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First fall of Marius The Allies • A er 6 consulships, Marius has lost all • 95: new court to inves gate aliens claiming ci zenship influence. Slinks off to the East. • 91: Tribune M. Livius Drusus tries to pass bill: • Who was Marius? – Promises Colonies – Rus c warrior or unprincipled poli cian – Subsidized grain or both? – Gives jury back to senators: equites upset • No poli cal program; just acceptance & glory – Ci zenship to allies • Marius’ great legacy: Professional army • Drusus is murdered: plebs, equites, & senators – But landless, prof. army now thrust into all agree: NO ci zenship to Italian allies poli cs • Scipio Aemilianus, C. Gracchus, Saturninus…
Social war (socii) 91-88 Civil war: Gaius Marius & Lucius Cornelius Sulla (Felix) • Violence begins at Asculum • 100,000 men (trained by Rome) • Italian confederate government at Corfinium • 90 Lex Iulia, Julian law • 89 Lex Plau a Papiria • From social to civil war
-20 yrs younger than Marius -Noble (but dishonored) fam. -A new man, but 6 consulships so far -Marches army against Rome in 88 and AGAIN in 82
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Sulla, Marius, and the Senate: phase 1
• Gerrymandering: limit allies to 8 of 35 tribes – less vo ng power
• 88 P. Sulpicius Rufus (another reforming trib.) – Proposes bill to distribute allies equally throughout 35 tribes -- AND challenges Senate’s choice of Sulla (rather than Marius) to command war in East vs. Mithridates of Pontus
Sulla, Marius, and Senate: Phase 2 Cinna and Marius • Senate & Sulla (cos.88) vs. Sulpicius Rufus & Marius • Sulpicius Rufus killed, Marius escapes to Africa – Sulla orders suspension of business • Sulla off to East vs. Mithridates – Rufus brings mob of 3,000 & his “an -senate” • 87 Cinna consul: reintroduces Sulp. Rufus’ bill • Brawls + deaths (Sulla chased out) including allies in all 35 tribes • Marius’ officials & Sulla race each other to reach 6 legions awai ng a general. Sulla arrives first. • Brawl in forum > Consul Cinna outlawed (?!) • Marius’ officials stoned by Sulla’s army • Cinna & Marius (both outlaws) make alliance • March on Rome!! and bloodbath
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Another bloodbath 83 BC: Sulla’s return to Italy • Consul Cinna’s troops mu ny and kill him • Together, they besiege Rome: Rome surrenders • Other consul Carbo has 100,000 men (s ll 87 BC) • • Declare themselves consuls for 86 (no elec ons) Sulla joined by sev. nobles, including • Another bloodbath: slaughter enemies in public… Crassus & Pompey (23 yrs. old) st • Marius falls ill & dies– hated by all (70 yrs. old) • Sulla wins 1 full-scale civil war: • Cinna and Carbo consuls for 85 and 84 – 82 decisive victory: Ba le of Colline Gate • Allies FINALLY enrolled in 35 tribes • Another bloodbath • Wai ng for Sulla… (who is busy domina ng Asia and Greece, incl. laying siege to Athens!)
Proscrip ons 81 BC: Sulla names himself Dictator (over 2,000 equites & 100 senators) • From “proscribo”: announce in wri ng • 1st me self-proclaimed dictator & w/out specified term! • Sulla has: 120,000 veterans, no opposi on, 10,000 body – Lists posted for legalized murder, with guard of freedmen, dictatorship reward • Reforms: aim to restore cons tu on & power of senate – property confiscated and auc oned by Sulla – Adds to Senate & gives senate right to review all bills – descendants black-listed – Cripples Tribunate: no veto & barred from cursus honorum • WHY? – Limits powers and terms of provincial governors – Terror, removal of opposi on, cash, land, – Revises court system: 7 courts (quaes ones) and only and 10,000 freedmen clients (Cornelii) senators in juries again – 10 colonies for 120,000 veterans – No more grain subsidy • Sulla abdicates dictatorship in 79 and dies in 78 – Sulla sees himself as surgeon
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Lingering ques on… did it work?
Crassus, Pompey, Caesar….
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