As I continue to buy or be given 20mm plastic figures I am always on the look out for new armies. As I tend to concentrate on the ancient period I thought that my collection needed the services of a Roman Republican army. So I settled on the army that resulted from the reforms of Marius. According to the DBA Army Lists (II/49) this force comprised of 1x3Cv or 1x4Bd for the General's element, 1x3Cv or 1x2LH, 8x4Bd, 1x3/4Ax or 2Ps, 1x2Ps. Until I come up with something better I will use this Roman villa as my camp. The camp followers are these generic figures. As I like to conscript at least one matching army, the first opponent for the Marian Romans is the slave revolt army raised by Spartacus.
The reforms of Marius sees the Roman army change in many significant ways. Marius did away with the property qualification for serving in the army and opened enlistment to the urban proletariat. This paved the way for the Roman army becoming professional in every respect. Other reforms included the arming of all legionaires with the pilum, thus doing away with the three distinct heavy troop elements of the Roman Legion (Hastati, Principes and Triarii). He also dispensed with the specialist Roman skirmishing troops (Velites). Cavalry, missile armed troops and light troops were supplied by allied or client states.