[14] It is unclear whether or not Marius was already present and serving in Numantia with the previous commander, Quintus Pompeius, the consul for 141 BC, when Aemilianus arrived. Gaius Julius Caesar (100 - 44 BC) Gaius Julius Caesar was born most likely on 13th July (originally Quinctilis, but renamed in honor of Caesar after his death) in the year 100 BC. [11] Later, as consul, he decreed that the eagle would be the symbol of the Senate and People of Rome. [71] It was stolen when being transported to Massilia (modern day Marseille), with Caepio suspected of having organised the theft. Though he could have continued to operate as proconsul, it is likely that the people reelected him as consul so to avoid another incident of disputed command à la Caepio and Mallius. Once he was in office in 100 BCE, he continued an ill-advised alliance with unscrupulous politicians, including Saturninus who ultimately revolted against the state. Plutarch relates several opinions on the end of Marius: one, from Posidonius, holds that Marius contracted pleurisy; Gaius Piso has it that Marius walked with his friends and discussed all of his accomplishments with them, adding that no intelligent man ought leave himself to fortune. [168] The Senate generally used sortition to choose generals for command posts, removing the conflict of interest between consuls. [57], Marius, however, in his successive consulships, also overhauled the training and logistical organisation of his men. [61] The attack was pressed by Gaetulian and Mauretanian horsemen and for a time Marius and his main force found themselves besieged on a hill, while Sulla and his men were on the defensive on another hill nearby. [145] This was a momentous event, and was unforeseen by Marius, as no Roman army had ever marched upon Rome: it was forbidden by law and ancient tradition. [148] A few men – including Sulpicius – were executed but, according to Plutarch, many Romans disapproved of Sulla's actions. Gaius Marius , a ‘ novus homo’ (‘new man’ – first in his family to become a senator), was elected as consul in 107 BC and was given the province of Numidia. Then they slaughtered their domestic foes without trials. [111] Eventually, Saturninus and Glaucia had an opponent, Gaius Memmius, assassinated in the middle of the voting for the consular elections for 99 BC,[112] prompting widespread violence. He had instructed his legionaries to stand their ground on the hill, launch javelins, draw their swords, guard themselves with their shields and thrust the enemy back. See both Sulla and Marius' purges of the city after they captured it under arms. For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. Cinna assumed control of the Populares faction but … He helped improve the army and even though his death isn't know I believe he lived an amazing life. Consequently, Marius quietly passed the next several years as an elder member of the Roman Senate, but by 91 BCE, disaster broke out near Rome as the Republic’s Italian allies revolted, which sparked the calamitous Social War. [129] Marius had expected sole command and he did not get along with Caepio with disastrous results. Marius narrowly escaped capture and death on several occasions and eventually found safety with his veterans in Africa. In 104 BC, a praetor by the name of Publius Licinius Nerva was instructed to establish a tribunal to identify and emancipate enslaved Italians. [113] Possibly with Marius' implied consent, an angry mob broke into the building and, by dislodging the roof tiles and throwing them at the prisoners below, lynched those inside. The match was advantageous to both sides: Marius gained respectability by marrying into a patrician family and the Julii received a great injection of energy and money. None of Marius’ ancestors had ever been elected to a Roman political office, and he even claimed to have been raised in poverty, which meant that he was not seriously expected to become a person of importance.At an early age, he entered Rome’s legions and served with integrity. [113], Marius, although he was generally allied with the radicals, complied with the request and put down the revolt in the interest of public order. [8] In fact, his family's resources were definitely large enough to support not just one member of the family in Roman politics: Marius' brother, Marcus Marius,[a] would also enter Roman public life. But Sulla had clearly been immediately responsible and had a signet ring made for himself commemorating the event. The Return of Sulla S ULLA ENTERING R OME Many of the senators and optimates fled from Rome during this period, and joined Sulla in his camp in Greece. [19] In the 130s, voting by ballot had been introduced in elections for choosing magistrates, passing laws and deciding legal cases, replacing the earlier system of oral voting. [9], There is a legend that Marius, as a teenager, found an eagle's nest with seven chicks in it – eagle clutches hardly ever have more than three eggs; even if two females used the same nest – and finding seven offspring in a single nest would be exceptionally rare. The wealthy continued to try to influence the voting by inspecting ballots and