Marius

Marius, Caius (155-86 b.c), a great Roman general, was born at Arpinum. He entered the army as a common soldier, and rose to be an officer in Spain under Scipio Africanus the Younger. His marriage with Julia, the aunt of Julius Caesar, assisted his advancement, and in 115 B.C. he became praetor. As second in command under Quintus Metellus he distinguished himself in the Jugurthine

War, and in 107 was elected consul and entrusted with the conclusion of the war, which he successfully accomplished. Marius was now employed to repel the incursions of the Cimbri and Teutones, and for this purpose was made consul in 104 and the three successive years. During this time he seems to have completely reorganised the Roman army. [Legion.] The Teutones were overthrown with great slaughter in a terrible two days' battle near Aquae Sextia; (Aix) in 102 B.C., and the Cimbri were routed at Vercellae, between Turin and Milan in the following year. The remainder of the life of the great general was passed in a bitter struggle for political power with Sulla, the representative of the aristocratic party. Marius was made consul for the sixth time in 100, but was worsted by his rival in the contest for the command against Mithradates, and in 88 had to flee from Rome. The story of his attempted assassination in the marshes near Minturnse (the modern Garigliano) is well known. He succeeded at length in escaping to Africa; and, a revolution in Rome having given his party the ascendency, he returned to be elected consul a seventh time (86 B.C.), and to wreak vengeance on his opponents by a terrible proscription. He died seventeen days later.