Gracchi Marius was a Roman general. Marius employed his soldiers to defeat an invasion by the Germanic Climbri and Teutons. His political influence and military leadership allowed him to obtain many successive terms as consul. Sulla was a subordinate who contested against Marius for supreme power. Sulla seized power and marched to the east with his soldiers. Marius himself launched a coup in Sulla's absence and put to death some of his enemies. When Sulla returned with his army he became dictator and a reign of terror followed. Sulla stripped people of their power and made the senators powerful authorities over the courts.