History: Gaius Marius

157- 86 BCE - Despite being an outsider, Marius became consul in 107 BCE. Marius' focus was on ending the Roman war in North Africa against Jugurtha and the Numidians. The plebian assembly voted to give Marius command of the army in Africa usurping the right of the Senate to control the army and creating a separation of power between the army and the central government. Marius won the Jugurthine war and then proceeded to deal with the Gauls who were encroaching on Rome from the North. Marius was made consul again, from 104- 100 BCE, and used the power to raise an army and defeat the Gauls. After Marius defeated the Gauls, he used his tremendous power to reform some Roman military policies. He allowed conscription of non-landowners, and urged allegiance of soldiers to the generals and not to the state. This reform ultimately had disastrous consequences for the Roman Republic. Since, Marius later used his army to depose Sulla and gain control of the Roman government.