Gaius Marius
Gaius Marius www.roman-empire.net/republic/marius.html • Born near the town of Aprinum in Latium
• Military man, serving first in Spain
• He was voted to hold public office of the position of Tribune of the people in 119BC
• In 115BC he married Julia of the powerful family ‘Julii”. This marriage would make him, In effect, the uncle of Julius Caesar
• Then serving in Africa in the wars against Jughurta, the roman forces were not successful so in 108BC Marius returned to Rome and stood for the office of Consul where he won the election.
• After winning the election he tried to persuade the comita tributa to elect him as the commander of the Roman forces in Africa
• Marius in a struggle to recruit soldiers to Africa broke a Roman tradition and approached the poor and promised them glory, adventure and gold.
Plutarc
Sources of Shotter
• In an effort to restore credibility the Roman senate sent as commander in Africa, Quintus Caecilius Metellus, the consil of 109 who was to achieve the title of ‘Numidicus’.
• Accompanying Metellus was an Italian equestrian from Arpinum, Gaius Marius
• Once Gaius was in Africa he saw a chance: he returned to Rome to seek consulship for 107, arguing that Metellus was incompetent and that he would finish his troublesome war himself
• Marius won vote by the Plebeians
• He assembled a legionary army that was not qualified
• He changed the organisation and tactics of the army, thus defeating Jugurtha
1. The foremost of the Marian reforms was the inclusion of the Roman landless masses, the capite censi, men who had no property to be assessed in the census.
2. The second important reform implemented by Marius was the formation of a standing army. Marius was able to standardize training and equipment throughout the Roman legions. Drilling and training took place all year round, even in times of peace, not just when war threatened.
3. The third reform that Marius was able to introduce was legislation
• Military man, serving first in Spain
• He was voted to hold public office of the position of Tribune of the people in 119BC
• In 115BC he married Julia of the powerful family ‘Julii”. This marriage would make him, In effect, the uncle of Julius Caesar
• Then serving in Africa in the wars against Jughurta, the roman forces were not successful so in 108BC Marius returned to Rome and stood for the office of Consul where he won the election.
• After winning the election he tried to persuade the comita tributa to elect him as the commander of the Roman forces in Africa
• Marius in a struggle to recruit soldiers to Africa broke a Roman tradition and approached the poor and promised them glory, adventure and gold.
Plutarc
Sources of Shotter
• In an effort to restore credibility the Roman senate sent as commander in Africa, Quintus Caecilius Metellus, the consil of 109 who was to achieve the title of ‘Numidicus’.
• Accompanying Metellus was an Italian equestrian from Arpinum, Gaius Marius
• Once Gaius was in Africa he saw a chance: he returned to Rome to seek consulship for 107, arguing that Metellus was incompetent and that he would finish his troublesome war himself
• Marius won vote by the Plebeians
• He assembled a legionary army that was not qualified
• He changed the organisation and tactics of the army, thus defeating Jugurtha
1. The foremost of the Marian reforms was the inclusion of the Roman landless masses, the capite censi, men who had no property to be assessed in the census.
2. The second important reform implemented by Marius was the formation of a standing army. Marius was able to standardize training and equipment throughout the Roman legions. Drilling and training took place all year round, even in times of peace, not just when war threatened.
3. The third reform that Marius was able to introduce was legislation