Gaius Marius
By Michelle Dillow

Gaius Marius was a man who rose from nothing into everything. He was called a “novus homo” which means New Man, because he was not Roman by birth, and did not have family in politics. Lady Fortune was on his side. He had money, married into a noble family, and obtained the highest political office in the Roman republic seven times. This accomplishment was almost impossible for anyone not born of Roman blood. He was a “vir militaris“, a Military man, and a brilliant general that knew how to command armies. He treated his soldiers like people and was very concerned about their welfare and benefits. His concerns were for the common people of Rome and for nationals who could not gain citizenship. He knew the republic was failing and he wanted to change it for the better.

Marius had many friends and many enemies. Both his friends and enemies were powerful. Gaius Julius Caesar saw the potential to be great in Marius. He knew Marius wanted to be consul, and knew that Marius deserved the position. Marius had been elected as Quaestor years before. Gaius Julius knew that he was too old to be consul, so he decided to offer Marius marriage to his daughter, Julia. This would bring Marius into a noble family and would be his starting point on obtaining consulship. Julia was a good wife to Marius while he was away on his military campaigns. Marius also cared a lot for his family, which he only had one child, but was very affectionate toward them.

Another friend was Publius Rutilius Rufus. Publius Rutilius knew of Marius’ genius in war strategy and kept him up to date with the dealings of Rome during Marius’ consulship. Marius wanted to expand the size of the army by allowing any able bodied person to enlist. Before He also helped Marius gain control in the defense against the Germans. Rome only wanted people who could afford to buy their own equipment. This was not enough to defeat the thousands of Germans. Publius Rutilius convinced the senate that the army needed to be expanded and the state should supply their equipment and pay and feed the troops. He also convinced them that Marius had done all he needs to do as commander in chief of the troops in Africa and that he was the only hope of Rome surviving the Germanic invasions. “Gaius Marius is the answer to Rome’s need for an army - and a competent general!” (page 527)

Manius Aquillius was the man who proposed for Gaius Marius to be consul for a third time, second time in a row, and in absentia. He believed this was the only way that Marius would have the power to become the leader of the troops against the Germans and save Rome.

Among his enemies was his commander in the army, Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus. During the battles with King Jugurtha in Africa, Marius was proposing to run for consul. Quintus Caecilius would not allow him to leave Africa to campaign because he believed that only noble families should remain in Rome’s political system and that there was no place for Gaius Marius. He called Marius an ‘Italian hayseed with no Greek’. He said he would rather be disgraced and dead than to give Marius permission to go to Rome to stand for election. (page 279) Marius got the help of Prince Gauda to tell Rome through a letter campaign to tell how Quintus Caecilius was not a good general in Africa. Quintus Caecilius did finally release Marius twelve days before elections. He believed that Marius would not have enough time to make it, but Lady Fortune shined on Marius and he arrived on time. Marius had no doubts in his mind, his consulship was foretold by the prophetess Martha.

Marius spent most of his consulship in war with the Germans. He was much better in war strategy than politics. This helped Marius keep his consulship so many times. He was re-elected in absentia three times. When the war with the Germans was over, Marius came back to Rome and wanted to pass laws to give land to his soldiers. He promised his veterans plots of land and Roman citizenship to Italian soldiers. The Gracchi brothers tried to do this in earlier years but were turned down by the senate. Marius had much opposition, especially from Quintus Caecilius. When Saturninus introduced the second agrarian law, Quintus Caecilius refused to sign the bill and therefore paid his fine and sent himself into exile.

Marius was called the Third Founder of Rome. Some people accused him of wanting to become king, but this was never his intention. He was a military man and he thought like a military man. He was the kind of man who knew what he had to do to get things done. Marius sent his second in command, Sulla, as a spy on the Germans, and also to supervise Quintus Lutatius Catulus Caesar. Marius was convinced that Quintus Lutatius was incapable of conducting a successful military strategy against the Germans.

Marius was never opposed to buying his way into things. He had enough money to pay off voters if he needed to, or to pay off political officials to pass laws for him. He was a just man throughout his consulship. Marcus Aemilius Scaurus Princeps Senatus challenged his dignitas in the senate. Scaurus asked Marius what his personal opinion was on Saturninus’ second agrarian law. Marius had to make the decision on whether the law would be passed or lose his credibility and the friendship of Saturninus. If Marius would have said the law was valid, the people that opposed him would have researched the law and found it invalid. Marius admitted that the law was probably invalid. He defied his friendship with Saturninus with this because it made Saturninus look bad and could ruin his credibility. But the law was passed. Marius had to make that decision for the better of Rome.

Bibliography: "The First Man in Rome" - Colleen McCullogh