Gaius Maenius (possibly Gaius Maenius Antiaticus) was a

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

statesman and general who was elected

consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states thro ...

in 338 BC and appointed

dictator A dictator is a political leader who possesses absolute Power (social and political), power. A dictatorship is a state ruled by one dictator or by a polity. The word originated as the title of a Roman dictator elected by the Roman Senate to r ...

twice, in 320 BC and 314 BC.

Consulship and the Latin War

Hailing from a

plebeian In ancient Rome, the plebeians or plebs were the general body of free Roman citizens who were not patricians, as determined by the census, or in other words "commoners". Both classes were hereditary. Etymology The precise origins of the gro ...

family, Maenius was elected consul in 338 BC alongside Lucius Furius Camillus during the final stages of the

Second Latin War The (Second) Latin War of 340–338 BCThe Romans customarily dated events by noting the consuls who held office that year. The Latin War broke out in the year that Titus Manlius Imperiosus Torquatus and Publius Decius Mus were consuls and ende ...

. He commanded the Roman naval forces which defeated the combined Latin armies of

Antium Antium was an Ancient history, ancient coastal town in Latium, south of Rome. An oppidum was founded by people of Latial culture (11th century BC or the beginning of the 1st millennium BC), then it was the main stronghold of the Volsci people unti ...

Lanuvium Lanuvium, modern Lanuvio, is an ancient city of Latium vetus, some southeast of Rome, a little southwest of the Via Appia. Situated on an isolated hill projecting south from the main mass of the Alban Hills, Lanuvium commanded an extensive view ...

, Aricia and

Velitrae Velletri (; ; ) is an Italian ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Rome, approximately 40 km to the southeast of the city centre, located in the Alban Hills, in the region of Lazio, central Italy. Neighbouring communes are Rocca di Papa, ...

at the Battle of Antium on the river Astura, thereby completing the conquest of

Latium Latium ( , ; ) is the region of central western Italy in which the city of Rome was founded and grew to be the capital city of the Roman Empire. Definition Latium was originally a small triangle of fertile, volcanic soil (Old Latium) on whic ...

. After this victory, he took the six ''

rostra The Rostra () was a large platform built in the city of Rome that stood during the republican and imperial periods. Speakers would stand on the rostra and face the north side of the Comitium towards the senate house and deliver orations to t ...

'' (rams from the prows of the enemy warships) and placed them in what became known as the

Rostra The Rostra () was a large platform built in the city of Rome that stood during the republican and imperial periods. Speakers would stand on the rostra and face the north side of the Comitium towards the senate house and deliver orations to t ...

, decorating the stage in the

Roman Forum A forum (Latin: ''forum'', "public place outdoors", : ''fora''; English : either ''fora'' or ''forums'') was a public square in a municipium, or any civitas, of Ancient Rome reserved primarily for the vending of goods; i.e., a marketplace, alon ...

from which the orators would address the people. After this victory, both Maenius and his colleague were awarded

triumphs ''Triumphs'' ( Italian: ''I Trionfi'') is a 14th-century Italian series of poems, written by Petrarch in the Tuscan language. The poem evokes the Roman ceremony of triumph, where victorious generals and their armies were led in procession by the ...

, and in a rare show of appreciation, both had equestrian statues erected to them in the

. His statue was placed upon a column, called the ''

Columna Maenia The Columna Maenia was an honorary column erected in the Comitium of the Roman Republic by Gaius Maenius in 338 BC for his victory over the Latins at the Battle of Antium. Gaius Maenius also adorned the Rostra, with the naval rams (''rostra'' in L ...

'', which stood near the end of the Forum, on the

Capitoline The Capitolium or Capitoline Hill ( ; ; ), between the Forum and the Campus Martius, is one of the Seven Hills of Rome. The hill was earlier known as ''Mons Saturnius'', dedicated to the god Saturn. The word ''Capitolium'' first referre ...

. In addition, it is also possible that he took the

cognomen A ''cognomen'' (; : ''cognomina''; from ''co-'' "together with" and ''(g)nomen'' "name") was the third name of a citizen of ancient Rome, under Roman naming conventions. Initially, it was a nickname, but lost that purpose when it became hereditar ...

''Antiaticus'' in remembrance of this victory.

Dictatorships and Censor

In 320 BC, Maenius was appointed

, for the purpose of investigating a number of plots and conspiracies involving some of the most prominent of Roman noble families, together with the leading citizens of

Capua Capua ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in the province of Caserta, in the region of Campania, southern Italy, located on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. History Ancient era The name of Capua comes from the Etruscan ''Capeva''. The ...

. Maenius appointed Marcus Foslius Flaccinator as his ''

magister equitum The , in English Master of the Horse or Master of the Cavalry, was a Roman magistrate appointed as lieutenant to a dictator. His nominal function was to serve as commander of the Roman cavalry in time of war, but just as a dictator could be n ...

'', and both men proceeded to investigate the matter thoroughly, to the point that many of the Roman nobility began to resent his uncovering their plots, while Capua proceeded to revolt against Rome in 319 BC. The situation soon reached crisis point, as the Roman nobility demanded that charges be laid against both Maenius and Foslius. Both men resigned their office and demanded that the consuls,

Lucius Papirius Cursor Lucius Papirius Cursor (c.365–after 310 BC) was a celebrated politician and general of the early Roman Republic, who was five times consul, three times magister equitum, and twice Roman dictator, dictator. He was the most important Roman command ...

and

Quintus Publilius Philo Quintus Publilius Philo was a Roman politician who lived during the 4th century BC. His birth date is not provided by extant sources, however, a reasonable estimate is about 365 BC, since he first became consul in 339 BC at a time when consuls co ...

give them a trial. The consuls agreed, and both men were acquitted. With his reputation intact, Maenius was appointed censor in 318 BC, alongside Lucius Papirius Crassus. During his period in office he provided buildings in the Forum's neighborhood with balconies, which were called after him ''maeniana'', in order that the spectators might have more room to view games within temporary wooden arenas set up in the forum. Then in 314 BC, during another phase of the

Second Samnite War The First, Second, and Third Samnite Wars (343–341 BC, 326–304 BC, and 298–290 BC) were fought between the Roman Republic and the Samnites, who lived on a stretch of the Apennine Mountains south of Rome and north of the Lucanians, Lucania ...

, rumors began to filter to Rome about another conspiracy in Capua, led by Ovius and Novius Calavius, this time with the intent of detaching Campania from the Roman alliance and joining the Samnites. Alarmed, Rome again appointed Maenius as dictator, and he again turned to his trusted subordinate, Foslius, as his ''magister equitum''. Before the dictator's investigation could begin, and evidence could be given against them, the brothers took their own lives, thereby escaping trial.

Titus Livius Titus Livius (; 59 BC – AD 17), known in English as Livy ( ), was a Roman historian. He wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people, titled , covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome before the traditional founding i ...

, ''

Ab Urbe Condita ''Ab urbe condita'' (; 'from the founding of Rome, founding of the City'), or (; 'in the year since the city's founding'), abbreviated as AUC or AVC, expresses a date in years since 753 BC, 753 BC, the traditional founding of Rome. It is ...

'' ix. 25, 26.

Notes

References

Ancient sources

* Festus, under ''Maeniana'' *

Livy Titus Livius (; 59 BC – AD 17), known in English as Livy ( ), was a Roman historian. He wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people, titled , covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome before the traditional founding i ...

viii.13, ix.34 * Pliny, ''Nat. Hist.'' xxxiv.II (5)

Modern Sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maenius, Gaius Ancient Roman dictators 4th-century BC Roman consuls Ancient Roman censors Maenii