Marius’ Mules; the Marian Reforms of the Roman Republican ArmyIn the early days of the Roman Republi

Marius’ Mules; the Marian Reforms of the Roman Republican ArmyIn the early days of the Roman Republic the Roman Army was essentially a citizen militia force called up during times of war and emergency.  There was no standing Roman Army and there were strict requirements in joining.  Roman soldiers had to be landowners and were required to provide their own weapons, training, and equipment.  As a result Roman generals found that when they were ordered to war, they were forced to hastily recruit an army from a relatively small pool of men, organize them into a fighting force, and rush them into battle. The organization of the Roman Republican Army was a bit screwed up as well.  Typically the poorest citizens made up the front ranks (Hastati).  Unable to spare much money for equipment, they had little training and were poorly armed and armored, usually with only a sword or a spear, a helmet, and sometimes a small bronze plate which only covered the sternum.  Wealthier citizens formed the second line (Principes), while the third and last line (Triarii) was composed of the wealthiest citizens.  Because of their wealth, they were the most heavily armed, armored, and well trained soldiers of the army, but typically they saw little combat, the poor hastati being expected to shed the most blood for the Republic.In 113 BC Germanic tribes called the Cimbri, along with their allies the Teutons, invaded the Roman Republic.  The tough and warlike Cimbri overwhelmed the Roman Army, killing up to 80,000 soldiers at the Battle of Arausio in 105 BC.   The Romans found themselves in a situation in which they suffered manpower shortages, as the Cimbri had culled the elite citizens of Rome.  In desperation, the Romans elected the famed general, Gaius Marius in absentia, an unprecedented move in the republic’s history. Gaius Marius was, perhaps, the greatest Roman general in history, fighting enemies as diverse as fast and mobile guerilla horsemen in the Sahara Desert to barbarians in dark forests Northern Europe.  He was especially known as a sly commander, never sticking to one battle doctrine but constantly modifying his tactics, equipment, and the training of his men in order to adapt to different situations. Marius was immediately recalled from his post in Africa and given emergency powers to beat back the Cimbri.With unquestioned command of the army, Marius sought reforms to deal with Rome’s manpower shortages.  The old tradition of a militia of landowning citizen soldiers was swept away and replaced with a standing professional army.  Marius ordered recruitment of the masses, allowing for commoners to enlist in the army for a period of 15 years.  The ranks swelled with new recruits, many of whom could not find employment otherwise.  Since they could not afford their own weapons and equipment, Marius made provisions for the state to supply the military. Under Marius’ command, there were no longer going to be any more hastati, princpes, and triarii.  All solders were to be heavily armed, well trained, and well equipped. The soldiers were trained regularly; becoming the most disciplined and organized force in the known world.  In essence what Marius created was one of the first full time standing professional armies.  Marius also broke down his army into smaller and more flexible units, giving officers more initiative, and creating a command system that allowed for better coordination on the battlefield.Among the Marian reforms was an act to turn the army into a more mobile force.  Throughout history one of the greatest challenges for any military commander was transporting an army quickly while keeping it intact.  Often armies were slow moving affairs with miles of baggage trains which contained vital equipment and supplies.  To eliminate this large cumbersome supply train, Marius required every ten men to use only one mule.  Whatever could not be carried by the mule was carried by the men.  This included armor, shield, sword, dagger, two javelins, tools, toiletries, 15 days worth of rations, a shovel and a pickax, a canteen, a bedroll, cooking tools, and any other necessary equipment. To help his soldiers carry all this equipment Marius devised an early type of backpack; a wooden cross with which the soldier could hang his equipment while carrying on his shoulders.   Overall the pack weighed around 60-100 pounds, and soldiers were expected to march a minimum of 20 miles a day, all while wearing either simple leather shoes or sandals. Marius understood that mobility was the key to victory, and often on campaign his soldiers could be expected to march for days, weeks, even months on end, covering hundreds of miles on foot while carrying all their equipment. Needless to say, the new soldiers of the Roman Army were very tough and rugged men, earning them the nickname “Marius’ Mules”.With a new professional Roman Army, and a combination of guerilla warfare and conventional tactics, Marius was able to crush the Cimbri, nearly wiping them out at the Battle of Vercellae in 102 BC.  Marius’ reforms would continue on well after his death, providing the foundation for the Roman Imperial Army after the fall of the republic.  It was this force of tough, disciplined, and well trained professional soldiers which would conquer a vast empire that would dominate the Mediterranean for hundreds of years. -- source link

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