Italy was in a civil war between the "Sullani" in Rome and the "Mariani" of Cinna and Marius during 87. The situation was a real chaos; rebellion in Samnium and Lucania, independent generals like Pompeius Strabo and Metellus Pius, Octavius and the optimates in Rome, Cinna recruiting in Etruria and Marius...huh. Cinna -joined by Marius and Sertorius- besieged Rome with Pompeius Strabo fence sitting on the Esquiline. Finally starvation and surrender -with plague that killed Strabo. The Senate surrenders, Merula abdicates and Marius is rehabilitated.

Then Marius enters Rome on 1 January 86, with his slaves. Cinna can´t do a thing as his army is outside. Marius starts killing people in an irrational way. Enterpraising fellows hunt for his enemies in the Senate. The Rostra is full of heads; Antonius Orator, Lutatius Catulus, the brothers Caesar, Scaevola Augur. And other men who had aroused his enmity. Then come the "occasional" killings of his slaves. It probably wasn´t a horrible bloodbath, some hundreds of victims, but you can imagine the impact. Marius, Rome´s third founder, butchering people. These few days damned his reputation.