Sulla’s overarching goal was to consolidate power in Rome in the hands of the senate.

As an Optimate, Sulla intended to restore power to the traditional Roman system of government. His overarching goal was to cement power in the senate as demonstrated through his institution of pro-republican reforms and his opposition to the reformist Marius, despite his violent and authoritarian actions which contravened his original intention. Sulla was a conservative who firmly believed in the preservation of Roman tradition over pushing for social reforms. As a strong opposing force of the reformist and Populare leader Gaius Marius, Sulla made many attempts to shift power away from Marius’s grasp when his actions began to threaten the republic. Following Marius’s five consecutive and unconstitutional consulships from 104 to 100, Sulla’s reactionary conservatism led him to undertake many political reforms to ensure that equestrians like Marius would be unable to gain further power. Sulla passed laws banning non-patricians from the jury, which had previously been allowed under Marius. His actions demonstrated a clear preference of conservatism and an opposition to those who wished to shift power away from the senate’s grasp. Described by Keaveney as Rome’s ‘last republican’, Sulla clearly demonstrated his goal of strengthening the senate through ensuring non-senators would be unable to enact change.

Furthermore, Sulla’s reforms clearly demonstrated his ultimate goal of maintaining the Roman constitution. After his second march on Rome in 82 BCE, Sulla immediately worked to promote the power of the senate through reforms. The number of senators was increased by 300, which significantly magnified their strength. The power of the senate was further increased through crippling the Concilium Plebis of its powers, such as jurisdiction and veto rights. Additionally, Sulla reduced the people’s assembly to ‘a shadow without substance’ (Velleius) by barring tribunes from further office. This caused those of reputable birth to ‘shun the office thereafter’ (Appian), which effectively prevented the emergence of future Gracchi-like figures. Through these reforms, Sulla was successfully able to restore the senate to its pre-Gracchan authority by ensuring that the people’s assembly was stripped of its powers to institute change without senatorial approval. Through his attempts to mend the fracturing Roman state to its former stability, Sulla clearly shows his overarching goal of strengthening the senate.

Despite his intentions of upholding the constitution, Sulla’s actions ultimately had disastrous consequences on the Roman government and played a significant part in its eventual downfall. While he wished to restore power to the senate, his own unconstitutional actions, such as declaring himself dictator, inadvertently contravened his original intention of barring individuals from gaining too much power. Appian saw Sulla as ‘an unelected king’, demonstrating not just the unlawful nature of his leadership but also referring to him as a highly despised monarch. Sulla’s two marches on Rome was highly un-Roman, with Gwynn describing him as a ‘warlord with his private army’ who ‘threatened the very nature of the republic’, suggesting that he caused more harm than good to the senate. Sulla also demonstrated highly un-republican characteristics, such as striking coins in his image and keeping bodyguards known as the Cornelii. These practices, associated with later Roman emperors, caused Beard to name Pompey as ‘Rome’s first emperor’. Sulla’s proscriptions also posed a threat to the republic, as while Sulla used it to eliminate reformists, many personal enemies and rich landowners also fell victim to Sulla’s proscriptions. However, despite these harmful actions, by resigning from supreme power in 79 BCE, Sulla ultimately displays his goal as restoring power to the senate rather than to shift it to himself. Gwynn wrote that ‘paradoxically, Sulla was a true republican at heart’, showing that the unlawful aspects of his reign were not of his intention. Sulla was a firm republican to sought to restore power to the weakening senate. While his actions as dictator presented a very different image, his ultimate decision to resign from dictatorship highlights his ultimate goal in consolidating power in the hands of the senate.