It can be noted that this conflict was fought the year after the consulship of Lepidus and Catulus (the consuls were elected annually). There two men had military commands as proconsuls. There is no mention of any participation in the conflict by Decimus Junius Brutus and Mamercus Aemilius Lepidus Livianus, the consuls of that year (77BC), who also had military command. It is likely that the factional conflict that split Rome made the election of new consuls difficult. Sallust wrote that Lepidus' actions led to the interrex Appius Claudius and the proconsul Catulus to be ordered to protect the city. The interrex was an official who was appointed when difficult disputes made holding elections exceedingly difficult. His task was to find solutions which made it possible to call an election. Therefore, it might be that at the beginning of this conflict Rome had no consuls and that they were elected late on during the conflict or afterwards