Marius Sulla The Century of Civil War Begins
Marius & Sulla The Century of Civil War Begins
Review Republic Expansion Spain, Africa Greece, Turkey as well Social & Economic Problems Gracchi Brothers’ Reforms Land Grain Italian citizenship Optimates vs. Populares
Gaius Marius Consul 7 times – unprecedented 107, 104, 103, 102, 101, 100, 86 BC Novus Homo Army Recruitment Reforms No property requirement No class restriction Land & benefits Army floods with poor people Unintended consequence Are his reforms socialist or populist in nature?
Marius’s Military Achievements War with Jugurtha Numidia Lucius Cornelius Sulla Credit for capturing Jugurtha? Cimbri & Teutones Migrating German tribes 105 BC – Arausio – 80, 000 Romans 102 BC – Aquae Sextiae 101 BC – Vercellae Sulla deserves some more credit…
The Social War Marcus Livius Drusus’s reforms in 91 Italian citizenship Assassinated Italians revolt Marius & Sulla fight together until Marius retires for health reasons Sulla finishes the war
1 st Mithridatic War Mithridates invades Asia Province Asiatic Vespers 88 BC Then invades Greece Leadership Debate Senate picks Sulla; Assembly bribed to pick Marius Sulla marches on Rome with army; Marius flees Sulla goes east vs. Mithridates
Meanwhile in Rome… Consuls are Octavius (supporter of Sulla) and Cinna (fan of Marius) Violence breaks out; Marius arrives with army Octavius defeated; he and Sulla’s supporters killed off Marius dies 17 days into his 7 th consulship
Sulla’s Revenge Finishes the war with Mithridates & returns to Rome War drags on between Sulla and the supporters of Marius Battle of Colline Gate – 83 BC Sulla becomes sole ruler of Rome Dictator in 82/81 BC – not during emergency! Proscriptions Retires
- Slides: 8
