How did Gaius Marius change Rome?

Gaius Marius reformed the old legions into a new professional legion which fought more effectively than the old ones and opened the recruiting process to the Plebian class. He also unified the legions by eliminating four out of the five symbols, leaving the Eagle as the single sign of the Roman legion. Gaius Marius was Consul seven times (107 BC, 104-100 BC, and 87 BC), defeated the Cimbri and Teutone in battle with his cohor system (revised military system), and prevented Saturninus and his mobs from ruling the streets of Rome.