Sulla made peace with Mithridates in 85, which made him free to Rome.
When Cinna died in 84, the Senate once again took charge of Rome and raised a new army of 100.000 men, many of them
had served in Marius’ army.
Sulla refused to coorporate with the Senate, and in 83 the Senate outlawed him.
This certainly meant civil war, and Sulla marched through Italy gaining more and more victories.
In 82 he won a battle at the Colline gate in Rome. This was the last battle in the war.
Sulla now stood in the same position that Marius had had 17 years earlier. He had an army, Rome had not, but he had
learned, that Marius decision was the wrong one.
Sulla called the Senate to a meeting. He declared that the republic was threatened and was elected dictator for 6 months.
The same thing happened 6 months later, and after another 6 months he was declared dictator for life.
Sulla’s reign was a reign of terror.
He made a public list of his enemies and gave rewards to anyone who would betray them.
If the people on the list didn’t flee or commit suicide, they were either executed or exiled.
Sulla made what was later known as the Cormelian law. These laws was supposed to secure the republic. One of the laws
said that no army could stand in Italy. This law was the one Gajus Julius Caesar broke when he crossed Rubicon.
In 79 Sulla thought that he had done enough, and he retired to his estates in Italy.
He died one year later.
Crassus, Pompeius, and Caesar.
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