign of Jugurtha's grandfather Masinissa, the people of Numidia were semi-nomadic and indistinguishable from the other Libyans in North Africa...
. The campaign was successful, and Marius was rewarded with re-election as consul
Consul
Consul was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. The title was also used in other city states and also revived in modern states, notably in the First French Republic...
and a triumph
Roman triumph
The Roman triumph was a civil ceremony and religious rite of ancient Rome, held to publicly celebrate and sanctify the military achievement of an army commander who had won great military successes, or originally and traditionally, one who had successfully completed a foreign war. In Republican...
. However, to his disappointment, Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix , known commonly as Sulla, was a Roman general and statesman. He had the rare distinction of holding the office of consul twice, as well as that of dictator...
, one of his officers, was given credit for Jugurtha's capture.
In Asia, Mithradates
Mithridates VI of Pontus
Mithridates VI or Mithradates VI Mithradates , from Old Persian Mithradatha, "gift of Mithra"; 134 BC – 63 BC, also known as Mithradates the Great and Eupator Dionysius, was king of Pontus and Armenia Minor in northern Anatolia from about 120 BC to 63 BC...
, king of Pontus
Pontus
Pontus or Pontos is a historical Greek designation for a region on the southern coast of the Black Sea, located in modern-day northeastern Turkey. The name was applied to the coastal region in antiquity by the Greeks who colonized the area, and derived from the Greek name of the Black Sea: Πόντος...
, began to attack regions that had been annexed by Rome. He also infiltrated his agents into Roman-held cities, which caused popular uprisings and vicious riots that resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Romans. The Roman governors, however, had few soldiers to stop him with, for Rome was embroiled in the Social War against Italian city-states in the south.
Sulla's first civil war
Both Marius and Sulla distinguished themselves commanding legionaries in this conflict, and, when it was concluded, the Senate was forced to choose one of them to command the army that would be sent against Mithradates. The senators decided to give Sulla the command, and Marius, now nearing seventy, was furious. He appealed to the mob, which turned out in his support and eventually marched on the Senate, threatening to kill Sulla.Sulla fled, sailing to Greece, where the Mithradatic War veterans had maintained their loyalty to him. The army was transported to Italy, and, with Sulla at its head, marched on Rome. Marius, with a hastily formed army, attempted to defend the city, but, after a few hours of street-fighting, Marius was driven out and Sulla installed as sole Roman ruler.
Sulla sailed across the Mediterranean yet again and pursued the campaign against Mithradates, restoring Roman rule to the eastern provinces.
However, the senators in Rome, now in complete control of the city, turned against Sulla in 87 BC. They invited Marius to return, and he hurried back, beginning a brief period of terror. Marius became so powerful that, if he failed to nod to one who spoke to him, his soldiers would kill the unfortunate man. Marius was an old man, though, and seventeen days into his seventh consulship, he died.
Marius' key ally and supporter, Cinna
Lucius Cornelius Cinna
Lucius Cornelius Cinna was a four-time consul of the Roman Republic, serving four consecutive terms from 87 to 84 BC, and a member of the ancient Roman Cinna family of the Cornelii gens....
succeeded him as consul. Meanwhile, across the Mediterranean, Sulla ensured the loyalty of his troops and prepared for a second voyage to Rome. The frightened senators attempted to negotiate with him, but Cinna was resolved to fight. He was murdered by mutinous troops, and Sulla broke off negotiations with the Senate.
Sulla's second civil war
Backed by an army of 40,000, Sulla landed at Brundisium in 83 BC. Led by Marius' son, Marian veterans in Rome prepared to fight Sulla. However, by 80 BC, they had been defeated and young Marius had committed suicide.Sulla was reinstated as Dictator of Rome. At his command, thousands of Marius' former supporters were executed, and countless others who disagreed with him were put to the sword.
After the second civil war, Sulla was not challenged by Marian supporters during the last year of his life, 79 BC. When he died, his allies organized a large funeral, at which his body was cheered by the entire crowd. According to one source, his friends applauded him because of their respect and his enemies because he was dead.