Lucius Valerius Flaccus
After his death, Lucius Valerius Flaccus, another patrician like Cinna, was elected as sole candidate to succeed Marius as consul; Flaccus was dispatched immediately with two legions to fight Mithridates alongside (but not with) Sulla. While Marius is at times blamed for the purges, his sudden death more than likely was used to deflect blame rather than an actual change in policy. Cinna and one of his later consular colleagues, Carbo, would lead their faction into the civil war, which continued until their defeat (and that of Marius' son) by Sulla's army, eventually allowing Sulla to make himself dictator.