Lucius Cornelius Sulla - Roman commander, dictator. Born - 138 BC B. C., died - 78 B. C. e. (59 years old)
For those who are not very familiar with the history of Ancient Rome, but have read the famous novel by R. Giovagnoli "Spartacus", the image of Sulla is inextricably linked with the suppression of the uprising of Spartacus 74 (75-73) -71 years. BC e.
Lucius Cornelius Sulla himself called himself Felix, which translates as "happy". This is what he wanted to appear. Lucky, lucky, favorite … By the end of his life, he began to say that he was patronized by the goddess Venus herself, who among the Romans combined wisdom, and beauty, and love.
And then the word "villain" was added to the nickname "lucky". And it happened pretty soon. Already the Roman historians Sallust and Plutarch estimated him just that way. And when today a book about Sulla is published in the Life of Remarkable People series, one must understand that “wonderful” in this case does not mean “beautiful”. But "noticeable" is definitely.
He did not even live to see his 60th birthday. Although, his life ended exactly the way he wanted it.
Sulla came from the ancient aristocratic family of Cornelians and throughout his life consistently served the interests of the aristocracy. Unlike his rivals, he never even verbally sympathized with democratic ideas.
Sulla's clan was noble, but impoverished. The reasons are clear: great-grandfather was expelled from the Senate, the highest governing body, for profligacy and passion for luxury. In Rome, there was the concept of "virtus" - a complex of virtues, which necessarily included a modest lifestyle, primarily for the rich. The Romans appreciated military, oratorical, intellectual valor, but not external splendor.
However, not everyone wanted to follow these principles. After Sulla, Emperor Octavian Augustus was even forced to issue special laws against luxury. And it was his own family who broke them first of all …
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Sulla received a sophisticated Greek education, in keeping with his aristocratic status. It so happened that Greece, which, after its conquest by Rome in the II century BC. e. lost its former greatness, retained its intellectual superiority. And the Roman winners recognized Greek education as the highest.
In his younger years, Sulla, due to a lack of funds, had to live not in her own house, but in a rented apartment, which was shameful for an aristocrat. However, he was not discouraged. He studied oratory, read Aristotle and moved in the circle of golden youth, where he generously spent his small fortune and was known as a generous and cheerful person. In addition, in his youth, as contemporaries testify, he was rather handsome.
For a very long time he did not show interest in a career, giving preference to other joys of life. Only at the age of 31 (and not at 21, as was customary among the Romans), he received the very first, lowest position in the system of Roman magistrates - quaestor, that is, assistant consul, under the famous commander Mary.
At first, the pampered Sulla was uncomfortable in the camp of Maria - a man of simple origin, surrounded by officers, also mostly from the lower classes. There Sulla demonstrated for the first time flexibility and the ability to build relationships with people. He was quickly able to turn from an outcast into a favorite of soldiers, officers and Mary himself, who was entrusted by the Senate to finally achieve a turning point in the famous Yugurtin war.
At first, the war against Jugurta - the king of the North African state of Numidia (the eastern part of modern Algeria) - was a complete shame for the Roman Empire. Before, during the Punic Wars, the inhabitants of Numidia helped Rome in the fight against Carthage, because the nearest neighbor was much more dangerous for them. However, then their paths with Rome parted. Having freed themselves from Carthage, the last thing the Numidians wanted was to be under the iron hand of the Roman state system.
The king of Yugurt was educated in Rome. In the struggle for power in Numidia, he interrupted all his close relatives and bribed some of the Roman senators to support him. And capturing the capital of Numidia, Cirtu, Jugurta destroyed all the Romans who were there. It was, as the Romans said, casus belli - the reason for the start of the war, which received the name Yugurtin in Roman history and lasted from 111 to 105 BC. e.
From the very beginning of the war, the Romans, to their horror, suffered defeat after defeat. And Yugurta also declared: I have so much gold that I, if I want it, will buy the entire Roman Senate.
To rectify the situation, the consul Gaius Marius was thrown - a talented commander and strong nature. He established strict order in the army and was able to turn the tide of the war. After the first victories, Mari could not yet consider himself a winner: Yugurta was safe and sound and fled to his father-in-law in neighboring Mauritania. For the Roman commander, not to lead a captured enemy through the streets of Rome meant not to win.
The Romans negotiated with the Moorish king Bokkh - Yugurt's father-in-law - about the extradition of a relative to them. However, it was never possible to achieve a final agreement. It was necessary to go straight to his camp and try to capture Yugurtu. Nobody wanted to take on this business. And then the young officer Sulla proposed his candidacy.
Bochus invited a small group of Romans to a feast - as if for negotiations. He promised to give them a sign when it would be possible to capture Yugurta. The risk was great. After all, Bokkh could well have given a completely different sign to his soldiers to seize the Romans.
