Against All Odds: Marius, Cicero and "New Men" in the Roman Republic

In the Roman republic, nobility was not hereditary - rather, one's status was determined by their descent from previously elected consuls. This meant that in theory, any Roman family could eventually join the aristocracy if one of their number secured election to the consulship.

In reality however, the elite used their power and influence to limit the electoral prospects of anyone outside their narrow circle, meaning that very few of the "Novus Homo" (or New Men) that were born without Senatorial ancestors were able to climb the entire rung of magistracies all the way to the consulship. Those who did however tended to be among the most remarkable politicians and leaders that the republic ever produced, men whose brilliance none could deny.

This history documentary looks at Marius and Cicero, two of the most interesting new men to ever reach the consulship and explores how the two employed remarkably different strategies to reach the apex of roman politics.