80 BC – 70 BCs

Events in 80 BC – 70 BC 2

• 88 BC – 78 BC Sulla — first march on Rome Lucius Cornelius Sulla, a general of the optimates faction, marches his legions on Rome in 88 BC after the popular assembly strips him of his eastern command — the first time a Roman general uses his army against the city itself. He captures Rome, kills his opponents, and departs for the east. On his return in 83 BC he wins a civil war, is appointed dictator, and carries out the first proscriptions — published death lists of political enemies. He resigns voluntarily in 79 BC. The precedent of using army against city is now set.
• 73 BC – 71 BC Spartacus — the slave revolt Spartacus, a Thracian gladiator, leads the largest slave revolt in Roman history from 73 to 71 BC. Starting with 70 gladiators who break out of a school in Capua, the revolt grows to an army of perhaps 120,000. For two years Spartacus defeats Roman forces repeatedly, twice breaking out of encirclement in southern Italy. Crassus finally defeats him; 6,000 captured rebels are crucified along the Appian Way from Capua to Rome — one every 35 metres.