How good was Marius

[Q Rutilius]

I've been rereading McCullough's First Man in Rome series. Her portrayal of Gaius Marius has got me to thinking. How good was Marius? Do we have enough information to know? I know this is a highly subjective question, but I was wondering if there is some generally accepted view among the experts (assuming of course that such a thing is even possible ), that gives Marius a definite place in the pantheon of Roman generals. <p></p><i></i>

[Goffredo]

Considering:<br>
1) victory in the "difficult" slippery war against Jugurtha<br>
2) two very difficult! hard victories against Cimbri and Teutons,<br>
all with an army that needed real reorganization and effective leadership, I think Marius was, to say the least, talented!<br>
Marius and Sulla certainly contributed in fundamental ways to preparing the stage for Ceasar.<br>
<br>
I think McCullough did a good job. Indeed her books rekindled my dormant interests in that period. For that I am greatful.<br>
<br>
<p></p><i></i>

[Praefectusclassis]

The sources for Marius aren't half bad actually. There's the always interesting, but not always terribly reliable Plutarch, then the history of the Jughurtine war by Sallust, the Civil War by Appian, bits and pieces in Dio and early Medieval excerpts of Livy (whose original work on that era is lost). So, lots of different sources, but frought with problems. Who's copying who? Who's got an axe to grind (especially problematic considering the Social and Civil Wars that followed). <p>Greets<br>
<br>
Jasper</p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

There is an old story (legend?) going around about Marius. Once he was besieged in his camp and the enemy general sent him those words: "If you are such a good general, Marius, come out of the camp and fight".<br>
To which Marius answered: "If YOU are a good general, make me come out".<br>
That is good generalship.<br>
<p></p><i></i>

[Q Rutilius]

Goffredo, the same thing happened to me. I picked up Fortunes Favorites because it was on sale cheap, read it and was instantly hooked. It rekindled my interest in the matter of ancient Rome. After reading the histories and then going back and rereading her series I am impressed with the great job she did with the subject. <p></p><i></i>

[Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus]

Being another reader of that great series, currently on book 5 caesar, looking forward to the last book October Horse, I feel that Marius did recieve a good description that was very accurate. The skills of Marius were not learned but inherited, he was born to general an army, but due to his lack of high blood he was not allowed to until that is he went to the plebian assembly to gain that right, in the case of Sulla, he was born with the high blood, but his talents for generaling an army were learned not natural like I believe marius's were. <p></p><i></i>