Marius and the Roman Legion The Romans Case Study Chapter 2.

Marius and the Roman Legion

The Romans Case StudyChapter 2

Novus Homo: Gaius Marius (157-86 BC) Novus Homo: Gaius Marius (157-86 BC) • From Arpinum, a town that was given full citizenship rights only in 188

BC.• Serves militarily under P. Corn. Scipio Aemilianus• Elected military tribune at 24• 121 BC Elected quaestor, age 36• 120 BC Elected plebeian tribune, age 37 • 118 BC Loses aedile election, age 39• 116 BC Elected praetor, age 41• 108 BC Asks his Metelli patron for permission to run for consul and is

told to wait and run with Metellus’ son (who was 20, so in 20 years’ time, when Marius would be 69). Elected as commander for campaign in Numidia by the people, age 49

• 107 BC Runs for consul without support and is elected, age 50• 104-100 BC Successively re-elected consul five times, mid-50s • 86 BC Re-elected consul, rules for only 17 days, age 71 Legacy: His son is elected consul in 82 BC, age 27/8; his nephew is Julius

Caesar

Portrait of Marius from the

Glypotothek Museum in

Munich

‘Marius Glyptothek Munich 319’ by Laure Ann la boss - User:Bibi Saint-Pol, 2007-02-08. Licensed under public domain via Wikimedia Commons: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Marius_Glyptothek_Munich_319.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Marius_Glyptothek_Munich_319.jpg

Note the furrowed brow, the recedinghairline and the cavities beneath the eyes.He is portrayed as a thoughful, world-wearygeneral contemplating the complexities ofRoman politics.

A pilum with the Marian adjustment

‘Pilum lg’. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 1.0 via Wikimedia Commons: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pilum_lg.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Pilum_lg.jpg. Label added by A. Graham.

Weak point in the javelin