Famous Men of Rome · Ch. XVIII, part 1 · Unit 4: The end of the Republic

24. Marius, part 1: Jugurtha and the northern invaders

Goal: Your child can tell how Marius beat King Jugurtha and then the Teutones, Ambrones and Cimbri.

⏱ About 25 minutes · 6 steps

Open it at the Internet Archive ↗

You'll need

  • The book, open to this chapter
  • A map of Italy and the Mediterranean (a free online map or a globe)
  • Paper and colored pencils

What's in the book

Chapter XVIII up to the triumph: Caius Marius, a plebeian's son, becomes tribune and later consul seven times. He captures King Jugurtha of Numidia. When the Cimbri, Teutones and Ambrones come down from the Baltic, Marius waits in a strong camp until his men are used to the enemy, then beats the Teutones and Ambrones at Aix and the Cimbri in Italy.

The lesson, step by step

  1. Set the scene

    Find the Baltic Sea in the north of Europe, then the River Rhone and the city of Arles in the south of France, then the River Po in the north of Italy. Say: A huge crowd of people came all the way from the north looking for new lands.

  2. Read the chapter

    Read Chapter XVIII up to the end of the battle with the Cimbri (stop where Marius and his soldiers return to Rome). It begins:

    At the time of the death of Caius Gracchus there was in Rome a great man named Caius Marius.

  3. A note on words

    The book calls the northern peoples barbarians and savages, the Romans' own words for outsiders. Say: That is how the Romans saw them. To the Cimbri, the Romans were the strangers.

  4. Tell it back

    Prompts:

    - Why did the nobles dislike Marius?

    - Why did Marius keep his army in camp instead of fighting at once?

    - What happened when the Teuton chief called Marius out to fight?

    - What did the Ambrones shout as they charged?

  5. Talk it over

    Read this:

    So great was the number of the barbarians that it took them six whole days to march past the Roman camp.

    Ask: Why was waiting a wise plan, even when the enemy called the Romans cowards?

  6. Remember it

    SayMarius was consul seven times, more than anyone before him.

Answers to the book's problems

The nobles hated him because his parents were plebeians and he took the side of the plebeians. He waited so his men could get used to the strange enemy and stop being afraid. Marius laughed and sent out a gladiator, who quickly beat the Teuton. They shouted "Ambrones! Ambrones!"

Worked out for this site from the scan. If a number in your copy differs, trust the book.

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