Lucius Cornelius Sulla was a Roman general and dictator during the last century
of the Roman Republic. Lucius was born into an impoverished branch of the Cornelii, and he
lived a poor and dissolute existence until he received two family inheritances that finally gave him the
financial stature to run for office. Sulla came from a patrician family, served as consul, and led
military campaigns in North Africa, and against Mithradates of Pontus. In his abscence he was
declared a public enemy in Rome by his opponents. Sulla returned with his army to Italy and
marched on Rome. His defeat of his enemy gained him the dictatorship. Sulla was the first man
to use the army to establish a personal autocracy at Rome. He used his power to re-establish
the supremacy of Senate in the Roman state and to carry out other reforms. His first major
break into the Roman political ladder was to serve as quaestor for the famous general, Gaius
Marius, who was leading Rome's armies against King Jugurtha of Numidia.
So-called “Sulla”, free copy (probably from th...
Denarius coin, Reverse: Sulla seated left on a rai...
Lucius Cornelius Sulla - a denarius portrait issue...Sulla eventually
became Marius' ranking lieutenant. After several years of battles with Jugurtha, Sulla basically
persuaded one of his relations to betray him.This glorious conclusion to the campaign was an
achievement the jealous Marius never forgave. At the height of his career he assumed the name
Felix. He served under Marius in Africa and became consul in 88 B.C., when Mithradates VI of
Pontus was overrunning Roman territory in the east. Sulla and Marius both wanted the
command against Mithradates; Marius as a popular leader, Sulla as a senatorial favorite. In 88
B.C. Sulla got the office by marching his soldiers on Rome. By 85 B.C. he had driven
Mithradates' armies back to Asia. Sulla's exploits had included a bloody battle of Athens in 86...