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THE CIMBRI AND TEUTONES .-- POLITICAL QUARRELS.
The war with Jugurtha ended none too soon, for Marius was needed in a struggle requiring all his talents.
The CIMBRI and TEUTONES, barbarous nations from Northern Europe, were threatening the frontiers of Italy.

Already the Roman armies had met with five successive defeats at their hands on the banks of the Rhone.
Eighty thousand Romans and forty thousand camp followers are said to have fallen in these battles.

Had the barbarians at this moment chosen to enter Italy, the destruction of Rome would have been a certain result.

Fortunately, they turned to the Pyrenees, and, sweeping over the mountains, overran for a season the province of Spain.
Marius, appointed Consul a second time, devoted his energies to forming and training the army.