Sulla ' s civil wars Sulla ' s civil wars were a series of civil wars in which Lucius Cornelius Sulla , a Roman statesman and general , attempted to take control of the Roman Republic . Background . The Roman general and longtime consul Gaius Marius had gained great prominence during the 2nd century BC , particularly as a result of his campaign against the rebelling African king Jugurtha . The campaign was successful , and Marius was rewarded with re - election as consul and a triumph . However , to his disappointment , Lucius Cornelius Sulla , one of his officers , was given credit for Jugurtha ' s capture . In Asia , Mithradates , king of Pontus , began to attack regions that had been annexed by Rome . He also infiltrated his agents into Roman - held cities , which caused popular uprisings and vicious riots that resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Romans . The Roman governors , however , had few soldiers to stop him with , for Rome was embroiled in the Social War against Italian city - states in the south . Sulla ' s first civil war . Both Marius and Sulla distinguished themselves commanding legionaries in this conflict , and , when it was concluded , the Senate was forced to choose one of them to command the army that would be sent against Mithradates . In light of Sulla ' s recent election as consul , the Senate appointed him to the command , and Marius , now nearing seventy , was furious . He appealed to the mob , which turned out in his support and eventually marched on the Senate , threatening to kill Sulla . Sulla fled , sailing to Greece , where the Mithradatic War veterans had maintained their loyalty to him . The army was transported to Italy , and , with Sulla at its head , marched on Rome . Marius , with a hastily formed army , attempted to defend the city , but , after a few hours of street - fighting , Marius was driven out and Sulla installed as sole Roman ruler . Sulla sailed across the Mediterranean yet again and pursued the campaign against Mithradates , restoring Roman rule to the eastern provinces . However , the senators in Rome , now in complete control of the city , turned against Sulla in 87 BC . They invited Marius to return , and he hurried back , beginning a brief period of terror . Marius became so powerful that , if he failed to nod to one who spoke to him , his soldiers would kill the unfortunate man . Marius was an old man , though , and seventeen days into his seventh consulship , he died . Marius ' key ally and supporter , Cinna succeeded him as consul . Meanwhile , across the Mediterranean , Sulla ensured the loyalty of his troops and prepared for a second voyage to Rome . The frightened senators attempted to negotiate with him , but Cinna was resolved to fight . He was murdered by mutinous troops , and Sulla broke off negotiations with the Senate . Sulla ' s second civil war . Backed by an army of 40 , 000 , Sulla landed at Brundisium in 83 BC . Led by Marius ' son , Marian veterans in Rome prepared to fight Sulla . However , by 80 BC , they had been defeated and young Marius had committed suicide . Sulla was reinstated as Dictator of Rome . Thus started his " Reign of Terror . " During his reign , he instituted the proscription list . This list had names of people who offended him and needed to be killed . He would pay anyone who killed these people . After the second civil war , Sulla was not challenged by Marian supporters during the last year of his life , 79 BC . When he died , his allies organized a large funeral , at which his body was cheered by the entire crowd ; he also wanted to be buried with the kings . According to one source , his friends applauded him because of their respect and his enemies because he was dead . After his funeral , he had Caius ' bones burned .