20. A Dangerous Roman Precedent
Sulla was in charge of the siege of the Italian city of Nola, in the final stages of the Social War when he heard that command of the war against Mithridates had been transferred to Marius. At the head of five of six legions then under his command, Sulla marched on Rome. It was an unprecedented move: no Roman commander before then had ever crossed Rome’s city limits, the pomerium, with his army. A dangerous example was set, as it became clear that Roman legions could be more loyal to their general than to Rome.
Marius and his supporters put up a fight, but they were disorganized, few in numbers, no match for Sulla’s veterans, and were forced to flee Rome. With armed soldiers at his back, Sulla pushed through favorable legislation, regained command of the war against Pontus, declared the Marians enemies of the state, then marched to Pontus to fight Mithridates. When Sulla left, Marius returned to Rome at the head of his own army in 87 BC, had Sulla’s laws reversed, executed about a dozen Sulla supporters, and was elected consul an unprecedented seventh time for 86 BC. His term was brief, however, and he died a mere seventeen days into his consulship.
