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87 B.C. Olympiad 173.2


Consuls: Cn. Octavius Cn.f., L. Cornelius L.f. Cinna
Athenian archon: Philanthes

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    Click on the links in the lists of references to go to the sources for each event

1 ITA Sulla leaves Italy to take charge of the war against Mithridates.
* Read Plutarch's account
@  ~Diod_37.2'13; FGrH_252'A1; Plut:Sull_4'7, ~10'8;*  +Appian:BCiv_1'64; DioCass_fr.102'1; Eutrop_5.4'2.
1a PER {Apellaeus -M} Document: THI_29.A, 'Avroman Parchment' - contract for the sale of a vineyard in Media Atropatene.
1b SPA {15 May -R} Document: CIL_1.2951a, 'Tabula_Contrebiensis' - a judgement about land and water rights near Contrebia.
2 AS+ Omens appear to Mithridates in Asia, and other omens occur at Rome and Athens.
* Read Plutarch's account
@  ~Cic:ND_2'14; +Plin:HN_2'92; ~Plut:Sull_11'1-4;*  Paus_9.6'6.
3 GRE << Q.Bruttius Sura(?) holds off Archelaus' attack near Chaeroneia.
* Read Plutarch's account
@  Plut:Sull_11'5-7;*  ~Appian:Mith_29; { CAH_9'151; DPRR.}
4 ROM Cinna attempts to pass a law to redistribute the new Italian citizens amongst all the Roman tribes, but is expelled from Rome by Octavius.
* Read Appian's account
@  Cic:Cat_3'24, :Sest_77, :Phil_8'7; +FastCap_p74<x>; +[Liv]:Per_79; +Vell_2.20'2-3; +Plut:Sert_4'7-9, +:Mar_41'1-2; +Flor_2.9'9-10; +Appian:BCiv_1'64-65;*  GranLic_15; Obseq_70<x>; [Vict]:VirIll_69'2; Exsuper_23-26; { CAH_9'174; OCD³.}
5 GRE Sulla arrives in Greece and forces the Boeotians to abandon their support for Mithridates.
* Read Memnon's account
@  Memn_22'11;*  +Appian:Mith_30; Paus_9.7'4; { CAH_9'153.}
6 Lucullus order Bruttius to return to Macedonia, leaving Sulla to fight against Mithridates' army.
@  ~Plut:Sull_11'8.
7 ROM << The birth of Faustus and Fausta, twin children of Sulla and Metella.
@  Plut:Sull_34'5; { The twins were born before Sulla's enemies gained control of Italy (Plut:Sull_22'1).}
8 Culleolus utters prophecies about the civil war at Rome.
@  ~Cic:Div_1'4.
9 AS1 Magnesia holds out against Mithridates.
* Read Livy's account
@  [Liv]:Per_81;*  Plut:Mor_809'B-D; Schol:Bob_95-96.
10 Stratoniceia remains loyal to the Romans.
@  OGIS_441'6-14, '46-51, '83-86<t=B  Sherk_63>.
10a BOS << Document: SEG_41.625, a decree of Phanagoria, granting citizenship to mercenaries.
11 LYC << Ptolemy Alexander allegedly draws up a will bequeathing Egypt to the Romans.
@  Cic:LegAgr_1'11, 2'41; { CAH_9'237; ~Hölbl_p213.}
12 CYP << Ptolemy Alexander is killed in an attack on Cyprus.
@  [Euseb]:Chron_165; ChronPasc_449'A; { Hölbl_p211; Bennett.}
13 ITA Norbanus, the governor of Sicily, saves Rhegium from an attack by the Italians.
* Read Diodorus' account
@  Cic:Verr_2.2'5, 5'8; ~Diod_37.2'13-14;*  { DPRR.}
14 Cinna raises an army of supporters from the Italian towns.
* Read Appian's account
@  +[Liv]:Per_79; +Vell_2.20'4; +Plut:Mar_41'2; +Appian:BCiv_1'65-66;*  Exsuper_27; { CAH_9'174.}
