Gnaeus Papirius Carbo

Gnaeus Papirius Carbo (born c. 130 bc—died 82, Lilybaeum, Sicily) was a Roman general, leader of the forces of Gaius Marius in the civil war between Marius and Lucius Cornelius Sulla. In 87 he took part in Marius’ blockade of Rome, which was at that time held by pro-Sullan forces. Rome capitulated, and Carbo and Lucius Cornelius Cinna, both consuls in 85, made preparations against the return of Sulla from the east.

Carbo and Cinna illegally declared themselves consuls again for the following year, and Carbo became sole consul when Cinna was murdered by his own soldiers. After fighting an indecisive battle with Sulla near Clusium (modern Chiusi, Italy) in 82, Carbo, then in his third consulate, was defeated by Sulla’s general Metellus Pius, near Faventia. He fled but was captured on the island of Cossyra, south of Sicily, by Pompey (Gnaeus Pompeius), who had him executed.