A very good point indeed, Cimon.

Marius´ reputation to posterity was largely damned by Sulla, Sisenna and others. The biography of Plutarch is somewhat hostile and tainted with optimate propaganda.

It is equally clear that Marius -third founder of Rome- remained a hero for the common people and that the equites -horrified by Sulla- were not very anti-Marian by the sixties. Probably Marius´ slaughter of senators and equites in 86 was soon forgotten in the great disasters that followed. In the 70és and 60es the Sullan goverment could not -or would not- alleviate the stress of the commons and veterans -giving rise to Catilina.

Also, Sulla´s systematic butchering of his opponents will have lead Marius to be thought as a hero.


Yes, young Cicero must have been greatly affected. Scaevola, Antonius and others were his tutors and patrons of his family. He must have understood that the "optimate way" was the only way to fight "popular" chaos.