15 ETR Marius returns from exile, and advances through Etruria, where he is joined by Brutus and other exiles.
* Read Plutarch's account
@  ~Diod_37.29'3; +[Liv]:Per_79; +Vell_2.20'5; Plut:Sert_5'1-4, +:Mar_41'3-6,*  :Pomp_11'1; +Flor_2.9'10-11; +Appian:BCiv_1'67; GranLic_16-17; [Vict]:VirIll_67'6; +Oros_5.19'8; { CAH_9'175.}
16 PON << Some Athenians, forced into exile by the tyranny of Aristion, escape to Amisus.
@  Plut:Luc_19'7.
17 GRE Sulla besieges Archelaus at Athens.
* Read Appian's account
@  [Liv]:Per_81; FGrH_252'A2; ~Plut:Sull_12'1-4; +Appian:Mith_30-32;*  Paus_1.20'5; Eutrop_5.6'1; { CAH_9'153; Green_721.}
18 EPI The Thracians invade Epirus and plunder the temple at Dodona.
@  ~DioCass_fr.101'2.
19 ROM Cinna, Carbo, Sertorius, and Marius surround Rome with their forces.
* Read Appian's account
@  +[Liv]:Per_79; Plut:Sert_5'5; +Flor_2.9'13; +Appian:BCiv_1'67;*  GranLic_17; Oros_5.19'9.
20 Cn.Pompeius is summoned to defend Rome, but avoids engaging in battle with the rebel forces.
* Read Velleius' account
@  +[Liv]:Per_79; +Vell_2.21'2;*  GranLic_18; +Obseq_56a; +Oros_5.19'10; { CAH_9'175; OCD³.}
21 ETR Marius captures and sacks Ostia.
* Read Plutarch's account
@  +[Liv]:Per_79; FGrH_252'A2; +Plut:Mar_42'1-3;*  +Flor_2.9'12; +Appian:BCiv_1'67;(↓)  GranLic_18; +Oros_5.19'17; { CAH_9'176.}
22 CIS Cinna captures Ariminum and Placentia.
* Read Granius' account
@  +ValMax_4.7'5; Plin:HN_8'144; +Appian:BCiv_1'67;(↓)  GranLic_20.* 
23 ITA Metellus fails to agree peace terms with the Samnites.
* Read Dio's account
@  Sall:Hist_1'23;L  +[Liv]:Per_80; +Appian:BCiv_1'68; GranLic_20-21; DioCass_fr.102'6-7;*  { CAH_9'176.}
24 ROM The young Cn.Pompeius stops a mutiny in his father's army.
* Read Plutarch's account
@  Cic:LegMan_28; Plut:Pomp_3'1-5.* 
25 AEG Document: CIL_1.717 & 1.2252, inscriptions set up by Romans called Orbius on Delos.
26 Document: CIL_1.712, an inscription in honour of Sulla on Delos.
27 Lucullus coins money for Sulla's army.
@  ~Plut:Luc_2'2; { DPRR.}
28 CIL Mithridates encourages pirates to carry out raids in the Mediterranean Sea.
@  Appian:Mith_92'
29 ROM Marius and Cinna launch an attack on Rome, but are repelled; a soldier in Pompeius' army discovers that he has killed his own brother.
* Read Granius' account
@  [Liv]:Per_79; Vell_2.21'3; ValMax_5.5'4; Tac:Hist_3'51, '83; Plut:Mar_42'4-7; GranLic_18-20;*  Oros_5.19'11-14.
30 CIS ?? Pompeius establishes a Roman colony at Comum.
@  Strab_5'213.(1.6) 
31 ROM ++ The greed and unpopularity of Cn.Pompeius Strabo.
* Read Plutarch's account
@  ValMax_9.14'2; Plin:HN_7'54; Plut:Pomp_1'2,*  '4, 37'4, :Mor_203'B.
