L. Cornelius Sulla (138-78 BC) was a Roman consul and military leader in the last years of the Republic. In this biography Santangelo (classics, University of Wales, Lampeter) presents Sulla first through his relation with the Roman elites, then traces his military exploits in Greece and Asia Minor. He emphasizes Sulla's reorganization of Roman governance in the eastern colonies and his triumph over the Cappadocian king, Mithridates. The third section of the book examines Sulla's plan to convince both citizens of Rome and the east that he was the founder of a "New Rome", associating himself with the cult of Venus and the legend of Romulus. The author concludes that Sulla both stabilized the lands Rome had conquered and set the stage for the fall of the Republic and the birth of the Roman Empire. The book has clear maps and extensive footnotes. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)