Hello, and welcome to the history of Rome, Episode 33, Marius and Sulla.

After emerging as the hero of the Social War, Lucius Cornelius Sulla had been elected

consul in 88 BC.

With the brief civil war put to rest, Roman attention was immediately diverted to East,

where Mithredadis IV, King of Pontus, was threatening the newly incorporated province

of Asia, located on the far side of the Aegean.

Trouble had been brewing for years, and in 88 BC, Mithredadis did not simply cross the

line, he jumped over it.

After several run-ins with the Roman legions garrisoned in the East, Mithredadis decided

that the Westerners had to go, and Anatolia should be returned to her native people.

To this end, he initiated a mass slaughter that was to become known as the Asiatic Vespers,

and listing the help of locals and cities across the Turkish Peninsula, anyone who so

much has spoke with a Latin accent was targeted for death.

Over 80,000 Roman citizens and allies were murdered across the East, coinciding with

the King's invasion of Asia.

The Romans were justifiably horrified and immediately raised an invasion force to

avenge the slaughter.

Sulla was the natural choice to lead the invasion, but old Marius had his mindset on one last

fling with glory, and arranged for the Senate's choice of Sulla to lead, to be annulled by

the people's assemblies.

This annulment was guaranteed when armed gladiatorial bodyguards in the employ of Marius and

his allies literally threw senators out of the Senate, so a quorum could not be reached

...