# Lucius Cornelius Cinna

> ancient Roman politician, consul in 87, 86, 85 and 84 BC, father-in-law of Julius Caesar

**Wikidata**: [Q171083](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q171083)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucius_Cornelius_Cinna)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/lucius-cornelius-cinna

## Summary
Lucius Cornelius Cinna was an ancient Roman politician and military leader who served as consul four times consecutively from 87 to 84 BC. A key figure in the late Roman Republic, he is best known for his political rivalry with Sulla and his role as the father-in-law of Julius Caesar. His repeated consulships and populist reforms reshaped Roman political dynamics.

## Biography
- **Born**: 135 BC  
- **Nationality**: Ancient Rome  
- **Known for**: Four consecutive consulships (87–84 BC), populist reforms, and familial ties to Julius Caesar  
- **Employer(s)**: Roman Republic  
- **Field(s)**: Politics, military service  

## Contributions
- **Consecutive Consulships (87–84 BC)**: Cinna held the consulship four times in a row, an unprecedented feat that underscored his political dominance during a period of civil strife.  
- **Populist Reforms**: He enacted land redistribution policies and expanded Roman citizenship to Italian allies, challenging the conservative optimates faction led by Sulla.  
- **Military Campaigns**: Led armies against Sulla’s forces, briefly controlling Rome and instituting proscriptions against political opponents.  

## FAQs
**Q: What was Lucius Cornelius Cinna’s most notable political achievement?**  
A: He secured four consecutive consulships (87–84 BC), a rare feat that demonstrated his ability to navigate Rome’s turbulent political landscape.  

**Q: How was Cinna connected to Julius Caesar?**  
A: He was Caesar’s father-in-law through the marriage of his daughter Cornelia to Caesar in 84 BC, a union that solidified their political alliance.  

**Q: What caused Cinna’s conflict with Sulla?**  
A: Their rivalry stemmed from opposing political ideologies—Cinna supported the populares (common people’s interests), while Sulla championed the optimates (aristocratic elite). This led to a civil war in 88–87 BC.  

**Q: How did Cinna die?**  
A: He died in 84 BC, though the exact circumstances are unclear. His death preceded Sulla’s return to Rome and the subsequent proscriptions.  

## Why They Matter
Cinna’s repeated consulships and reforms marked a turning point in the Roman Republic’s struggle between populist and conservative factions. By challenging Sulla’s authority and advocating for land redistribution, he temporarily shifted power to the populares, setting a precedent for later leaders like Caesar. His alliance with Caesar through marriage also laid groundwork for the eventual collapse of the Republic. Without Cinna’s defiance of Sulla and his political maneuvering, the trajectory of Roman history—particularly the rise of the Julio-Claudian dynasty—might have been altered.

## Notable For
- First Roman to hold four consecutive consulships (87–84 BC).  
- Implemented radical land reforms and citizenship expansions.  
- Father-in-law of Julius Caesar, bridging their political careers.  
- Died in 84 BC, leaving a power vacuum that Sulla exploited.  

## Body
### Early Life and Rise to Power  
Born in 135 BC into the Cornelii Cinnae family, Lucius Cornelius Cinna emerged as a prominent figure during the Roman Republic’s social and political upheavals. His first consulship in 87 BC aligned him with the populares, a faction advocating for the common people against the aristocratic optimates led by Lucius Cornelius Sulla.  

### Conflict with Sulla  
Cinna’s alliance with Gaius Marius against Sulla sparked a civil war in 88 BC. After Sulla’s departure for a campaign against Mithridates, Cinna and Marius seized control of Rome, instituting proscriptions against Sulla’s supporters. This period of violence cemented Cinna’s reputation as a ruthless yet effective leader.  

### Political Reforms  
During his consulships, Cinna prioritized land redistribution to veterans and granted citizenship to Italian allies, expanding Rome’s civic body and securing loyalty for his faction. These reforms aimed to stabilize his power base but alienated conservative elites.  

### Later Career and Death  
Cinna’s death in 84 BC—reportedly from illness or assassination—left the populares leaderless. His daughter Cornelia’s marriage to Julius Caesar that same year ensured his legacy influenced Rome’s transition to imperial rule.  

### Legacy  
Cinna’s career exemplified the Roman Republic’s instability, where personal alliances and military power often superseded legal institutions. His reforms and rivalry with Sulla set the stage for Caesar’s rise, illustrating how populist policies and familial ties could reshape governance. Historians view his consulships as both a demonstration of political acumen and a symptom of the Republic’s systemic crises.

## References

1. Digital Prosopography of the Roman Republic
2. The Magistrates of the Roman Republic
3. Virtual International Authority File
4. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013