Gaius Marcius Censorinus ( general ) Gaius Marcius Censorinus ( Latin " Gaius Marcius Censorinus " ; d . 3 November , 82 BC ) was a late Roman Republic an politician and soldier known notably for his participation in the First Civil War of the Roman Republic . During this war , he commanded the Populares forces at the Second Battle of Clusium . Family History . Marcius Censorinus was a member of the plebeian Marcia gens of ancient Rome . The cognomen Censorinus was acquired through Gaius Marcius Rutilus , the first plebeian censor , whose son used it . The gens Marcia claimed descent from both Ancus Marcius , a King of Rome , and symbolically from Marsyas the satyr . Biography . Gaius Marcius Censorinus is first mentioned in historical chronicles after the return of Lucius Cornelius Sulla from Asia . During this return , Marcius Censorius accused Sulla of trying to become a king and of receiving bribes from kings in the Asian provinces . Regardless , on the day of the trial , Marcius Censorius failed to show up and later withdrew his accusation . With the outbreak of the First Civil War of the Roman Republic , Marcius Censorius joined the ranks of Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelius Cinna in their efforts to combat Sulla . After the taking of Rome in 87 BC , Marcius Censorius took part in the massacre of Sullan sympathisers in the capital . When Gnaeus Octavius ( Consul in 87 BC ) was added to the prescribed lists , it was Marcius Censorinus who executed him and took his head to Cinna . The head was displayed in the Roman forum for some time . In 83 BC , Sulla returned to Italia with his army and began fighting the Populares forces there . Due to the deaths of both Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelius Cinna , the Populares were commanded by Gnaeus Papirius Carbo and Gaius Marius the Younger . In mid 82 BC , Marcius Censorius was sent to fight Popmey Magnus and was defeated at Sena Galica with Gnaeus Papirius Carbo . As Marius the younger was besieged at Preneste , his food supply became increasingly scarce . Censorinus was sent by Carbo to his aid at the head of eight legion s . Censorinus was ambushed en route by Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus and was once again routed . The survivors found refuge on a hill , blaming the ambush on Censorinus . One of the legions marched off without orders to Ariminium , while the rest deserted outright . Censorinus was forced to return to Carbo ' s camp accompanied by only a few soldiers . In September , Carbo , disheartened by so many defeats , retreated to Sicily . Censorinus , together with Gaius Carrinas and Lucius Junius Brutus Damasipus took command of the remaining legions at Clusium . Pompeius attacked them at the Second Battle of Clusium , inflicting casualties of over twenty thousand killed on the Populares army . After this decisive defeat , Censorinus and the Populares army retreated to the Sebellian region where the Samnite ( es . wiki ) had enlisted a thousand soldiers to free Marius the Younger from his siege . Nevertheless , Sulla cut their path to Preneste and halted their advance . After this , Telesinus decided to march on Rome with the goal of sacking the city , but not to capture it . Sulla marched after Telesinus and on 1 November , 82 BC , the two armies met at the Battle of the Colline Gate at the gates of the city . With the help of Marcus Licinius Crassus , they annihilated the enemy . Death . Gaius Marcius Censorinus , like many of his comrades was captured during the Battle of the Colline Gate . He was beheaded at Sulla ' s orders and his head was sent to Preneste to lower the morale of the troops under the command of Gaius Marius the Younger . The effect was instantaneous as most of Marius ' army deserted immediately .