Sulla, a Republican Tyrant?

Abstract

The article is devoted to some episodes of Sulla’s rule, namely the beginning of proscriptions, his triumph over Mithridates VI Eupator, alleged Sulla’s self-representation as second Romulus and the criticism of the dictator by Cicero in his speech for Roscius Amerinus. The author focuses on to the adoption of lex Cornelia de proscriptione by comitia without its approval by Senate. He denies any allusions during the triumph to the victory over the Marians and their Italian allies in the civil war and strengthens argumentation who rejects the opinion that Sulla considered himself as second Romulus. The author believes that Cicero’s irony and hardly hidden mockery of Sulla and his measures were normal because there was a high degree of freedom of speech during Sulla’s dictatorship – in accordance with republican traditions. Doubtless Sulla was a tyrant; but it is interesting that his tyrannical measures were allowed by mos maiorum or recent but already well-established practice; on the other hand, that very mos maiorum restrained occasionally his tyrannical behavior.

Keywords

• lucius cornelius sulla
• the beginning of proscriptions
• romulus
• triumph
• cicero
• freedom of speech under sulla