Marius passed a law narrowing the passages down which voters passed to cast their votes in order to prevent outsiders from harassing the electors. Jugurtha was thrown into an underground prison (the Tullianum) in Rome, and ultimately died after gracing Marius' triumph in 104 BC. [168] In the late 120s BC, Gaius Gracchus passed a lex Sempronia de provinciis consularibus which required that commands be assigned before the election of consuls. At one point Marius had to flee Rome in order to escape being executed by Sulla. [124] But after Drusus was assassinated,[125] many of the Italian states then revolted against Rome in the Social War of 91–88 BC, named after the Latin word for ally, socii. This was to be one of the main causes of the eventual rivalry between Marius and Sulla that would end in civil war. [152] Cinna's vastly superior army coerced the Senate into opening the gates of the city.[153]. [56] Yet, thousands of poor Italians sat idly in Rome, ineligible to serve. [155] For five days, the Marian faction purged the city of its enemies before putting an end to the terror. None of Marius’ ancestors had ever been elected to a Roman political office, and he even claimed to have been raised in poverty, which meant that he was not seriously expected to become a person of importance. As inequality increased, fewer men of military age met the property requirements to serve in the legions. Thereafter, Rome's legions would largely consist of poor citizens (the "capite censi" or "head count") whose future after service could only be assured if their general could bring about land distribution and pay on their behalf. "[104][105] At the same time, Marius' consular colleague, Manius Aquillius, defeated the Sicilian slave revolt in the Second Servile War. [73] Yet, since the Assembly had the ability to overturn any law, it simply set aside the requirements and made Marius consul. [147] Sulla and his supporters in the Senate proscribed twelve men, including a death sentence passed on Marius, Sulpicius and a few other allies. [142] Sulla's reaction of marching on the city proved disastrous for the Republic, leading to the normalisation of military interference in political affairs. Cite This Work Then he set out to confront Jugurtha. He trained his troops, built his intelligence network, and conducted diplomacy with the Gallic tribes on the provincial frontiers. [132] Caepio left on his own and was then obliged to move his legions back towards Caeoli. So, he sailed toward Italy with his newly levied troops, and he obediently offered to serve Consul Cinna. The Romans unleashed a barrage of javelins, killing or maiming many tribesmen, then stood in close order, drew their swords and awaited the enemy at the top of the hill. [85] The premature closure of the tribunal due to local pressure caused unrest and ignited an uprising that would consume the island until 100 BC.[86]. https://www.ancient.eu/Gaius_Marius/. [92] The surviving Ambrones and the Teutones, bent on revenge, eagerly awaited the upcoming confrontation and when the Romans finally showed themselves on the Aquae Sextiae plain they charged uphill. This is when Claudius Marcellus and his 3,000 men loudly and viciously attacked the enemy rear. [18] He likely, however, participated in the major Roman victory of 121 BC which permanently cemented Roman control over southern Gaul. Rallying volunteers from the urban plebs and his veterans, Marius cut the water supply to the Capitoline hill and put Saturninus' barricades under a short and decisive siege. Called to an emergency session by Marius, the Senate issued its 'final decree' (the Senatus consultum ultimum), and ordered Marius, as consul, to put down the revolt. [48] Also sending letters back to Rome claiming that Metellus had become enamoured with the unlimited powers associated with his imperium,[48] Metellus, wary of an increasingly disgruntled and resentful subordinate, permitted Marius to return to Rome. According to Plutarch, with barely enough time to make it back for the consular elections;[49][50] but according to Sallust, enough time to effectively canvass for votes.[51]. Together they led their men against the Numidian infantry who occupied a hill. Ancient History Encyclopedia Limited is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. The Romans relentlessly pursued them. However, the well-conditioned and disciplined legionaries slowly and systematically forced the tribal horde down the hill until both the Romans and barbarians were on level ground. And beyond building allies in anticipation for the return of the Cimbri, he executed significant and wide-ranging reforms to the legions. We have also been recommended for educational use by the following publications: Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. [160] Cinna would lead the Marian faction into the civil war, which continued until Sulla won control of the state and made himself dictator with an undefined term. After informing the Cimbri of their allies' destruction, both sides prepared for battle. [144] Marius' faction sent two tribunes to Sulla's legions in eastern Italy, who were promptly murdered by Sulla's troops.