us, who was being driven backward by another great horde of
barbarians. Marius, having beaten his own foes, hastened to the relief
of his associate; the flight was stopped, and a battle ensued in which
the invading army was swept from the face of the earth, and Rome freed
for centuries from danger of barbarian invasion.

Sulla and Catulus had their share in this victory, but the people gave
Marius the whole honor, called him the third founder of their city (as
Camillus had been the second), and gathered in rejoicing multitudes to
witness his triumph.

While this war was going on there was dreadful work at home. The slaves
had, for the second time, broken into insurrection. This servile war was
mainly in Sicily, where thousands of slaves were slain. Of the captives,
many were taken to Rome to fight with wild beasts in the arena, but they
disappointed the eager spectators by killing each other. This outbreak
only made slavery at Rome harder and harsher than before.

Years passed on, and then another war broke out. The Italian allies, who
had helped to make Rome great, claimed rights of citizenship and
suffrage. These were denied, and what is known as the Social War began.
Sulla and Marius took part in this conflict, which ended in favor of
Rome, though the franchise fought for was in large measure gained. It
was of little value, however, since all who held it were obliged to go
to the city of Rome to vote.

During these various conflicts the rivalry between Marius and Sulla grew
steadily more declared. The old plebeian, now seventy years of age, was
jealous of the honors which his aristocratic rival had gained in the
Social War, and a spirit of bitter hatred, which was to bear dire
results, arose in his heart.

Events to come were to blow this spark of hatred into a glowing flame. A
new war threatened Rome. Mithridates the Great, king of Pontus, in Asia
Minor, was pursuing a career of conquest, and the Roman provinces in
Asia were in danger. War was determined on, and Sulla, who had already
held successful command in the East, claimed the command of the new
army. Marius, old as he was, wanted it, too, and by his influence with
the new citizens of Rome succeeded in defeating Sulla and gaining the
appointment of general in the war against Pontus.

This vote of the tribes precipitated a contest. The Social War was not
yet fully ended, and Sulla hastened to the camp where his soldiers were
besieging a Samnite town. It w