Marius-Sulla

• “On the expedition he carefully disciplined and trained his army whilst they were on their way, giving them practice in long marches, and running of every sort, and compelling every man to carry his own baggage and prepare his own victuals; insomuch that thenceforward laborious soldiers, who did their work silently without grumbling, had the name of "Marius's mules." - Plutarch
• “Sylla hereupon exasperating his soldiers, who were about thirty-five thousand full-armed men, led them towards Rome.” - Plutarch
• "The Republic, as I knew it, no longer exists; ambition and avarice are the only forces that govern our politics now." - Cicero
• "The ambition of Marius and the cruelty of Sulla corrupted the morals of the state... and set an example for others to seize power by any means." - Sallust
• "The institutions of our ancestors were overthrown, and the path was paved for perpetual civil wars." - Livy
• “Sulla now devoted himself entirely to the work of butchery. The city was filled with murder and there was no counting the executions or setting a limit to them, many people were killed because of purely personal ill feeling; they had no connection with Sulla in any way, but Sulla, in order to gratify members of his own party, permitted them to be done away with.” - Plutarch
• "In those days, the sword ruled, the law was silent, and terror reigned supreme." - Cicero
• "The rich grew richer through the spoils of war and the misery of others, while the poor were driven deeper into poverty and despair." - Sallust
• "The goods of the proscribed were confiscated and sold at auction, often at a fraction of their value, leading to the enrichment of Sulla's followers and the economic destruction of many noble families." - Plutarch
• “The Republic is lost; the city is filled with the fear of death, and trust between men is shattered.” -Cicero
• The Marius-Sulla civil war was a crucial period for the late Roman Repulic, reflecting the deep-rooted political, social, and military tensions. The conflict unfolded between 88 - 82 BCE, and had significant implications for Romes socio-political landscape.
• Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelius Sulla were two of Rome's most powerful and ambitious generals. Marius was a populares, who represented the interests of the common people, and sought reforms to benefit the lower classes. Sulla was an optimares, who represented the patricians and the senatorial class, advocating for the preservation of traditional republican structures.