Sulla won the battle at the northeastern end of Rome, near the Colline Gate, and secured control of Italy.

In spring of 83 BC Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix had returned to Italy at the head of a battle-hardened veteran army fresh from his victory over king Mithridates of Pontus in the First Mithridatic War.

The Samnite leader Pontius Telesinus rallied an army of 70,000 men from his own people and their allies (among others the Lucanians) and marched to raise the siege of Praeneste and rescue consul Gaius Marius, who was considered the heart of the anti-Sullan cause.

Telesinus, a highly experienced soldier, swiftly changed objectives and took his army on a night march towards Rome.

[3] When Sulla found out the Samnites were moving on Rome he sent his cavalry ahead to hinder them while he himself force-marched his army to the capital.

However, the delay did allow a cavalry detachment sent ahead by Sulla to catch their breath, organize, and begin harassing the enemy.

Sulla's main army arrived at noon and set up camp near to the temple of Venus Erucina, outside the walls of Rome, not far from the Colline Gate.

They pointed out that they were not up against the disorganized Marians, whom they had easily beat time and again, but against the Samnites and Lucanians − highly motivated, experienced, and warlike opponents.

Sulla rode over to his left wing and tried to recover the situation; he pleaded with his men, he threatened some, he even physically turned some round to face the enemy.

That is when messengers arrived from Marcus Licinius Crassus who had taken command of the right wing while Sulla gave his full attention to the left.

Velleius Paterculus wrote that Sulla ordered the head of Telesinus to be carried around the walls of Praeneste fixed on top of a spear.