Gaius Marius. ‘The Third Founder of Rome’. A prominent figure during the late 2nd and early 1st century BC, this Roman general and statesman became one of the most influential figures in the history of the Late Roman Republic. The man is best remembered for his deadly rivalry with Lucius Cornelius Sulla, a rivalry that ultimately ended in the first Roman civil war of the 1st century BC. But how did Marius rise to such a prominent position? To talk through the rise of Marius, Tristan was delighted to be joined by Professor Federico Santangelo from the University of Newcastle. In this episode we focus on Marius’ early career, up until his first consulship. We look at what we know about his early years with Scipio Aemilianus in Spain, followed by his later service in North Africa against Jugurtha and culminating with the so-called Marian reforms.