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a general by the name of Gaius Marius began to change the army. He was afraid Rome was going to be attacked by barbarians. The Romans called everyone who wasn't a Roman or Greek a barbarian. He began to let poor plebians join the army. From now on, generals paid their soldiers. The soldiers were now loyal to their general, not the Republic. Eventually, generals like Julius Cesar came to power. He was the richest man in Rome, and his army was totally loyal to him
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DevinThe reforms of the army of 107 BC by Gaius Marius have been called the Marian reforms. These made joining the army voluntary, allowed the landless poor to join the army, and made the state pay for the soldiers' equipment. Previously soldiers were drafted by the state and they had to be peasant-proprietors above a certain property threshold. This was because soldiers had to pay for their military equipment. The reforms abolished the property threshold, making the landless poor eligible for service. By making the state pay for the soldiers' equipment, the reforms made it possible for the poor to join the army.
The Marian reforms also established a career of 16 years (later Augustus increased it to 20 years). Soldiers were also entitled a grant of a sizable sum of money (nummaria missio) or a plot of land to farm (agraria missio) on discharge. The poor flocked to the army because it gave them a career, a pay (the Roman state had started paying the soldiers in 405 BC) and a pension.
The Marian reforms paved the way for the creation of a standing army by Augustus. Prior to that the soldiers were recruited and paid by the military commanders for the campaigning season. Augustus made the soldiers stay in the army all year round. He also created a military treasury funded with inheritance taxes and taxes of the sale of goods. The soldier were now paid by the imperial state.
The reforms of the army of 107 BC by Gaius Marius have been called the Marian reforms. These ended the period when the Roman army was a citizen militia. With the militia system the state drafted peasant proprietors for the military campaigning season (March-up to October). At the end of a campaign the soldiers went back to their farms. There was a property threshold to be drafted because the citizen-soldiers had to provide and pay for their military equipment themselves. The landless poor were not drafted.
The Marian reforms 1) abolished the property threshold, 2) made joining the army voluntary, 3) made the state pay for the military equipment, 4) standardised the military equipment, which did away with the previous heavy infantry/light infantry division as all soldiers used the same weapons and armour 5) established a military service of 16 years. 6) On discharge the soldiers were given a honesta missio, a certificate which sanctioned the legal end of the service. They were also granted either a lump sum (nummaria missio) or a plot of land to farm (agraria missio). This was also given to soldiers who were discharged early due to injury or illness (causaria missio) and soldiers who were discharged by their commanders (gratiosa missio). Soldiers who were discharged dishonourably (ignominiosa missio) did not receive anything.
Abolishing the property threshold made the army accessible to the poor and making the state pay for the military equipment made it affordable for them to join the army. The Marian reforms were a response to a serious shortage of eligible recruits. Now many of the landless poor joined the army because it provided a career, a pay and the equivalent of a pension. Pay for soldiers had already been introduced in 405 BC. With joining the army being made voluntary, the military commanders often recruited soldiers for their campaigns themselves. They even paid the soldiers themselves privately. This made the soldiers loyal to their military commanders. It led to instances of commanders using the threat of military violence to obtain what they wanted from the state thanks to the loyalty of their soldiers. During the civil wars which ended up bringing down the Roman Republic, there were commanders in the opposing factions who recruited entire legions so that they could fight each other.
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Which influential reform is attributed to Gaius Marius?
The influential reform that is attributed to Gaius Marius was the soldiers would be rewarded with a piece of land to settle on once their military service was finished.
Who professionalized the Roman army?
Gaius Marius is credited with introducing the professional army to Rome. Before his reforms the army consisted of part time volunteers with most of the officers from the wealthier classes because they were the only ones who could afford to equip themselves. These officers also brought their clients into the army as a duty to their patrons. Marius did away with this and opened up the army to all citizens, paid them, equipped them and changed their fighting divisions.
Who was the roman general who introduced paid volunteers to the roman armies in place of citizen conscripts?
Gaius Marius completely reformed the roman army in 107 B.C. Changing the system from 1 were only richer people could afford to go to war to a full paid profession.
How many men would share a tent in the roman?
In the Roman army there were eight men in a "contubernium". In the late empire there were ten.In the Roman army there were eight men in a "contubernium". In the late empire there were ten.In the Roman army there were eight men in a "contubernium". In the late empire there were ten.In the Roman army there were eight men in a "contubernium". In the late empire there were ten.In the Roman army there were eight men in a "contubernium". In the late empire there were ten.In the Roman army there were eight men in a "contubernium". In the late empire there were ten.In the Roman army there were eight men in a "contubernium". In the late empire there were ten.In the Roman army there were eight men in a "contubernium". In the late empire there were ten.In the Roman army there were eight men in a "contubernium". In the late empire there were ten.
Who was Gaius Marius?
Gaius Marius (157 BC - January 13, 86 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. He held the office of consul an unprecedented seven times during his career.
