Editing Roman Republic (section)

====First civil wars====
{{Campaignbox Ancient Unification of Italy}}
{{Campaignbox First Mithridatic War}}
{{Campaignbox Sulla's Second Civil War}}

In 91, the [[Social War (91–87 BC)|Social War]] broke out between Rome and its former allies in Italy: the main causes of the war were Roman encroachment on allied lands due to the Republic's land redistribution programmes, harsh Roman treatment of the non-citizen allies, and Roman unwillingness to share in the spoils of the empire.{{sfn|Gabba|1992|pp=104–111}} After the assassination, in Rome, of a conservative tribune who sought to grant the Italians citizenship, the allies took up arms:{{sfn|Gabba|1992|pp=113–114}} most ancient writers explain the conflict in terms of demands for full citizenship, but contemporary rebel propaganda coins indicate it may have been a primarily anti-Roman secessionist movement.{{sfn|Beard|2015|p=238}} The Romans were able to stave off military defeat by conceding the main point almost immediately, tripling the number of citizens.{{sfn|Beard|2015|pp=238–239}} More recent scholarship also has stressed the importance of the war on the allies in destabilising Roman military affairs by blurring the distinction between Romans and foreign enemies.{{sfn|Beard|2015|p=244}}

Further civil conflict emerged, starting in 88. One of the consuls that year, [[L. Cornelius Sulla]], was assigned to take an army against the [[Pontus (kingdom)|Pontic]] king [[Mithradates VI Eupator|Mithridates]]. The local governor there was defeated, but [[C. Marius]] induced a tribune to promulgate legislation reassigning Sulla's command to Marius. Sulla responded by suborning his army, marching on Rome (the city was undefended but politically outraged), and declaring Marius and 11 of his allies outlaws before departing east to [[First Mithridatic War|war with Mithridates]].{{sfn|Seager|1992a|p=171}} Marius, who had escaped into exile, returned, and with [[Lucius Cornelius Cinna|L. Cornelius Cinna]], took control of the city.{{sfn|Beard|2015|pp=241–242}}

After the Marians took control of the city, they started to purge their political enemies.{{sfn|Seager|1992a|p=178}} They elected, in irregular fashion, Marius and Cinna to the consulship of 86&nbsp;BC. Marius died a fortnight after assuming office. Cinna took control of the state: his policies are unclear and the record is muddled by Sulla's eventual victory.{{sfn|Seager|1992a|p=180}} The Cinnan regime declared Sulla a public enemy and ostensibly replaced him in command in the east. Instead of cooperating with his replacement, which Sulla viewed as illegitimate, he made peace with Mithridates and prepared to return to Italy.{{sfn|Seager|1992a|p=182}} By 85&nbsp;BC, the Cinnans in Rome started preparations to defend the peninsula from invasion.{{sfn|Seager|1992a|p=182}}

In 83, he returned from the east with a small but experienced army.{{sfn|Seager|1992a|p=187}} Initial reactions were negative across the peninsula, but after winning a number of victories he was able to overcome resistance and capture the city. In the [[Battle of the Colline Gate]], just outside Rome,{{sfn|Seager|1992a|pp=194–195}} Sulla's army defeated the Marian defenders and then proceeded to "run riot... killing for profit, pleasure, or personal vengeance anyone they pleased".{{sfn|Seager|1992a|p=197}} He then instituted procedures to centralise the killing, creating [[Proscription|lists of proscribed persons]] who could be killed for their property without punishment.{{sfn|Seager|1992a|pp=197–199|ps=, also citing ancient accounts that some 80 senators and 1,600 equites were targeted in the first round before being joined by two additional rounds of 220 names.}} After establishing political control, Sulla had himself made [[Roman dictator|dictator]] and passed a series of [[Constitutional reforms of Sulla|constitutional reforms]] intended to strengthen the position of the magistrates and the senate in the state and replace custom with new rigid statute laws enforced by new permanent courts.{{sfn|Beard|2015|p=246}}{{sfn|Steel|2014}} Sulla resigned the dictatorship in 81 after election as consul for 80. He then retired, and died in 78&nbsp;BC.{{sfn|Seager|1992a|pp=205–207}}

{{Campaignbox Second Mithridatic War}}{{Campaignbox Roman–Parthian Wars}}