Perhaps even more significantly, the Social War marks the first murders by mutinous troops of consular commanders in Roman history. More than marching legions on the city of Rome, the ability of proconsular commanders to incite troops personally loyal to themselves to turn swords upon other consulares opened possibilities that would prove detrimental to the longevity of the Republic. Their model would eventually be copied by Julius Caesar and Octavian, who also manipulated the loyalty of their troops and supporters.
Killing a consul
According to Velleius Paterculus (2.20.1), the death of consul Quintus Pompeius Rufus in 88 BC at the hands of the proconsular forces that he commanded was the first time a serving Roman consul had been killed by his own troops. This ignominious event came in the aftermath of Sulla’s march to regain control of Rome after the tribune Publius Sulpicius had instigated legislation to depose Pompeius from his consulship and transfer the eastern military command against Mithridates VI from Sulla to Gaius Marius. Although they gained control of the city, the actions of Sulla and Pompeius inspired bitter resentment in many, as demonstrated by the popular rejection of candidates they supported as presiding consuls at the elections for the consulships of 87 BC (Plutarch 10.4). Quintus Pompeius’ own appointment as the replacement commander for Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo in the north-east, whilst being confirmed by , had also failed to gain the approval of 77), however, the murder of Quintus Pompeius was not simply a moral backlash against Sulla’s march on Rome or Pompeius’ proSullan politics, but rather an act incited by the troops’ former commander, Strabo, as a response to his removal from command.
