Hello, and welcome to the history of Rome, Episode 31b, Marius.

Last week, we covered the life of Gaius Marius through his first consulship.

Up to this point, his career was impressive but hardly unique.

Yes, he was a new man and deserves extra credit for forging his way upward despite the institutional

barriers he faced, but he was hardly the first novice homo to be elected consul and hardly

the first Roman general to win the support of the Roman people by bringing an unpopular

foreign war to an end.

But Marius' ambition, and more importantly, his willingness to act on that ambition, definitely

set him apart from his colleagues.

There is a reason Gaius Marius deserves multi-episode treatment, and by the end of today, those

reasons should be abundantly clear.

In 109 BC, the consul Mattelis had been sent to Africa and took Marius along with him.

But in that same year, Mattelis' consular colleague Marcus Salonis was sent north to deal

with the Kimberi, a Gallic army that had been growing in strength in the north.

Salonis was supposed to put down the impertinent barbarians and restore Roman order, but instead

was utterly defeated.

And boldened by the Kimberi's success, another Gallic tribe began making waves in 107 BC,

the year of Marius' first consulship.

Again, the Roman legions were sent north to put down the Marauding Army, but again, the

legions were beaten.

This time, the Roman officers left standing were only able to save their defeated troops

by having them pass under the yoke, a humiliating ritual for the proud Romans.

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