ardanelles into the Archipelago.
The extortions of the Roman governors had been so great, that Ionia,
Lydia, and Caria, with all the islands near Asia Minor, gladly revolted
from Rome, and accepted his protection. All the Roman residents with
their families were massacred on a single day. It is said that 80,000
persons perished. Mithradates himself next crossed the Bosphorus, and
marched into Northern Greece, which received him with open arms.

Such was the condition in the East when Sulpicius Rufus carried the
bills mentioned in the last chapter. One of these bills was that Marius
have charge of the war against Mithradates. This was not to Sulla's
liking. He was in Campania with the legions that had served in the
Social War. The soldiers were devoted to him, and ready to follow him
anywhere. Sulla, therefore, taking matters into his own hands, marched
into the city at the head of his troops. The people resisted; Sulpicius
was slain; Marius fled for his life, and retired to Africa, where he
lived for a time, watching the course of events.

Sulla could not remain long at the capital. The affairs of the East
called him away; and no sooner was he gone than the flames of civil war
burst out anew (87).

LUCIUS CORNELIUS CINNA, a friend of Marius, was Consul that year. He
tried to recall Marius, but was violently opposed and finally driven
from the city. The Senate declared him deposed from his office. He
invoked the aid of the soldiers in Campania, and found them ready to
follow him. The neighboring Italian towns sent him men and money, and
Marius, coming from Africa, joined him with six thousand troops. They
marched upon Rome. The city was captured. Cinna was acknowledged
Consul, and the sentence of outlawry which had been passed on Marius was
revoked.

The next year Marius was made Consul for the seventh time, and Cinna for
the second. Then followed the wildest cruelties. Marius had a body-guard
of slaves, which he sent out to murder whomever he wished. The houses of
the rich were plundered, and the honor of noble families was exposed to
the mercy of the slaves. Fortunately Marius died sixteen days after he
entered office, and the shedding of blood ceased.

For the next three years Cinna ruled Rome. Constitutional government
was practically suspended. For the years 85 and 84 Cinna himself and a
trusty colleague were Consuls, but no regular elections were held. In
84, he was murdered, when on the eve of setting out aga