Editing Gaius Marius (section)

===90s&nbsp;BC===
After the events of 100&nbsp;BC, Marius at first tried to oppose the recall of Metellus Numidicus, who had been exiled by Saturninus in 103. However, seeing that opposition was impossible, Marius decided to travel to the east to [[Galatia]] in 98&nbsp;BC, ostensibly to fulfil a vow he had made to the goddess ''Magna Mater''.{{sfn|Evans|1995|p=156}}{{sfn|Plut. ''Mar.''|loc=31.1}}

Plutarch portrays this voluntary exile as a great humiliation for the six-time consul: "considered obnoxious to the nobles and to the people alike", he was even forced to abandon his candidature for the censorship of 97.{{sfn|Plut. ''Mar.''|loc=30}} Plutarch also reports that while in the East, Marius attempted to goad [[Mithridates VI of Pontus]] into declaring war on Rome – telling Mithridates to either become stronger than Rome or obey her commands{{sfn|Luce|1970|p=165}} – so that the Roman people might be forced to rely on Marius's military leadership once more.{{sfn|Plut. ''Mar.''|loc=31.1}} This anecdote, however, is discounted by Evans, who dismisses it as "nothing more than a malicious rumour" perhaps created by Rutilius Rufus or Sulla.{{sfn|Evans|1995|p=156}} Other scholars have argued that the mission was instead planned by the Senate with the support of the ''princeps senatus'' [[Marcus Aemilius Scaurus (consul 115 BC)|Marcus Aemilius Scaurus]] for the purpose of investigating Mithridates' campaigns in [[Cappadocia]] without arousing too much suspicion.{{sfn|Bates|1986|pp=270–1}}

However, scholars have pointed out that Marius's supposed "humiliation" cannot have been too long-lasting. In c. 98–97&nbsp;BC, he was given the unprecedented honour of being elected ''in absentia'' to the college of priestly [[augur]]s whilst away in [[Anatolia|Asia Minor]].{{sfn|Luce|1970|p=165}} Furthermore, Marius's mere presence at the trial of Manius Aquillius in 98&nbsp;BC, his friend and former colleague as consul in 101&nbsp;BC, was enough to secure acquittal for the accused, even though he was apparently guilty.<ref>Cicero, ''De oratore'' 2.194–96.</ref><ref>Cicero, ''Pro Flacco'' 98.</ref> Marius also successfully acted as sole defence for T. Matrinius in 95&nbsp;BC, an Italian from [[Spoleto|Spoletium]] who had been granted Roman citizenship by Marius and who was now being prosecuted under a [[Lex Licinia Mucia|new citizenship law]].<ref>Cicero, ''Pro Balbo'' 48, 49, 54.</ref>