Influence of Marius
Throughout time, certain individuals have been known as revolutionaries. Some of these were political, others social, others military. While some excel in one of these realms, the greatest figures will impact all of these. Marius was the most "revolutionary" of the individuals that shaped the course of the Roman Revolution, in that his action departed the most radically from the traditional framework of the Roman mos maiorem and from the actions of his predecessors. One of the grandest impacts Marius had was on the political and social scene. To fully understand the how remarkable his political career was, one must first consider that he was born into a poor family of little political esteem. In fact, his family had never seen a senator elected, and there is little belief that any other significant political position was held by a relative. At the time, it was very unusual that anyone of such a background would even consider a political
The other scene where Marius's influence affected the revolution was the military realm. However, many of these changes not only affected the military system, but also the political and social situation. In a dynamic resolution, Marius opened the military legions to those without land, money, property, or even freedom. Obviously, opportunities for military service vastly improved the economic opportunities for the impoverished and social underlings. In addition, Marius demanded even the most socially elite legionnaire carry his own armor and supplies, rather than rely on a slave or steward. As a result, the army was forced to operate on a more equal basis, less characterized by social benefit. Extending even to the senate, Marius defended his actions by degrading his socially elite but inept contemporaries. In an effort to stress the importance of the common soldier, Marius even declined a celebration in his honor until the time when all of his soldiers could join him
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Approximate Word count = 660
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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