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What role did Gaius Marius play in the Numantine War in Spain?
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Gaius Marius
Gaius Marius on the Ruins of Carthage, engraving by John Vanderlyn, 1842.
During the Numantine War in Spain (134 BCE), Gaius Marius served as a young officer-cadet on the staff of the Roman general Scipio Aemilianus.1
While serving in this capacity, Marius made an excellent impression on his commanding officer. He served alongside Jugurtha, who would later become the king of Numidia and a primary adversary of Marius during the Jugurthine War.12