32 Pompeius is killed, either by a bolt of lightning or by the plague which is afflicting his army.
* Read Granius' account
@  +[Liv]:Per_80; +Vell_2.21'4; +Plut:Pomp_1'2, :Mor_553'B; Appian:BCiv_1'68; GranLic_21-23;*  +Obseq_56a; +Oros_5.19'18; { CAH_9'177; OCD³.}
33 ITA Plautius is defeated and killed by the Samnites.
@  +[Liv]:Per_80.
34 ROM Fimbria defeats P.Crassus.
@  GranLic_23-24<+v>.
35 The senate sends envoys to Cinna and Marius, and agrees to allow them to enter Rome.
* Read Appian's account
@  Diod_38.1'1-3'1; +[Liv]:Per_80; FGrH_252'A2; +Vell_2.21'6; +Plut:Mar_43'1-4; +Flor_2.9'13; +Appian:BCiv_1'69-70;*  GranLic_23; Ampel_42'2; [Vict]:VirIll_69'2; +Oros_5.19'19; { CAH_9'178.}
36 ++ An assessment of Octavius' ability as an orator.
@  Cic:Brut_176.
37 Octavius is murdered by Censorinus, an associate of Cinna.
* Read Appian's account
@  +Cic:Tusc_5'55; +FastCap_p74; +[Liv]:Per_80; FGrH_252'A2; +Vell_2.22'1; +ValMax_1.6'10; Ascon_23;L (↓)  Plut:Sull_12'13, +:Mar_42'8; +Flor_2.9'13; +Appian:BCiv_1'71;*  [Vict]:VirIll_69'2; August:DeCiv_3'27;(↓)  { CAH_9'178; OCD³.}
38 ++ The speeches of C.Caesar are famous for their wit.
@  Cic:Off_1'108; Plin:HN_17'32.L 
39 The brothers C. and L.Caesar are killed.
* Read Cicero's account
@  Cic:DeOr_3'10, +:Brut_307,*  :Tusc_5'55; +[Liv]:Per_80; ValMax_5.3'3, 9.2'2; Ascon_25;L  Suet:Calig_60'1; Flor_2.9'14; +Appian:BCiv_1'72; August:DeCiv_3'27;(↓)  { CAH_9'178; OCD³.}
40 ++ The early family life of M.Crassus, the future triumvir.
@  Plut:Crass_1'1.
41 P.Crassus and his elder son commit suicide, to avoid capture by the followers of Cinna.
* Read Livy's account
@  Cic:Sest_48, :DeOr_3'10, :Tusc_5'55; Diod_37.29'5; +[Liv]:Per_80;*  Ascon_23,L (↓)  25;L  Lucan_2'124; Plut:Crass_4'1, 6'3; Flor_2.9'14; +Appian:BCiv_1'72; August:DeCiv_3'27;(↓)  { CAH_9'178; OCD³.}
42 ?? Sayings of M.Antonius.
* Read Cicero's account
@  Cic:Clu_140;*  ValMax_7.3'5; Quint_8.pr'13, 12.1'21, 9'5.
43 ++ General comments on the character of Antonius.
@  Cic:Phil_1'34.
44 Antonius is hunted down and killed by Marius' soldiers.
* Read Plutarch's account
@  Cic:DeOr_3'10, +:Brut_307, :Tusc_5'55, :Fam_6.2'2; +[Liv]:Per_80; +Vell_2.22'3; ValMax_8.9'2, 9.2'2; Ascon_25;L  Lucan_2'121-124; +Plut:Mar_44'1-7,*  :Ant_1'1; Flor_2.9'14; +Appian:BCiv_1'72; { CAH_9'178; OCD³.}
45 Q.Ancharius is put to death because Marius fails to return his greeting.
* Read Plutarch's account
@  +Plut:Mar_43'5-6;*  Flor_2.9'16; +Appian:BCiv_1'73; August:DeCiv_3'27.(↓) 
46 Merula is forced to commit suicide, despite abdicating from the consulship.
* Read Appian's account
@  +FastCap_p74<x>; +Vell_2.22'2; ValMax_9.12'5; Tac:Ann_3'58; Flor_2.9'16; +Appian:BCiv_1'74;*  August:DeCiv_3'27;(↓)  { CAH_9'178.}
47 ?? The grammarian Lutatius Daphnis is bought and then set free by Q.Catulus.