[145]. So, Marius sailed to Rome where he implemented an effective campaign strategy of pandering to the lowest strata of society and thoroughly demonizing the aristocracy. However, after one campaign season, he retired, publicly citing infirmities, but he was likely forced out of power by his senatorial enemies. The Romans gained the initiative and the Numidians had no choice but to withdraw. For a couple years he waited, and each year, the Roman people unconstitutionally re-elected him as consul. The commander of the garrison, one Titus Turpilius Silanus, a client of Metellus, escaped unharmed. [133][132] Marius now in sole command continued the fight against the Marsi and their allies. [139] In response, King Mithridates of Pontus responded by invading both kingdoms and Roman holdings in Asia (modern day western Asia minor). Metellus was using Marius' strong military experience, while Marius was strengthening his position to run for the consulship. [165] However, this development did not emerge from Marius. A year later Marius died of natural causes during his seventh consulship. Not only had huge numbers of Romans lost their lives but Italy itself was now exposed to invasion from barbarian hordes. This was contrary to Roman policy. And in 90 BC, the Assembly carried a law, the lex Julia de civitate latinis et sociis danda to grant citizenship to Italians not yet under arms. [citation needed] It is not clear, however, whether Plutarch's narrative history properly reflects how controversial this proposal in fact was: Cicero, writing at least during the Republic, describes this lex Maria as quite straightforward and uncontroversial. [169], Marius' use of the Assemblies to remove Metellus from command in Numidia spelled an end for collective governance in foreign affairs. He suffered some casualties in a minor engagement up in one of the mountain valleys near Tridentum. During Marius’ long tenure as a military commander, he proved to be an innovative general who instituted many reforms. Marius achieved his prophesized seventh consulship, which was more than any other Roman had ever enjoyed up to that point, but his term was cut short. Some of which remained in the legions for many years. Rome needed Marius to defend its borders from Germanic, Cimbri, Teutoni, Ambrones, and Swiss Tigurini tribes, following the death of 80,000 Romans at the Arausio River in 105 BC. And it was likely initially envisioned as nothing more than a temporary measure to meet the extraordinary threats of Numidia and the Cimbrian tribes. Marius died on 13 January 86 BC, just seventeen days into his seventh consulship. Sulla then ordered his troops to begin a slow march on Rome. Through Marius’ action Saturninus and Glaucia were captured on the Capitol and imprisoned in the Senate house; then a mob stripped off the roof and stoned them to death. [157] Naturally, they were elected as consuls for 86 BC. He was murdered on the orders of Mark Antony following the assassination of Julius Caesar [42], By 108 BC, Marius expressed his desire to run for the consulship. [61] Marius then marched east to winter quarters in Cirta. 03 Dec 2020. Perhaps he simply ran for local office as a means of gaining support back home, and lost to some other local worthy. Marius joined the military where he was an excellent soldier, and was able to advance up through the ranks of the military. [48], In early 109 BC, a detachment of Roman soldiers serving as the garrison of Vaga was ambushed and cut down almost to a man. During this single war, the Romans had killed an estimated 360,000 and apprehended another 150,000 who were promptly sold into slavery. Marius did return, however, and had just regained his power in Rome when he died of a fever in 86 BC. [15] However it is, while he was serving with the army at Numantia, his good services brought him to the attention of Scipio Aemilianus. [120] Furthermore, Marius's mere presence at the trial of Manius Aquillius in 98 BC, his friend and former colleague as consul in 101 BC, was enough to secure acquittal for the accused, even though he was apparently guilty. Marius had once assiduously safeguarded Rome, but he and his partner, Cinna, turned their attention toward settling their own personal vendettas. Sallust tells us that he was unknown by sight to the electors but was returned by all the tribes on the basis of his accomplishments. But in 95 BC, Rome passed a decree, the Lex Licinia Mucia, expelling from the city all residents who were not Roman citizens. However, many Romans turned against Marius because they realized that he had initially partnered with a murderous and seditious outlaw. [34] Sources are unclear on whether Marius joined the annual race of former praetors for the consulship, but it is likely that he failed to be elected at least once. Regardless of the killing spree, Marius and Cinna both declared their candidacy for the following year’s consulship, and they were unsurprisingly elected. [71] While Caepio was prorogued into the next year, the new consul for 105 BC Gnaeus Mallius Maximus,[72] was also assigned to southern Gaul with another army.
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