Gaius Marius: Savior.. Or Destroyer?
?
Gaius Marius was the Janus-faced savior of Rome. On one hand his
sweeping military reforms intensified Rome's might at a crucial time,
during the Jugurthine war, saving Rome from the steady advance of their
Italian enemies. On the other, his no-frills military-minded personality
drove him to push those away who could not socially accept this lower-upper
class equestrian novus homo. He proved himself a most capable military
leader, inspiring his troops by sharing their toils and personally leading
them into battle; he vanquished Rome's enemies time and time again yet was
unable to grasp the brass ring of social acceptance, even as a seven-time
consul. Yet his life was a dichotomy of ...
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family, Marius found himself
better suited to the life of a warrior than that of a philosopher. He had
little tolerance for the aesthetic, finding more use with the sword than
the pen. He cut his military teeth under Scipio Aemilianus in the
Numantine war In Spain c.134, making an excellent impression on his
commander as did another up-and-coming young officer, Jugurtha, who would
later become king of Numidia and a hated enemy of Rome. After serving in
this campaign with distinction, Marius returned to Rome to stand for
Tribune of the People. Backed by the powerful family of Caecilius Metellus,
a hereditary patron, Marius won easily .
Shortly after winning the tribuneship in 119, Marius passed the lex
tabellaria which narrowed the wooden bridges through which voters pass to
cast their ballots. This was to discourage observers, usually aristocrats,
who abused their position to influence an individual's vote. This law was
the first demonstration of Marius' lifelong ...
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for this highly contested
position through which any successful political career must pass. Seeing
that he was losing the election for the chief aedileship, he quickly
withdrew and ran for the lesser plebeian aedileship with the same results.
Because of his relative youth and inexperience Roman citizens already
viewed his candidacy as presumptuous, and this stunt soured voters against
him, forcing him to a greatly-needed two year absence. When Marius did
return, he narrowly won a praetorship with the generous use of his own
funds, barely avoiding conviction for bribery.
Much later, in 100 BC, Marius receives his sixth consecutive
consulship, and his popularity is at an all-time ...
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"Gaius Marius: Savior.. Or Destroyer?." Essayworld.com. September 16, 2004. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Gaius-Marius-Savior-Or-Destroyer/14454.
"Gaius Marius: Savior.. Or Destroyer?." Essayworld.com. September 16, 2004. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Gaius-Marius-Savior-Or-Destroyer/14454.
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