81 BC marks the height of Lucius Cornelius Sulla's unprecedented dictatorship following his civil war against the Marian faction. After defeating his opponents at the Battle of the Colline Gate in 82 BC, Sulla was appointed dictator "for the reconstitution of the republic" with no time limit. The most notorious feature of his regime was the proscriptions (posted lists of political enemies who could be killed by anyone, their property confiscated, and their families barred from public office) ended with thousands killed in an atmosphere of terror. Young future leaders like Julius Caesar narrowly escaped the lists, while Pompey fought for Sulla and Crassus enriched himself through confiscated properties. Sulla implemented sweeping reforms: expanded the Senate from 300 to 600 members, curtailed tribunician power, established permanent criminal courts, and settled thousands of veterans on confiscated Italian land. Surprisingly, he would resign in 80 BC and die in 78 BC, but the precedents he set - marching on Rome with an army, using proscriptions, and assuming dictatorial power - would be followed by later figures like Caesar, making 81 BC a crucial turning point that contributed to the Republic's eventual collapse.