Octavius was not a natural supporter of Sulla; he disliked both Sulla's march on Rome, as well as Sulla's personal vendetta against Gaius Marius which resulted in Marius’ exile. However, he was a conservative member of the Senate, and was distrustful of Cinna's popularist programme. These political differences saw the two consuls almost immediately begin quarrelling in 87 BC over policy, in which Cinna wanted to enrol the new citizens (Italian allies) across all of the Roman tribes. He also proposed the recall of Marius and all his supporters. These proposals were strenuously opposed by Octavius, eloquently and energetically speaking against them in the Senate.