Sulla's military significance
Lucius Cornelius Sulla was a prominent military leader in ancient Rome, known for his significant contributions during several key conflicts. Initially serving under Gaius Marius, Sulla played a vital role in the Jugurthine War, which solidified Roman control over Numidia and highlighted the tensions between Sulla and Marius over military accolades. Their rivalry deepened during the Social War, where Sulla commanded Marius's forces against rebellious allies of Rome. This conflict led to a pivotal moment in their relationship when Sulla was replaced by Marius as general against Mithridates VI of Pontus, prompting Sulla to march on Rome to assert his leadership.
Sulla's military campaigns reached a climax during the First Mithridatic War and the subsequent siege of Rome, where he faced a formidable army of Samnites at the Colline Gate. This battle was one of the bloodiest in Roman history, showcasing Sulla's tactical prowess and his ability to rally forces in dire circumstances. After securing victory and stabilizing Rome’s defenses, Sulla retired from military life, leaving behind a legacy marked by both military achievement and political strife. His actions significantly influenced the trajectory of Roman military and political history, making him a key figure in the transformation of the Roman Republic during his time.
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Sulla's military significance
Full name: Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix
Principal wars: Jugurthine War, Social War, First Mithridatic War
Principal battle: Colline Gate (82 b.c.e.)
Military significance: Sulla used Gaius Marius’s military reforms to advance his own political agenda while securing a tenuous peace in the east.
Sulla served under Gaius Marius during the Roman campaign against the Numidian king Jugurtha. With victory in the Jugurthine War (112-106 b.c.e.), partisans of Marius and Sulla disputed which commander should be credited as more important. Despite this rivalry, Sulla remained with Marius while routing Gallic tribes advancing southward toward Rome.
A number of Rome’s allies (socii) broke with Rome and attempted to establish a rival state. In the resulting Social War (91-88 b.c.e.), Sulla again held command in Marius’s army, while Marius himself reaped political benefit from the victory. The relationship between Marius and Sulla was finally severed when the latter was appointed general against Mithridates VI Eupator of Pontus. Marius forced the command to be transferred to himself, causing Sulla to march on Rome. Marius fled, returning to Rome only after Sulla was safely in the east. After many of Sulla’s followers were massacred, Marius died, leaving Sulla to conclude the First Mithridatic War (88-84 b.c.e.) before returning to Rome in defense of his supporters.
In Rome, Sulla was besieged by 100,000 Samnites intent upon avenging their defeat in the Social War. Sulla met the Samnites at the Colline Gate in 82 b.c.e., one of the bloodiest battles in Roman history. About 3,000 Samnite prisoners were later executed. Having secured Rome’s defenses in 80 b.c.e., Sulla retired, dying two years later.
Bibliography
Badian, Ernst. Lucius Sulla: The Deadly Reformer. Sydney: Sydney University Press, 1970.
Keaveney, Arthur. Sulla, the Last Republican. London: Croom Helm, 1982.
McCullough, Colleen. The Grass Crown. New York: Morrow, 1991.