diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py b/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
index cf4dd07a6b98..f730db0dee3b 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
@@ -209,6 +209,20 @@ def validator(s):
     validate_float, doc='return a list of floats')
 
 
+def _validate_marker(s):
+    try:
+        return validate_int(s)
+    except ValueError as e:
+        try:
+            return validate_string(s)
+        except ValueError as e:
+            raise ValueError('Supported markers are [string, int]') from e
+
+
+_validate_markerlist = _listify_validator(
+    _validate_marker, doc='return a list of markers')
+
+
 def _validate_pathlike(s):
     if isinstance(s, (str, os.PathLike)):
         # Store value as str because savefig.directory needs to distinguish
@@ -645,7 +659,7 @@ def _validate_minor_tick_ndivs(n):
         'markeredgecolor': validate_colorlist,
         'markevery': validate_markeverylist,
         'alpha': validate_floatlist,
-        'marker': validate_stringlist,
+        'marker': _validate_markerlist,
         'hatch': validate_hatchlist,
         'dashes': validate_dashlist,
     }
@@ -908,7 +922,7 @@ def _convert_validator_spec(key, conv):
     "lines.linewidth":       validate_float,  # line width in points
     "lines.linestyle":       _validate_linestyle,  # solid line
     "lines.color":           validate_color,  # first color in color cycle
-    "lines.marker":          validate_string,  # marker name
+    "lines.marker":          _validate_marker,  # marker name
     "lines.markerfacecolor": validate_color_or_auto,  # default color
     "lines.markeredgecolor": validate_color_or_auto,  # default color
     "lines.markeredgewidth": validate_float,
@@ -957,7 +971,7 @@ def _convert_validator_spec(key, conv):
     "boxplot.meanline":    validate_bool,
 
     "boxplot.flierprops.color":           validate_color,
-    "boxplot.flierprops.marker":          validate_string,
+    "boxplot.flierprops.marker":          _validate_marker,
     "boxplot.flierprops.markerfacecolor": validate_color_or_auto,
     "boxplot.flierprops.markeredgecolor": validate_color,
     "boxplot.flierprops.markeredgewidth": validate_float,
@@ -982,7 +996,7 @@ def _convert_validator_spec(key, conv):
     "boxplot.medianprops.linestyle": _validate_linestyle,
 
     "boxplot.meanprops.color":           validate_color,
-    "boxplot.meanprops.marker":          validate_string,
+    "boxplot.meanprops.marker":          _validate_marker,
     "boxplot.meanprops.markerfacecolor": validate_color,
     "boxplot.meanprops.markeredgecolor": validate_color,
     "boxplot.meanprops.markersize":      validate_float,
@@ -1107,7 +1121,7 @@ def _convert_validator_spec(key, conv):
     "axes3d.zaxis.panecolor":    validate_color,  # 3d background pane
 
     # scatter props
-    "scatter.marker":     validate_string,
+    "scatter.marker":     _validate_marker,
     "scatter.edgecolors": validate_string,
 
     "date.epoch": _validate_date,
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.pyi b/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.pyi
index 70e94a7694a9..1538dac7510e 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.pyi
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.pyi
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ def validate_int_or_None(s: Any) -> int | None: ...
 def validate_float(s: Any) -> float: ...
 def validate_float_or_None(s: Any) -> float | None: ...
 def validate_floatlist(s: Any) -> list[float]: ...
+def _validate_marker(s: Any) -> int | str: ...
+def _validate_markerlist(s: Any) -> list[int | str]: ...
 def validate_fonttype(s: Any) -> int: ...
 
 _auto_backend_sentinel: object
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_cycles.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_cycles.py
index 9bbb9bc9f19c..4fa261619490 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_cycles.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_cycles.py
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ def test_marker_cycle():
     assert [l.get_marker() for l in ax.lines] == ['.', '*', 'x', '.']
 
 
+def test_valid_marker_cycles():
+    fig, ax = plt.subplots()
+    ax.set_prop_cycle(cycler(marker=[1, "+", ".", 4]))
+
+
 def test_marker_cycle_kwargs_arrays_iterators():
     fig, ax = plt.subplots()
     ax.set_prop_cycle(c=np.array(['r', 'g', 'y']),