The Life of Gaius Marius

 

Gaius Marius was born in 157 BCE in Cereatae Italy. Although the sources say his father was a labourer and not of the upper classes of society, but this is likely false as the family had connections and enough money for both Marius and his brother to enter public life. 

Although likely a later invention, it's said that in his youth, Marius stumbled upon a next of Eagle eggs with 7 unhatched eggs inside, supposedly representing the 7 Consulships he would hold in his life.

He began his career as a military tribune, quickly gaining attention of his superiors for his skill in handling the troops. 

He likely participated in the major Roman victory at the Battle of the Isère River in 121 BC, which permanently cemented Roman control over southern Gaul.

 

Plutarch relates that against the wishes of his patrons, he pushed through a law that restricted the interference of the wealthy in elections.

Around 112/114 BCE Gaius Marius would mary Julia, Aunt of the soon-to-be famous Julius Caesar.

Happily married, it was time to get back to war. This time it was Africa that needed it's fire extinguished. Since Carthage was destroyed a power vacuum had left a Numidian king named Jugurtha in power. Jugurtha had killed his brothers and massacred hundreds of Italians in the process of seizing control. Marius joined the campaign as subordinate to then Consul Metellus.

During the Battle of the Muthul, Marius saved Metellus's army by reorganizing and leading 2,000 men to link up with Metellus, countering Numidian cavalry and regaining control of the battlefield.

 As the war went on, Marius grew frustrated. He felt that he could win the war quicker with him in command. He appealed to return to Rome so he could run for Consul and the furlough was granted.

He would return to the Legion as it's new head commander. 

Marius faced challenges in recruiting troops from Rome's usual pool of property-owning citizens for his Numidia campaign. In the middle republic, only property owners were typically allowed to join the legions, a practice possibly tied to Tiberius Gracchus's reforms. However, Marius chose to seek volunteers, particularly among discharged veterans (evocati), using promises of victory and plunder instead of relying on normal conscription.

Marius's new Quaestor, Sulla, in charge cavalry proved to be an adept subordinate. The new man on the scene captured Jugurtha starting a dispute over credit between Marius him.

Marius struck a deal with Bocchus: Sulla, who had connections with Bocchus's court, would go to Bocchus's camp and take Jugurtha as a hostage. Despite the risk of treachery, Sulla agreed. Jugurtha's followers were killed, and Bocchus handed Jugurtha over to Sulla in chains. Bocchus annexed part of Jugurtha's kingdom and became a Roman ally. Jugurtha was imprisoned in Rome and died after Marius's triumph in 104 BC.

 

Marius returned to Rome in triumph, but a new threat was just around the corner. 

A large tribe of migrating people in Gaul threatened to take Roman land for themselves. The Romans were terrified of people from these regions as Rome had been sacked by them several hundred years prior. 

Marius was reelcted Consul to deal with the issue. He issued reforms to the army allowing lower class citizens to join, creating spears with breakable heads that couldn't be thrown back and having soldiers carry more of their own gear while on march.

Gaius Marius distinguished himself as a Roman general during the Cimbrian War (113-101 BC) by defeating the threatening Cimbri and Teutones tribes in crucial battles, marking a significant military achievement in his career.

 At this point in his career he had been appointed Consul an unprecedented 6 times. 

War was always close by. Italy descended into Civil war as the allied towns demanded Roman citizenship. Marius played a role, but was not a main commander in this conflict. 

After the Social war the feud between Marius and Sulla would come to a head. Marius was exiled and hunted, Sulla took any army to Pontus to deal with Mithradates.

With Sulla gone, the Marian faction seized power. Gaius Marius assumed his 7th consulship.

Sulla began marching on Rome, but before he could arrive, Marius was dead. He had passed from natural causes while in his Consulship. Unfortunately his faction was cut down during the proscriptions under Sulla. The ideology would live one. When Sulla died, a new generation of Romans under names such as Cico, Cato the Younger, and Julius Caesar would fight over the same faction politics for years to come.