Publisher: Pen and Sword, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-844-15972-7
Pages: 259
Photographs/maps: 16 b/w//22
Rome, during the period of the first century BC, was anything but
secure. Despite success and an empire that ran from Italy to Spain, large and
capable enemies were active and threatening both the northern and southern
borders of the Roman Empire. The author traces the impact of the actions of the
adversaries on Roman foreign policy and the role that one man in particular,
Marius, had upon not only leading Rome out of the multiple military crisis but
also how his position and influence enabled him to force through fundamental
changes in the structure, training and recruitment of the Roman Army and, by
extension, Roman society and politics.
It may be argued that the ten years from 110 BC to 100 BC are
amongst the most critical in the history of the Roman Empire. Although not as
well known as the period of Julius Caesar and the Triumverates, the period in
question represents a time when Rome could very well have been eliminated as a
world power before it was able to fully establish itself. The southern enemy, under
Numidian King Jugurtha, threatened Rome’s gains against Carthage and its
position in Africa. In the north, migrating Gaulish tribes led by the Cimbri,
had inflicted three crushing defeats upon Roman armies and were settling in the
Po Valley of northern Italy; leaving them in a position to threaten the City of
Rome itself. Marius, given unprecedented powers through multiple terms as
Consul (a total of six within a ten year period), not only crushed both of
these adversaries through a series of brilliant campaigns, but created the
conditions for the ascendance of the Roman army and the establishment of one of
the greatest empires in history.
Dr Sampson, drawing upon a series of primary source documents such
as Plutarch, Cicero, Livy and literally dozens of others, traces the means and
methods used by Marius to achieve his aims, the political environment within
which he operated and the history of Rome, the Numidians and the Cimbri. He
also studies how they came to clash. Recognizing that his information is
limited (especially when dealing with cultures that practiced oral as opposed
to written history), that a number of his sources were drafted well after the
fact and that corroboration of conclusions and facts are in many cases
impossible, Dr Sampson performs an admirable job of cross referencing and
drawing logical conclusions from the information that he has.
His style of writing is engaging and he is able to provide the
reader with a solid commentary that paints a clear picture of the events as
they unfold. I was disappointed with the tactical maps provided and felt that
they did not provide any added value to the narrative. Dr Sampson also provides
a detailed evaluation of the changes brought about by Marius on the Roman army
and the impact that this had on Roman society writ large (specifically the
removal of the requirement for land ownership as a precursor to army service). Rounding
out this notable work is an excellent bibliography and appendices that focus on
evaluating Roman manpower resources during the period in question, brief
synopses of the various ancient scholars and their works that he draws upon, the
impact of Marius’ success upon the internal political situation in Rome itself
and other significant international situations that concurrently influenced
issues within Rome. Dr Sampson has written an eminently readable and engaging
work on this fascinating period.
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