Postumus Aebutius Helva Cornicen ( 442–435 BC) was
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 ...
at
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
in 442 BC, and
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 ...
in 435.
Consulship
Aebutius was elected consul for the year 442, with
Marcus Fabius Vibulanus. Their year of office was peaceful, and commissioners were appointed to establish a colony at
Ardea. Many Romans wanted the colony to receive the majority of the land distributed, but it was decided to allot it first to the
Rutuli
The Rutuli or Rutulians were an ancient people in Italy. The Rutuli were located in a territory whose capital was the ancient town of Ardea, located about 35 km southeast of Rome.
Thought to have been descended from the Umbri and the P ...
, who were native to Ardea, and give the Roman colonists the remaining land. One of the commissioners was Marcus Aebutius Helva, probably a relative of the consul.
Magister Equitum
In 435, a force of
Fidenates, with re-inforcements from
Veii
Veii (also Veius; ) was an important ancient Etruscan city situated on the southern limits of Etruria and north-northwest of Rome, Italy. It now lies in Isola Farnese, in the comune of Rome. Many other sites associated with and in the city-st ...
, took advantage of a pestilence at Rome. They entered Roman territory, and crossing the
Anio
The Aniene (; ), formerly known as the Teverone, is a river in Lazio, Italy. It originates in the Apennines at Trevi nel Lazio and flows westward past Subiaco, Vicovaro, and Tivoli to join the Tiber in northern Rome. It formed the principal v ...
, advanced almost as far as the
Colline Gate, when
Quintus Servilius Priscus was 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 ...
. Postumus Aebutius was named ''magister equitum'', and the two gathered a volunteer force just outside the gate. This induced the Fidenates to retreat, but Servilius and Postumius pursued them to Fidenae. Finding that normal siege tactics would be ineffective against the fortified hilltop, the Romans breached the walls with
sapper
A sapper, also called a combat engineer, is a combatant or soldier who performs a variety of military engineering duties, such as breaching fortifications, demolitions, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, preparing field defenses ...
s, and took the citadel, bringing Fidenae under Roman control.
Diodorus Siculus
Diodorus Siculus or Diodorus of Sicily (; 1st century BC) was an ancient Greece, ancient Greek historian from Sicily. He is known for writing the monumental Universal history (genre), universal history ''Bibliotheca historica'', in forty ...
, ''Bibliotheca Historica
''Bibliotheca historica'' (, ) is a work of Universal history (genre), universal history by Diodorus Siculus. It consisted of forty books, which were divided into three sections. The first six books are geographical in theme, and describe the h ...
'', xii. 34.
See also
*
*
Capture of Fidenae
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aebutius Helva Cornicen, Postumus
5th-century BC Roman consuls
Helva Cornicen, Postumus
Magistri equitum (Roman Republic)