Hello, and welcome to the history of Rome, Episode 30A, Marius.

Last week, we ended with the death of Guyus Grocchus, the popular reformer who was driven

to suicide in 121 BC.

This week, we will take up the career of a man who coincidentally served as Tribune of

the Plebs the very next year.

He would not make his name in that office or that year, but 20 years later, he would

be known to history as the great remaker of the Roman legions, and the man who was

consul five times in a row.

With the Grocchus had started by flouting the laws against consecutive terms, Marius took

to a higher office for an even longer stay.

Guyus Marius was born in 157 BC in southern Ladium.

His hometown had been conquered by the Romans in the 4th century BC, and since that time,

they had been citizens of Rome without voting rights.

It wasn't until about 30 years before Marius's birth that his people were granted status

as full-Roman citizens.

The story goes that Marius was the son of a simple farmer, but this myth of humble origins

was an invention after the fact to help the poor of Rome identify with Marius the great

general in politician.

His father was certainly involved in farming, but he was likely a major landowner who had

numerous familial and commercial ties to the nobility in Rome.

There is no other way to explain how Marius was able to get his foot in the door to high

Roman office.

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