Download Stage 6: Sulla

Latin 1A
Magistra Kelleher
Historical Figure #6: Sulla
Lucius Cornelius Sulla was born in 138 B.C. into a well known
aristocratic family. Because of his family connections he entered politics at
a young age and was elected quaestor in 107 BC. As quaestor Sulla served
as a lieutenant to the Roman consul and general Gaius Marius during the
Jugurthine War. In this war, which was fought for control of Numidia
(modern-day Algeria), Sulla was crucial in capturing the king of the
Numidians, Jugurtha. This victory helped boost his political career and
earned him a statue in the Roman forum. In 104 BC, Sulla again served
under Marius in campaigns against Celtic-German tribes. Again the
Romans won this war and Marius and Sulla became even more famous.
Upon returning to Rome, Sulla continued his political rise and was
elected proconsul, governor, of the Eastern province of Cilicia. Sulla’s time
in Cilicia increased his power base and he began to align himself with a
group in Rome known as the optimates. The optimates were a political
faction that believed the power in Rome should stay in the hands of the old
aristocratic families rather than in the hands of self-made new-men. The
optimates also did not believe in using the power of the common people
like the Gracchi had done in previous years. The opposing faction in Rome
was known as the populares, and Sulla’s old commander Marius was a
member of this faction.
In 91 BC the Social War broke out in Italy. This was a war fought
between Rome and its Italian allies. The Italian people were angry that
although they paid taxes to Rome and fought in the Roman army, they did
not have full rights as citizens; so, in 91 BC, they rebelled. Marius was put
in charge of the Roman army, but members of the optimates feared that
Marius’ power was too great. He had already served 5 terms as consul,
and they tried to undermine him by pushing for Sulla to be in charge.
Both men eventually shared control of the army, but Sulla outshone Marius
and helped to finally quell the Italian forces.
In 88 BC after the end of the Social War, Sulla was elected consul
and sent to fight in the east near the Black Sea. Once he left Rome, Marius
worked against him and had a tribune of the plebs fight to overturn Sulla’s
election. Marius’ scheme worked and he was given control of Sulla’s army.
Sulla was enraged by this and marched his army on Rome in an attempt to
overthrow Marius. Sulla succeeded in driving Marius from Rome into
exile; however, Sulla was now the first Roman general to fight another
Roman general and cause civil war. After driving Marius into exile, Sulla
returned to his campaigns in the east, where he spent the next 4 years.
In 82 BC Sulla planned to return to Rome, but discovered that
Marius the Younger (son of Gaius Marius) had risen to power in the city.
Sulla then started his second civil war in order to drive the Marians out of
Rome. After succeeding in this second civil war, Sulla was appointed
dictator by the senate. As dictator, Sulla had supreme control over the
government of Rome, and had no limit placed upon his term. Sulla quickly
set out to destroy the populares and return Rome to the full control of the
true aristocrats of Rome. He greatly diminished the power of the Tribune
of the Plebs and enhanced the power of the Senate by creating more offices
for the aristocrats. Sulla also instituted a policy of proscription to rid Rome
of his enemies. Proscription means that a person is marked for execution
and can be killed by any citizen in Rome for a bounty. Sulla would post
lists of the people he deemed enemies of the state. After these people were
killed he auctioned off their land and property to other aristocrats. It is
believed that 1,500 people were put on the proscription lists, but some
scholars believe that up to 9,000 people were killed during Sulla’s 3 year
term as dictator.
In 78 BC, Sulla resigned his office of dictator and died soon after.
Sulla was always considered a controversial figure in Roman politics and
history. He was a brilliant military commander who brought great
victories to the Roman army, but he is also was the cause of 2 civil wars
and his dictatorship was a tense violent time for Rome. Sulla’s dictatorship
also sets a precedent for a sole ruler over a Republican government. Later
Republican figures such as Cicero, Pompey and Caesar will all use this
precedent to justify taking supreme control over Rome in a “time of need”.