Lucius Cornelius Cinna

Lucius Cornelius Cinna^[1] (d. 84 BC) was a four-time consul of the Roman Republic, serving consecutive terms from 87 to 84 BC, and a member of the ancient Roman Cinna family of the Cornelii gens. Cinna supported Gaius Marius in Marius's contest with Sulla. After serving in the war with the Marsi as praetorian legate, he was elected consul in 87 BC. After Sulla's departure for the East, Cinna then proposed the enfranchisement of the Italian allies, which had long been an issue in Roman politics. However, this met with violent opposition in the forum and he was driven from Rome into exile. ^[2]

Breaking the oath he had sworn to Sulla that he would not attempt any revolution in the republic, Cinna allied himself with Marius, raised an army of Italians, and took possession of the city. The result was a massacre of Sulla's allies, although Cinna was credited with ending the massacres by force. ^[3] After satisfying his vengeance, Marius died. Lucius Valerius Flaccus became Cinna's colleague in 86 BC and assumed the command against Mithridates in Asia for the following year, but was murdered by Gaius Flavius Fimbria. Gnaeus Papirius Carbo became Cinna's colleague for 85. In 84 BC, Cinna, during his fourth year as consul, was forced to advance against Sulla; but while embarking his troops for Liburnia, Illyricum, he was killed by mutinous legionaries (App. BC iv.1.77-78).

His youngest daughter, Cornelia Cinna, married Julius Caesar and died young after bearing him his only legitimate child, a Julia Caesaris who married Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus. His son, also named Lucius Cornelius Cinna became a praetor.

Notes

1. ^ Latin: L·CORNELIVS·L·F·L·N·CINNA; English: "Lucius Cornelius Cinna, son of Lucius, grandson of Lucius".
2. ^ The Fall of Marius
3. ^ From the Gracchi to Nero, HH Scullard, p71

Further reading

• Lovano, Michael. The Age of Cinna: Crucible of Late Republican Rome. Franz Steiner Verlag, 2002. Limited preview online.

References

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.