Sulla was born into an impoverished patrician family, but inherited wealth from a woman named Nicopolis and his stepmother, which allowed him to enter the cursus honorum. He was chosen quaestor by Marius during his first consulship, during the Jugurthine War. Sulla famously resolved the war by persuading a neighboring African king to kidnap Jugurtha for the Romans.
Even though there was friction between Sulla and Marius because Marius received the triumph, Sulla continued to serve under Marius. He settled the rebellion among Rome's Italian allies by 87 B.C. He was then sent to settle King Mithridates of Pontus -- a commission Marius had been after. Marius persuaded the Senate to change Sulla's order. Sulla refused and marched on Rome instead -- an act of civil war.
Installed in power there, Sulla made Marius an outlaw and went East to deal with the king of Pontus. Meanwhile, Marius marched on Rome, began a bloodbath, got revenge with proscriptions, and handed out confiscated property to his veterans. Marius died in 86. Cinna, as consul, passed various reforms. Sulla settled matters with Mithridates and returned to Rome where Pompey and Crassus joined him. Sulla won the Battle at the Colline Gate in 82 B.C. ending the civil war. He ordered Marius' soldiers killed. He had himself declared dictator for life. Sulla then drew up proscription lists, rewarding his veterans and informants with confiscated land. After Sulla had made the changes he thought necessary to the government of Rome -- to bring it back in line with the old values -- Sulla stepped down, in 79 B.C., and died a year later.
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