A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

1. C.Carrinas, is mentioned first as the commander of a detachment of the Marian party, with which he attacked Pompey, who was levying troops in Picenum to strengthen the forces of Sulla in B. C. 83, immediately after his arrival in Italy. In the year after, B. C. 82, Carrinas was legate of the consul Cn. Papirius Carbo [CARBO, No. 7.], and fought a battle on the river Aesis, in Umbria, against Metellus, in which however he was beaten. He was attacked soon after in the neighbourhood of Spoletium, by Pompey and Crassus, two of Sulla's generals, and after a loss of nearly 3000 men, he was besieged by the enemy, but found means to escape during a dark and stormy night. After Carbo had quitted Italy, Carrinas and Marcius continued to command two legions ; and after joining Damasippus and the Sanmites, who were still in arms, they marched towards the passes of Praeneste, hoping to force their way through them and relieve Marius, who was still besieged in that town. But when this attempt failed, they set out against Rome, which they hoped to conquer without difficulty, on account of its want of provisions. They encamped in the neighbourhood of Alba. Sulla, however, hastened after then, and pitched his camp near the Colline gate. A fearful battle was fought here, which began in the evening and lasted the whole night, until at last Sulla took the camp of the enemy. Carrinas and the other leaders took to flight, but he and Marcius were overtaken, and put to death by command of Sulla. Their heads were cut off and sent to Praeneste, where they were carried round the walls to inform Marius of the destruction of his fiiends. (Appian, App. BC 1.87, 90, 92, 93; Plut. Pomp. 7; Oros. 5.21; Eutrop. 5.8.)