Changes

He established a professional army, including instituting for the first time the use of the weapon known as the [[pilum]] - a thrown spear designed to shatter upon impact so that the enemy could not re-use it after thrown by a Roman legionnaire.

He established a professional army, including instituting for the first time the use of the weapon known as the [[pilum]] - a thrown spear designed to shatter upon impact so that the enemy could not re-use it after thrown by a Roman legionnaire.

He also established the army as an institution more related to the individual general than the state, by for the first time personally rewarding his [[Roman veteran| veterans]].  In this sense, Marius is said to have "forged the sword that slew the state," in that he created the idea of a [[personal army]], which [[Pompey| Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus]] and [[Julius Caesar]] would later use in the civil wars that led to the fall of the [[Roman Republic]].

He also established the army as an institution more related to the individual general than the state, by for the first time personally rewarding his [[Roman veteran|veterans]].  In this sense, Marius is said to have "forged the sword that slew the state," in that he created the idea of a [[personal army]], which [[Pompey|Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus]] and [[Julius Caesar]] would later use in the civil wars that led to the fall of the [[Roman Republic]].

After leading a successful military career, Marius, instead of retiring, attempted to become engaged in Roman political life by joining in the conflict between [[Sulla| Lucius Cornelius Sulla]] and the [[Roman Senate]].  The Greek historian [[Plutarch]] tells us that Marius was incredibly inept at politics, and uses his life in the book [[Parallel Lives]] as an example of what happens when a man stretches himself too far, and refuses to be content with his already-memorable legacy.

After leading a successful military career, Marius, instead of retiring, attempted to become engaged in Roman political life by joining in the conflict between [[Sulla|Lucius Cornelius Sulla]] and the [[Roman Senate]].  The Greek historian [[Plutarch]] tells us that Marius was incredibly inept at politics, and uses his life in the book [[Parallel Lives]] as an example of what happens when a man stretches himself too far, and refuses to be content with his already-memorable legacy.

== References ==

== References ==