Life as Dictator

During his rule as dictator, Sulla strengthened the aristocracy and Senate in Rome. He also increased the size of the Senate from 300 to 600 seats and raised the number of magistrates elected each year. He removed the need for a censor, now known as a census, when assigning districts for electing senators. He is known for being very conservative when it came to politics with the exception of a few visionary ideas he enacted. He is also said to have warned the Senate about Julius Caesar saying, “In this Caesar there are many a Marius.” In 80 BC he reigned from and disbanded his dictatorship (he was later mocked by Caesar for doing this). Then in his retirement, he wrote his autobiography Res Gestae, which he completed in 78 BC.

From General to Dictator

Sulla was a cruel and very successful general in the Roman army, who is most famous for the capture of Jugurtha, his campaigns in the First Mithridatic War, and his two marches on Rome. It was after his second march on Rome and his return to Italy that Sulla forced the constitutional changes, which allowed him to be appointed dictator in 82 BC. He was appointed but was never given a time period for which he may rule Rome, an unusual honor normally reserved for leaders in times of war, such as during the Second Punic War. His dictatorship is often seen as setting a precedent for the rule of Julius Caesar. It also marks the beginning of the end of the Roman Republic and foreshadowed the Roman Empire.

A Brief Biography of Lucius Cornelius Sulla

Lucius Cornelius Sulla (138 BC-78 BC) served as a consul twice (in 88 BC and again in 80 BC) and dictator from 82 to 79 BC. Sulla was a conservative politician but a cruel leader. During his first years as dictator, he adopted the practice of executing all those he deemed enemies of the state, such as when he ordered the killing of some 1,500 nobles. Sulla was born into a patrician family that had fallen into poverty by the time of his birth. He spent most of his youth with Rome's comics, actors, dancers, and musicians. Later in life, he earned himself the nickname Felix for his military success. It was this same success that brought him to power.

Connection to Sibylline Oracles

After the burning of the Sibylline Books, ambassadors were sent out to make a new collection of oracles, now called the Sibylline Oracles. A total of 14 books out of this collection still survive today, although many more once existed. However some of the prophecies in this new set are believed to be fraudulent because many people at the time were pretending to be sibyls when they were not.

Prophecies in the Sibylline Books

The Sibylline Books, which were stored in the temple of Jupiter after their purchase, were used to predict the future of Rome. For 500 years, priests consulted them when bad omens approached, looking for ways to please the gods. In this aspect they are different than other oracles because they look for ways to make amends with the gods in the event of disaster instead of trying to predict when disaster would strike them. They are said to have been consulted concerning the following events: an earthquake in 461 BC, an outbreak of distemper in 399 BC, showers of stones falling from the sky in 343 BC, and various other disasters. In each case the books were interpreted by choosing a random line and making an acrostic out of the words in that line. These verses were then used as directions on how to please the gods. Unfortunately, these books were destroyed in a fire in 83 BC.

Purchase of the Sibylline books

The Sibylline books were a collection of prophesies purchased by Tarquinius Superbus, the last king of Rome, from a sibyl, or prophetess. The sibyl came to Tarquinius demanding a ridiculous some of money for nine books of prophesy supposedly containing the future of Rome. The king did not believe her and refused to pay such a high price for fraudulent prophecies. The woman promptly burned three of the books and again asked Tarquinius if he wished to buy the remaining six books for the original price. He refused, still thinking she was trying to cheat him. Then the woman burned three more of the books. Tarquinius pondered her actions, relented, and purchased the last three for the original exorbitant price.