5 – Lucius Cornelius Sulla (139-38? – 78 BC)
Sulla is a highly controversial figure in Roman history. For centuries, he was portrayed as a bloodthirsty tyrant, but some modern historians hold a different view. He was born in 139 or 138 BC and lived in relative poverty until his mistress and stepmother both died and left him a substantial amount of wealth. As a result, he was able to campaign for the position of quaestor which he did successfully in 107 BC.
Sulla led an army against the Numidians and forced them to surrender in 105 BC. He took credit for ending the war, something that must have irritated Gaius Marius no end. However, Marius recognized Sulla’s ability as commander and requested his help against the Germanic tribes; once again, Sulla distinguished himself on the battlefield and Rome defeated the tribes by 101 BC.
He looked to further his political aims and became governor of Sicilia in 96 BC. The First Civil War (also known as the First Social War) in 91 BC curtailed his political career as he was asked once again to fight. Sulla briefly fought alongside Marius and defeated numerous enemies. His performance in the war led to his election as consul when the war ended in 88 BC. Sulla was given command of the army against Mithridates VI of Pontus; Marius opposed the decision, but Sulla responded with force and caused Marius to flee Rome.
Sulla’s enemies in Rome continued to conspire against him, so he swiftly ended the war with Mithridates and returned home to handle his foes. His enemies died one by one; Marius in 86 BC (probably of pleurisy) and Cinna in 84 BC (killed by his own men). In 83 BC, Sulla marched on Rome in a bid to seize power and eliminate his enemies once and for all. The following year, Sulla became dictator, a role that had not been used for over 120 years. In Roman law, a dictator could only rule with supreme power for six months, but Sulla did so indefinitely.
In his new role, Sulla showed no mercy to his perceived enemies and had thousands of them executed through ‘proscription.’ The purge lasted several months, and as many as 9,000 people died; most of them belonged to the ruling classes. Sons and grandsons of the proscribed could not run for office and Sulla instituted many reforms to mold Rome in his image. He ‘resigned’ as dictator in 81 BC but served as consul in 80 BC.
Sulla retired to his country villa and wrote his memoirs. In 78 BC, he died from either a ruptured gastric ulcer or liver failure while reportedly screaming for the strangulation of a corrupt official. His death was probably not a surprise since he was a chronic alcoholic and prone to fits of anger. While Sulla could be portrayed as a guardian of the Republic, the proscriptions and his seeming delight in murdering enemies places him in an extremely negative light.