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{{Rome}}'''Gaius Marius''' was a Roman General and seven-time [[consul]] who lived from 157 to 86 BC.  Full name Caius Marius, Marius was born as a [[plebian]], making his rise to the consulship all the more remarkable: he was, in essence, the first [[novus homo]], or "new man," meaning plebian that rose the patrician ranks of his own skill.

{{Rome}}

'''Gaius Marius''', '''Caius Marius''' or simply '''Marius''', was a Roman General and seven-time [[consul]] who lived from '''157 to 86 BC'''.  Marius was born as a [[plebian]], making his rise to the consulship all the more remarkable: he was, in essence, the first [[novus homo]], or "new man," meaning plebian that rose the patrician ranks of his own skill.  He married a [[Patrician|patrician]] woman named Julia, sister to [[Gaius Julius Caesar (the Elder)]] and thereby became uncle-by-marriage to young [[Gaius Julius Caesar|Julius Caesar]].  His conflicts with [[Sulla]] became legend.

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.