Cinna
LUCIUS CORNELIUS, a Roman patrician, associate of Marius , and leader of the popular party during the absence of Sulla in the E. In 86 B. C. he was elected consul along with Cn. Octavius, and in violation of his oath to Sulla he attempted to overpower the senate, and to procure the recall of Marius and his party from banishment.
In the contest which ensued he was defeated by his colleague and driven from the city. His office thus became vacant, and the senate appointed another consul in his stead. He soon re returned, however, along with Marius, and and laid siege to Rome. The senate were forced to capitulate; but while the votes of the people were being taken for the repeal of the sentence against Marius, he broke into the city, massacred the friends of Sulla, and allowed his partisans to commit frightful excesses. He was consul for the next three years; but Sulla , having brought the Mithridatic war to a close, resolved (84 B. c.) to return to Italy to inflict condign punishment on his enemies. Cinna prepared to resist him by force of arms, but was slain by a mutiny among his own troops. His daughter Cornelia married Julius Cæsar CIPHER WRITING