Sulla's civil war facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sulla's civil war |
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| Part of the Crisis of the Roman Republic | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Sullans |
Marians |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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| Strength | |||||||
| c. 30,000 men in 83 BC, massively increased by enemy desertions | Over 100,000 men | ||||||
The Sulla's civil war was a big fight in ancient Rome between two powerful Roman generals: Lucius Cornelius Sulla and Gaius Marius. It happened from 83 to 82 BC. This war was a major part of the Crisis of the Roman Republic, a time when Rome faced many internal problems.
The war ended with a huge battle right outside the city of Rome. Sulla won this battle and became the dictator of the Roman Republic. A dictator in Rome was a special leader given total power during emergencies.
Why the War Started: The Prelude
Before this war, Sulla had taken control of Rome for a short time. He had forced his rival, Marius, to leave the city. But Sulla then had to go fight in a war in the East called the First Mithridatic War.
While Sulla was away, Marius and his son, Gaius Marius the younger, returned to Rome with an army. They took control back from Sulla's friends. Marius and his allies, like Lucius Cornelius Cinna, made sure Sulla's supporters were removed from power. Marius then declared that all of Sulla's laws were no longer valid. He also officially sent Sulla away from Rome and took over his military command. Marius and Cinna were elected as the top leaders, called consuls, for 86 BC. Marius died soon after, leaving Cinna in charge.
The Marians then sent an army to the East to take Sulla's command away from him. But Sulla was a very skilled general. He encouraged soldiers from the other Roman army to join him. Many did, making his army even stronger. Sulla then finished his war in the East and prepared to return to Rome.
The War Begins: Course of Events
With his enemy Mithridates defeated and Cinna now dead, Sulla was ready to take back Rome.
Events of 83 BC: Sulla Returns to Italy
In the spring of 83 BC, Sulla brought his army back to southern Italy. As soon as he arrived, many Roman nobles and old supporters who had survived the Marian rule joined him. Important leaders like Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius and Marcus Licinius Crassus came with their own armies.
A young general named Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, who would later be called Pompey the Great, also raised his own army. He joined Sulla after defeating Marian forces. When Pompey met Sulla, he showed him great respect.
The Marians, led by Gnaeus Papirius Carbo (consul 85 BC), sent their own armies to stop Sulla. One of their leaders, Gaius Norbanus, tried to block Sulla's path. Sulla offered to talk, but Norbanus refused. They fought at the Battle of Mount Tifata, where Sulla won a big victory. Norbanus lost many soldiers.
Another Marian leader, Scipio Asiagenus, also tried to stop Sulla. Scipio's soldiers were not eager to fight Sulla's experienced army. Many of Scipio's troops decided to switch sides and join Sulla. This made Sulla's army even bigger and stronger. Scipio and his son were captured but later released by Sulla. However, Scipio broke his promise not to fight Sulla again.
In Rome, new consuls were elected for 82 BC: Gaius Marius the Younger (Marius's son) and Gnaeus Papirius Carbo.
Events of 82 BC: Key Battles and Sulla's Victory
During the winter break, both sides gathered more soldiers. The Marians got help from old veterans and from the Samnites, a group of people from central Italy who were enemies of Sulla. Sulla also sent his allies, Crassus and Pompey, to recruit more troops.
When fighting started again, Sulla marched towards Rome. Marius the Younger led his army to meet Sulla in Campania. They fought at the Battle of Sacriportus. Sulla's experienced soldiers quickly defeated Marius's army. Many of Marius's troops either fled or joined Sulla.
Marius the Younger escaped with some soldiers to a town called Praeneste. Sulla then left part of his army to surround Praeneste and marched on Rome, which was now undefended. Before Sulla reached the city, Marius the Younger sent a message to Rome. He ordered his supporters to eliminate Sulla's remaining friends in the city. Many important Romans were killed.
