The Storm Before the Storm: The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic

by Mike Duncan

But despite these clashes, Saturninus pushed through the bill allotting land to Marius’s veterans. Aware that it might be repealed when he left office, Saturninus inserted a clause requiring every senator to swear an oath that they would never repeal the law upon pain of banishment. With this oath, Saturninus and Marius had laid another trap for the hated Metellus Numidicus. Marius personally addressed the Senate and registered his approval of the law, but expressed misgivings about the oath, providing cover for more conservative senators like Metellus who were aghast at the requirement. But just hours before the deadline to take the oath, Marius abruptly changed his mind. He told his fellow senators he was going to swear the oath and walked over to the Temple of Saturn for the ceremony. Without time to think, the other senators had only minutes to choose between taking the oath and going into exile. They all chose to swear the oath—even optimate stalwarts like Scaurus and Crassus. The only one who refused was Metellus Numidicus. Saturninus’s supporters menaced him to the point of riot, but announcing that he could not abide such violence on his own account, Metellus accepted exile. “For,” he said, “either matters will mend and the people will change their minds and I shall return at their invitation, or, if matters remain as they are, it is best that I should be away.” Saturninus duly carried a law prohibiting any Roman from offering Metellus fire, water, and shelter. Thr...