Person

Gaius Marius

157–86 BCE · 2nd century BCE

Gaius Marius was a Roman general and politician who held the consulship seven times. He ended the war against Jugurtha of Numidia, defeated the Cimbri and Teutones at Aquae Sextiae and Vercellae, and opened the legions to men without property. His rivalry with Sulla led to the civil wars of 88 to 82 BCE, and his followers, among them Quintus Sertorius, fought on after his death.

Gaius Marius
Image: American Numismatic Society · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 3 profiles

NumidiaImpactAfrica ProconsularisFoundationRoman RepublicMilitary

Mentioned in 4 state histories

VolaterraeRoman RepublicItalia (Social War confederation)Sertorian State

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Gaius Marius. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/gaius-marius
MLA
“Gaius Marius.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/gaius-marius. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Gaius Marius.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/gaius-marius.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Gaius Marius’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/gaius-marius (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