The next major change in the army took place at the end of the 2nd century B.C. when Gaius Marius was elected Consul, placing him in command of the Roman army. Ceaseless attacks from the Germanic tribes forced large armies to be raised to defend Rome. However, just with Cannibal in the beginning, the legions suffered defeat after defeat, and the number of legal men (men who owned land) to be recruited was dwindling. Most had already fought and died or else was still fighting the Germanic tribes. In this emergency, Marius had no choice but to break the norm and devise a new recruitment method. Thus, the Marius Reforms took place. They were a serious of reforms that helped professionalize the Roman army and make a more efficient, uniform fighting force. It also greatly affected the citizens and society of Rome, mostly due to the new recruitment method.
Because land owners available for recruitment were dwindling to dangerously low numbers, he offered the general masses a chance to join his army. This included the jobless, poor, and uneducated in Rome and surrounding provinces and cities. With a solid financial structure that ensured payment and wages, war spoils, as well...
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