But Sulla stated that he believes in his lucky star and can guarantee success! And everyone could be convinced of this at a dangerous feast at King Bokkh. Yugurtu was seized, and then everything went as if written. The triumph of Mary took place in Rome, behind the chariot of the triumphant they led Yugurtu, dressed in royal clothes, but defeated. And in this triumph, Maria already showed the future triumph of Sulla.
When the young officer was able to become so rapidly famous, Mari felt the first prick of jealousy. His triumph overshadowed Sulla's immense success. However, the old commander did not dare to refuse his services, realizing both his growing popularity and unconditional talents.
Meanwhile, a new danger began to threaten Rome. This was inevitable: after the Punic Wars of the III-II centuries BC. e. Rome - the conqueror of Carthage - began to become a world power. Hence the pride of the masters of the world, and enormous wealth, but hence the inevitable threats from literally all sides.
113 BC e. - the war with the Germanic tribe of Teutons began. Marius sent Sulla there as a legate, that is, as his authorized representative. And Sulla was again able to prove himself as a resolute and fearless officer. Such qualities were highly valued in the constantly belligerent Ancient Rome.
In 93 (the exact date is unknown, according to Wikipedia - in the mid-90s) he received the high position of praetor. It made it possible to govern the province, which means it allowed to improve their material affairs. In Rome, as in any traditional society, there was a simple order: officials were assigned to the provinces in order to get rich there. Having become the ruler of Cilicia in the Black Sea region, Sulla was not only able to get rich, but also won the first victories over the local king Mithridates of Pontus.
But this is not what he overshadowed Mary. The decisive role in the success of Sulla was played by the greatest in Roman history, the most dangerous war inside Italy, called the Allied. From the 6th century BC, Rome was legally a polis, a small civil community in the Latium region. The rest of Italy was inhabited by numerous tribes: the Sabines, Samnites, Etruscans, etc. They were called "allies of the Roman people." A very hypocritical name, because the "allies" had no civil rights. Although they, along with the Roman inhabitants, repulsed the attacks of enemies, this did not give them the right to elect and be elected to leading positions or take part in the People's Assembly. Their patience had to end sometime.
The protest matured gradually. Back in 34 g. II century BC. e. wise and worthy people - brothers Tiberius and Gaius Gracchi - warned that it is better to give the Italians - the inhabitants of Italy - civil rights, to include them in some kind of comitia - one of the types of the National Assembly. The Gracchi also called on to support the Roman peasantry, realizing that their ruin destroys the foundations of the army. The Gracchi are the last people in Roman history whose words about the democratization of the republic were consistent with their true intentions.
They were killed and the laws they proposed were rejected. We can say that this was the prelude to future civil wars. In the future, everyone continued to talk about the fatherland, about its salvation from tyrants. And the tyrants themselves were especially zealous, because this was already a lie, useful in the struggle for power.
In the hardest Allied war of 91-88, Rome, straining its last forces, won militarily. But politically he gave in and gave the allies whatever they wanted.
During this war, Sulla came to the fore decisively. It was he with his part of the army who was able to defeat the most militant, most dangerous of the Italics - the Samnites. Consul Mary did not like this very much, who wanted by any means to preserve his leading position.
And Sulla never stopped taking it. Having already grown rich, he also successfully married (for the first time out of five) to the daughter of the high priest. His position was finally strengthened. He received a consular post, the National Assembly and the Senate decided to send him to the East - to command the troops in the further struggle for the expansion of Roman possessions, which means to fight again with Mithridates of Pontus.
As soon as Sulla departed from Rome, Marius was able to achieve a decision to take command from him. But Sulla was not in the mood to give up. The Legates of the People's Assembly, who arrived at his camp to report the unpleasant news, were simply torn apart by indignant soldiers.
Sulla knew how to generously give gifts to soldiers, and therefore was dearly loved. He was well aware of what support is. And under his command there were already about 100,000 soldiers. It was a great power. The consequence of the military reform of Maria was that the main issues were now decided not by the state, which relied on the people's militia, but by the commander who actually commanded the mercenary army.
Sulla knew no doubts and sincerely believed in his star. He decided to go to Rome with an army in order to "free the fatherland from tyrants." 82 BC e. - there was a battle at the Kollinsky gate, in the northern part of the city. This was the first battle of the Romans against the Romans, the beginning of the civil wars.
The era seemed to need such a cynical, not looking back at the past person like Sulla in order to break the old Roman principles. After all, there were new ups ahead - the golden age of Octavian, the golden age of the Antonines. But first the classic Roman virtus had to become a thing of the past. Historical turning points always give rise to people of action, as they are often called, but in fact - tyrants and cynics.
Of course, Sulla did not think that he was breaking the Roman political system - he was sure that he was strengthening it, defending the aristocratic republic. He created his own image of the savior of the fatherland and past values. The slogan of putting things in order, popular at all times, could justify a lot.