@  Suet:Gram_3.
48 ++ General remarks on the character of Catulus, and the purity of his Latin diction.
* Read Cicero's account
@  Cic:Brut_132-134,*  :Acad_2'148, :Off_1'133; Schol:Bob_176.L 
49 Catulus commits suicide by suffocating himself.
* Read Velleius' account
@  Cic:DeOr_3'9, +:Brut_307, :Tusc_5'56, :ND_3'80; ~Diod_38.4'2-3; Vell_2.22'3-4;*  ValMax_9.12'4; Lucan_2'173-174; +Plut:Mar_44'8; Flor_2.9'15; +Appian:BCiv_1'74; August:DeCiv_3'27;(↓)  { CAH_9'178; OCD³.}
50 Cornutus is hidden by his slaves, and so escapes death.
* Read Plutarch's account
@  +Plut:Mar_43'10;*  +Appian:BCiv_1'73.
51 Atilius Serranus, P.Lentulus, C.Numitorius, M.Baebius and other prominent Romans are killed by Marius and Cinna; and Sulla is declared a public enemy.
* Read Dio's account
@  Cic:Cat_3'24, :RedSen_38, :Tusc_5'55; ~Diod_38.4'1; +[Liv]:Per_80; +Vell_2.22'1; Lucan_2'99-121; Plut:Sert_5'6, :Sull_22'2, +:Mar_43'6-9, 44'9, :Pomp_4'3; Flor_2.9'13-14; Appian:Mith_51, 60, +:BCiv_1'71-72,(↓)  '73; DioCass_fr.102'8-11a;*  Eutrop_5.7'3; Exsuper_28; +Oros_5.19'19-23; { CAH_9'179.}
52 Ordinary Romans refuse to plunder the property of the victims of Marius and Cinna.
* Read Velleius' account
@  +Vell_2.22'5;*  ValMax_4.3'14b; AmmMarc_30.8'9.
53 AFR Metellus stays away from Rome and goes into voluntary exile.
@  Appian:BCiv_1'80; { OCD³.}
54 GRE Lucullus protects the city of Chaeroneia from reprisals, after the murder of the commander of the Roman garrison by Damon.
@  Plut:Cim_1'2-2'2.
55 Sulla retires to Eleusis for the winter.
@  ~Appian:Mith_33'
56 ASI << Mithridates grants additional rights of asylum to the temple of Artemis at Ephesus.
@  Strab_14'641.(1.23) 
57 ROM Rumours about the return of Sulla bring a halt to the killing at Rome.
@  ~Plut:Mar_45'1-2.
58 Cinna and Marius declare themselves consuls for the following year without any elections.
* Read Livy's account
@  +[Liv]:Per_80;*  CIL_6.41024; ~Appian:BCiv_1'75; Ampel_42'2; { OCD³.}
59 ?? C.Fimbria refuses to make a judgement on the character of M.Lutatius Pinthia.
@  Cic:Off_3'77; ValMax_7.2'4.
60 ++ C.Fimbria is a competent, though rather harsh, orator.
@  Cic:Brut_129; { Fimbria was consul in 104 B.C.}
60a << P. Gabinius is prosecuted by L. Piso, for crimes committed in Achaea.
@  Cic:DivCaec_64, :Arch_9; { Gabinius was praetor in 89 B.C.: DPRR.}
61 << The birth of C.Cassius Longinus.
@  Plut:Brut_29'1, 40'4; Appian:BCiv_4'89, '113;(↓)  { Cassius was born in October, and he was older than Brutus - but see the analysis by D.A. Alexander, pp. 56-58.}
62 GRE == L.Titius reports a message from Jupiter, promising Sulla victory in the war against Mithridates.
@  August:DeCiv_2'24.

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