Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix rose to prominence during the Jugurthine and Cimbrian wars. He became the first Roman general to march on Rome with his army to seize power, sparking a series of civil wars.
After defeating Mithridates VI in the East, he returned to Rome, defeated the Marian faction, and installed himself as Dictator. He enacted sweeping reforms to strengthen the Senate and weaken the popular assemblies before voluntarily resigning in 79 BC.
His use of the army for political ends set a dangerous precedent that would eventually destroy the Roman Republic.