Sulla became a dictator. In ancient Rome, a dictator is not just someone who seized power. Dictatorial powers were obtained from the hands of the highest democratic body - the People's Assembly - for a certain period when the state was in danger. By the way, this practice was repeated in the 18th century, during the Great French Revolution. The Jacobins also claimed that they came to power for a while in order to restore order, because the fatherland is in danger. They promised to elect democratic authorities after putting things in order. Moreover, they adopted the most democratic constitution, but they never followed it. And the guillotine knife rattled.
Approximately the same thing happened during the reign of Sulla. Everything was done legally. Except for one detail: his dictatorship was not limited in time. This innovation took root in Roman politics over time. And the power, for example, of Julius Caesar was for life, which in the eyes of the champions of democracy decidedly brought his status closer to that of the king.
By the way, Sulla did not aspire to the king. Indeed, in ancient times in Rome there were kings, or rather, tribal leaders, but he considered himself immeasurably superior to them. He saw himself as the confidant of the gods. However, he did not forget about a completely earthly politics.
To expand his foothold, Sulla released 10,000 slaves with a single decision. They all received one name in honor of him - Cornelius. And these 10,000 Cornelians were sincerely devoted to their liberator. They became his support in the National Assembly and his guard. In addition, he had his army - about 100,000 people, for which he achieved the highest awards at the end of any operation.
And in order to ensure the unquestioning execution of his will, Sulla allegedly November 3, 82 BC. e. introduced the so-called proscriptions. Proscriptio in Latin literally means "written promulgation." Proscriptions are lists that were hung on the walls of private houses and public buildings so that everyone could find out which people are the enemies of Rome. This terrible experience has been repeated many times in history. In the 18th century, the Great French Revolution invented the term "enemies of the people", and in the 20th century it was widely used by the Soviet Stalinist regime.
Under Sulla, the system of proscriptions was very clear. People whose names were on the lists were to be executed. No one had the right to hide those included in the terrible lists. Those who helped them were also executed. Consequently, everything was canceled: family ties, friendship, sympathy … The children of the pro-scribed - enemies of the people - were deprived of their honorable rights and fortune.
The property of the scribed was confiscated, while if there was a scammer, he received a substantial part. Moreover, the scribed one could be executed himself. And then bring his head and get the money. The reward was given even to slaves, but somewhat less than to free citizens. But the slave gained personal freedom. This system finally undermined the foundations of the Roman oligarchic republic.
The total number of those executed is unknown. Initially, there were dozens of names on the lists (the first 60 were senators). After that came hundreds, and then thousands. Denunciations were written about relatives, neighbors … One of the lists included the young Gaius Julius Caesar, the nephew of Maria, who had fled to Africa, Sulla's main enemy. For several days, some ordinary people hid the sick Caesar. And then his influential acquaintances begged Sulla to delete this young man from the fatal list. And Sulla crossed it out, saying: you will regret it, there are a hundred Marievs in it. Quite a sagacious remark!
The consequence of the proscriptions was a general insane fear. Sulla did everything to warm him up. As soon as he received the powers of the dictator, he met with the Senate in the temple of Bilona, ordering in advance that not far, on the Champ de Mars, at this time, killed 6,000 prisoners - his enemies. Moans and screams were heard to the temple, which made an indelible impression on the Senate. No one argued with Sulla about anything.
Confident that he would die happy, he must have been right about something. Having been a dictator for three years, Sulla two years before his death, in 79 BC. e., officially announced that he was leaving power. The society, dying of fear, was finally numb. It seemed to everyone that this could not be. The absolute ruler of the world power said simply: I'm leaving!
Speaking in the People's Assembly, Sulla said: if someone wants to hear my report on what has been done, I will report back immediately. It is clear that no one dared to say anything. Everyone showed delight.
And so he alone, without protection, slowly, unprotected, left the National Assembly. After that, Sulla left for his distant estate and began to engage in a garden, a vegetable garden, and fishing. He wrote memoirs and created 22 books, which were then very useful to Roman historians. Drafted laws. He also had fun in the company of numerous actors whom he invited.
The state apparatus was paralyzed. Everyone expected the dictator to change his mind. He will just check who behaved how in this situation, and return. Officials on their own initiative came to Sulla and asked what to do. And he gave instructions, which, as before, were unquestioningly executed.
Sulla was ill. The nature of his illness is not exactly known. Certain ulcers, which are conventionally called "lice disease", made him sit in the water for a long time. But he was still full of energy and probably still felt lucky.
Two days before his death, Sulla summoned a certain Grania, who, as they complained to him, did not return the money to the treasury, and ordered him to strangle him. The order was carried out. At the same time, Sulla began to scream terribly, he developed convulsions, throat bleeding - and he died.
The most magnificent funeral in Roman history took place. Sulla himself composed the epitaph in advance: "Here lies a man who, more than any other mortal, has done good to his friends and evil to his enemies."
By the way, the historian Sallust has repeatedly emphasized that Sulla had many wonderful qualities. Smart, educated, in another era he supposedly could not have become such a terrible villain. But for some reason it is rather difficult to agree with this.
N. Basovskaya