Professor Catherine Steel

Mithridates, exactly, is king of Pontus. He's been a problem for Rome for two, three decades by this point. Sulla is going to deal with Mithridates. And he goes off and he's engaged in campaigning against Mithridates throughout the mid-80s, during which period his political opponents in Rome take control once more. But everybody knows that Sulla will come back with a well-trained army.

Mithridates, exactly, is king of Pontus. He's been a problem for Rome for two, three decades by this point. Sulla is going to deal with Mithridates. And he goes off and he's engaged in campaigning against Mithridates throughout the mid-80s, during which period his political opponents in Rome take control once more. But everybody knows that Sulla will come back with a well-trained army.

Mithridates, exactly, is king of Pontus. He's been a problem for Rome for two, three decades by this point. Sulla is going to deal with Mithridates. And he goes off and he's engaged in campaigning against Mithridates throughout the mid-80s, during which period his political opponents in Rome take control once more. But everybody knows that Sulla will come back with a well-trained army.

And at that point, there will need to be some resolution to the gulf between him and the Marians. And that's unlikely to be resolved by peaceful negotiation. And that happens. And Sulla returns. And Sulla is victorious in his campaign to seize control of Roman Italy.

And at that point, there will need to be some resolution to the gulf between him and the Marians. And that's unlikely to be resolved by peaceful negotiation. And that happens. And Sulla returns. And Sulla is victorious in his campaign to seize control of Roman Italy.

And at that point, there will need to be some resolution to the gulf between him and the Marians. And that's unlikely to be resolved by peaceful negotiation. And that happens. And Sulla returns. And Sulla is victorious in his campaign to seize control of Roman Italy.

And it seems to be the case that he is unwilling to confirm the position of Caesar as flamen dialis, a small element in Sulla's much larger plans to reform the Roman state.

And it seems to be the case that he is unwilling to confirm the position of Caesar as flamen dialis, a small element in Sulla's much larger plans to reform the Roman state.

And it seems to be the case that he is unwilling to confirm the position of Caesar as flamen dialis, a small element in Sulla's much larger plans to reform the Roman state.

Yes. After he has taken control militarily, he gets himself installed as dictator, which is an office within the Roman res publica, though it hasn't actually been used for about 120 years. The Romans come up with other crisis mechanisms in the course of the second century.

Yes. After he has taken control militarily, he gets himself installed as dictator, which is an office within the Roman res publica, though it hasn't actually been used for about 120 years. The Romans come up with other crisis mechanisms in the course of the second century.

Yes. After he has taken control militarily, he gets himself installed as dictator, which is an office within the Roman res publica, though it hasn't actually been used for about 120 years. The Romans come up with other crisis mechanisms in the course of the second century.

But Sulla decides that the dictator will be a good position because the great thing about the dictatorship, unlike other offices at Rome, is you don't have a colleague. There's very little limit on what you can do. And it's an emergency office, so you have emergency powers. So Sulla makes himself dictator, and you're allowed to be dictator for a particular purpose.

But Sulla decides that the dictator will be a good position because the great thing about the dictatorship, unlike other offices at Rome, is you don't have a colleague. There's very little limit on what you can do. And it's an emergency office, so you have emergency powers. So Sulla makes himself dictator, and you're allowed to be dictator for a particular purpose.

But Sulla decides that the dictator will be a good position because the great thing about the dictatorship, unlike other offices at Rome, is you don't have a colleague. There's very little limit on what you can do. And it's an emergency office, so you have emergency powers. So Sulla makes himself dictator, and you're allowed to be dictator for a particular purpose.

He says he's dictator to re-establish the res publica, which is a carte blanche for a major program of reform, and also the elimination of his enemies. Because one of the things that Sulla does, well, I mean, initially he starts by killing prisoners of war. He famously holds a meeting of the Senate within earshot of where prisoners of war are being massacred.

He says he's dictator to re-establish the res publica, which is a carte blanche for a major program of reform, and also the elimination of his enemies. Because one of the things that Sulla does, well, I mean, initially he starts by killing prisoners of war. He famously holds a meeting of the Senate within earshot of where prisoners of war are being massacred.

He says he's dictator to re-establish the res publica, which is a carte blanche for a major program of reform, and also the elimination of his enemies. Because one of the things that Sulla does, well, I mean, initially he starts by killing prisoners of war. He famously holds a meeting of the Senate within earshot of where prisoners of war are being massacred.

so that the Senate is under no illusion as to what they are required to do. But then he moves to the bureaucratization of mass murder. So he comes up with prescription lists. So he publishes lists of names. And the point is, if somebody's name is on that list, there will be no legal penalties if they're killed, and there will be a reward, and their property is confiscated.

so that the Senate is under no illusion as to what they are required to do. But then he moves to the bureaucratization of mass murder. So he comes up with prescription lists. So he publishes lists of names. And the point is, if somebody's name is on that list, there will be no legal penalties if they're killed, and there will be a reward, and their property is confiscated.