ABSTRACT
In the spring of 83 Sulla’s fleet set out for Italy, sailing in two divisions. The first of these came ashore at Tarentum (Taranto) and the second at Brundisium (Brindisi). The signs, both human and divine, seemed to foretell a swift victory. The Brundisians, who might have opposed Sulla’s landing, instead opened their gates to his troops and welcomed them, won over, like so many other Italians, by his promise to respect their newly acquired rights. Carbo, indeed, had foreseen just such an eventuality when, worried by wavering among the Italian nations, he had tried in vain in the previous year to extract hostages from the leading towns of Italy as pledges of their good behaviour. In his relief, Sulla, who still remembered the ominous omen of the satyr, gave the Brundisians exemption from the portorium (harbour tax). More than simple gratitude, however, was involved in this gesture. With this measure he had given a concrete demonstration of the sincerity of his pledge to deal fairly with the Italians. Those who supported him could expect to be suitably rewarded. The gods, too, seem to have repented of their decision to send him an evil omen at Dyrrachium. Immediately upon landing at Tarentum Sulla made sacrifice and, upon examination of the entrails, the liver was found to have on it the picture of a laurel crown with two woollen triumphal bands. The faithful Postumius, who had accompanied Sulla on his campaign against Mithridates and had even foretold the fall of the Piraeus from the position assumed by the body of a soldier struck by lightning, now made an easy prediction: victory was assured. He then commanded that Sulla alone should eat of the entrails.2
