Roman general and dictator (138-78 BC); Also called: Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix.
(138-78 BC) Roman general and politician, a leader of the senatorial party. Forcibly suppressing the democrats by marching on Rome in 88 BC, he departed for a successful campaign against Mithridates VI of Pontus. The democrats seized power in his absence, but on his return in 82 Sulla captured Rome and massacred all opponents. The reforms he introduced as dictator, which strengthened the Senate, were conservative and short-lived. He retired 79 BC.