Marcus was a few years younger than Gaius Marius, hailing from the same relatively wealthy equestrian family.
He served his praetorship and a following year as proconsul in Spain, probably Hispania Ulterior like his brother a decade before him.
[4] His elder brother may have manipulated the sortition of the highly sought-after province in anticipation of a possible consular campaign.
The Gratidii were a wealthy and influential family in the city of Arpinum, from which both they, the Marii, and the Tullii Cicerones hailed.
[6] Gratidianus was elected praetor twice in the 80s BC (most probably 85 and 82) and was killed during Sulla's civil war shortly after the Battle of the Colline Gate.