Mallius was a novus homo, but his rise through the cursus honorum to the consulship required substantial political and military experience. Caepio's patrician status and longer recent field command did not make him the senior officer once a sitting consul arrived. As proconsul he was legally subordinate to Mallius and was expected to follow his instructions. The distinction matters because Arausio was not caused by an absent command rule or uncertainty over rank; it came from Caepio's refusal to obey a hierarchy both commanders understood.
Chapter · 29:34-36:32
Mallius, Caepio, and a command hierarchy ignored
The Roman system clearly placed consul Mallius above proconsul Caepio, yet status prejudice overwhelmed that formal chain of command.