 Back in Rome, Sulla died (78 BC) of natural causes leaving his faction without a strong leader.In 77 BC Metellus adopted a more cautious strategy, only holding on to the line of the Beatis River while he awaited the events in Rome where a new revolt loomed.Sertorius left Metellus to his devices and concentrated on subduing those tribes in the interior that had not yet yielded to his authority.