Title: Impact of Gaius Marius’ Reforms
Headings: Impact of Gaius Marius’ Reforms
Impact of Gaius Marius’ Reforms
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Content: Marius’ military reforms relied on removing the land requirements needed to join the Roman army. This reform allowed Marius access to the largest class of population in Rome, the Capite Censi. Past Roman reforms only allowed the Capite Censi to join the military only if Rome were facing military emergencies. ( Nofi, 2019). The benefit of allowing the Capite Censi to join the Roman army was the expansion of the Roman military. Consequently, the landless troops who had nowhere to live after serving posed a dangerous precedent for the Roman hierarchy as senators had to offer retirement benefits like grants of land from newly conquered areas (White, 2011). After these reforms were introduced, the Germanic and Celtic tribes were crushed by the revolutionised Roman army. Marius fought for his soldier’s rights and persuaded the Senate to grant land to the retiring veterans. This one reform that impacted the lives of many Romans outside of serving in the army, ended up contributing significantly to the decline of the Republic (Daily History, 2019). There were many repercussions behind this reform which were politically problematic as it gave too much control and power to the Plebeian classes and further plagued the Republic until its inevitable collapse in 30 BCE (About History, 2017).