Had there been no Sulla, the Romans would not have experienced Caesar and the ensuing civil war. Because of Sulla, the Senate was afraid that Caesar would take control of Rome with his army from Gaul — he would cross the Rubicon (an illegal action) and advance on Rome — as in fact he did.
But also the senators and the aristocratic class as a whole were well aware of the precedent set by Sulla of drawing up a list of his enemies to be summarily executed. So with Caesar, the senators would have feared for their lives as well.
Ironically, Caesar’s actual bent was to show clemency toward his enemies, but the Senators could not have known this.
Henry's Views 