Meanwhile, in northern Italy, Sulla's allies, Metellus and Pompey, fought against Carbo's forces. They won several battles, weakening the Marian control in the north. Sulla also continued to gain control of cities in southern Italy.
Carbo tried to fight Sulla near Clusium, but the battle was not decisive. Sulla then moved to help his forces besieging Praeneste. Many Marian forces were defeated or switched sides. Eventually, Carbo lost hope and fled to Sicily.
With their main leader gone, the remaining Marian forces, including the Samnites and Lucanians, decided to make one last stand. They marched towards Rome. Sulla quickly followed them. The final and most important battle of the civil war was the Battle of the Colline Gate, fought right outside Rome's walls. It was a very tough and long fight, but Sulla won. It's estimated that about 50,000 soldiers died that day.
After the battle, Sulla entered Rome as a hero. He had saved the city from its ancient enemies, the Samnites. Sulla then had himself declared Dictator, which gave him supreme power over the Roman Republic. Marius the Younger tried to escape from Praeneste but failed and took his own life. The town surrendered, and most of its defenders were executed, though Roman citizens were spared. Sulla and his generals then spent time clearing out any remaining resistance across Italy.
Aftermath: Sulla's Control and Reforms
Some Marian survivors found refuge in Sicily, Africa, and Spain. Sulla sent Pompey with a large army to deal with them. Pompey quickly took control of Sicily and captured Carbo, who was then executed. Pompey also defeated Marian forces in Africa.
In Spain, Quintus Sertorius had gathered Marian supporters. Sulla sent an army to fight him, and Sertorius was forced to leave Spain for a short time. However, Sertorius would return later, leading to another war.
The Results of the War
After winning the civil war, Sulla became the absolute ruler of Rome as dictator. He started a program called proscriptions. This meant he made lists of people he considered enemies of the state. These people could be killed, and their property was taken by the government. This was seen as a response to similar actions taken by Marius and Cinna when they were in power.
Sulla ordered the execution of many nobles, including senators and wealthy citizens called equites. It's believed that thousands of people were killed. Helping someone on the proscription list was punishable by death, but killing a proscribed person was rewarded. Sulla also made sure that the sons and grandsons of those on the list could not hold political office for a long time.
A young man named Gaius Julius Caesar, who was related to Cinna, was one of Sulla's targets. He had to flee Rome. His relatives, who supported Sulla, managed to convince Sulla to spare Caesar's life. However, Sulla later said he regretted this decision because he saw how ambitious Caesar was.
Sulla was a conservative who wanted to strengthen the power of the Roman Senate. He made many changes to Rome's laws and government:
- He made sure that the Senate had to approve any new laws before they could be voted on by the people.
- He reduced the power of the Plebeian Tribunes, who were officials meant to protect the common people. He made it so that former tribunes could not hold any other political office, which made the job less appealing to ambitious people.
- Sulla increased the number of elected officials each year. He also made it so that all newly elected quaestors (officials who managed money) automatically became members of the Senate. This increased the size of the Senate from 300 to 600 members.
- He gave control of the courts back to the senators, taking it away from the equites.
- Sulla also set clear rules for the cursus honorum, which was the required order of political offices a Roman citizen had to hold to advance in their career. This meant people had to reach a certain age and have enough experience before running for specific jobs.
- To prevent future generals from seizing power like he did, Sulla required that a person wait ten years before being re-elected to the same office. He also made a rule that consuls and praetors (high-ranking officials) would serve in Rome for one year, and then govern a province with an army for the next year.
Finally, Sulla expanded the "Pomerium", which was the sacred boundary of Rome. This was a symbolic act showing his power.
Towards the end of 81 BC, Sulla surprised everyone by giving up his dictatorship. He disbanded his armies and brought back the normal government with consuls. He even ran for consul himself and won, serving in 80 BC. He walked around Rome without bodyguards, offering to explain his actions to anyone. This was a very unusual move for someone who had held such absolute power.
