Sulla

Sulla Coin2

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Mario vincitore dei Cimbri

Sulla Glyptothek Munich 309

Aeclanum (Ruins-03)

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Bust of Sulla (Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen) 2

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Asia minor Mithridates

Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix (c. 138 BC – 78 BC), known commonly as Sulla, was a Roman general and statesman. He held the office of Consul twice and also served as Dictator in a crucial period of the Republic's history. Sulla's march on Rome in 88 BC was a pivotal moment in Roman history, marking the first time a Roman general had turned his army against the state. His reforms of Roman governmental structures and the Roman Constitution had a lasting impact on the Roman state, influencing its transition from Republic to Empire.

Early Life

Sulla was born into a patrician family of the Cornelia gens, one of the most ancient and prestigious families of Rome, but one that had not produced any notable magistrates in recent generations. Little is known about his early life and career, but it is believed that Sulla's early military service was under the command of Gaius Marius during the Jugurthine War. His association with Marius would later turn into a bitter rivalry that would divide Rome.

Rise to Power

Sulla's rise to prominence began in the 90s BC, during the Social War, when he served with distinction. He was elected Consul for the first time in 88 BC, amidst a political crisis regarding the command against Mithridates VI of Pontus, a powerful enemy in the East. Sulla was originally given the command, but through the machinations of his rival Marius and his supporters, the command was transferred to Marius. In response, Sulla marched on Rome, seizing control of the city and reclaiming his command. This act was unprecedented and marked a significant escalation in the internal conflicts of the Roman state.

Dictatorship

After his campaigns in the East, Sulla returned to Rome in 82 BC and appointed himself Dictator. His dictatorship is notable for the constitutional reforms he implemented, aimed at strengthening the Senate and weakening the power of the Tribune of the Plebs, thereby restoring the aristocracy's dominance in Roman politics. Sulla also conducted a series of proscriptions, a political purge that targeted his enemies and those of the senatorial class, leading to the execution or exile of thousands of Romans.

Legacy

Sulla's legacy is complex. On one hand, he is seen as a defender of the Roman Republic's traditional values and institutions; on the other, he is viewed as a dictator who paved the way for the end of the Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. His reforms of the Roman constitution were largely undone after his death, but his impact on Roman politics and the precedent he set for military intervention in politics would be felt for generations to come.

Sulla retired from public life and died in 78 BC. His memoirs, now lost, provided valuable insights into his life and times, and he remains a significant, if controversial, figure in Roman history.