Gaius Horatius Pulvillus (died 453 BC) was a Roman politician during the 5th century BC, and was consul in 477 and 457 BC.

Family

Ancient sources disagree on his ''praenomen''.

Livy Titus Livius (; 59 BC – AD 17), known in English as Livy ( ), was a Ancient Rome, 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 traditiona ...

and

Diodorus Siculus Diodorus Siculus, or Diodorus of Sicily ( grc-gre, Διόδωρος ; 1st century BC), was an ancient Greek historian. He is known for writing the monumental universal history ''Bibliotheca historica'', in forty books, fifteen of which su ...

give ''Gaius'' for the year 477 BC, but ''Marcus'' for 457 BC; however the ''

Fasti Capitolini The ''Fasti Capitolini'', or Capitoline Fasti, are a list of the chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, extending from the early fifth century BC down to the reign of Augustus, the first Roman emperor. Together with similar lists found at Rom ...

'' and

Dionysius of Halicarnassus Dionysius of Halicarnassus ( grc, Διονύσιος Ἀλεξάνδρου Ἁλικαρνασσεύς, ; – after 7 BC) was a Greek historian and teacher of rhetoric, who flourished during the reign of Emperor Augustus. His literary sty ...

give ''Gaius'' for both years. He was the son of

Marcus Horatius Pulvillus Marcus Horatius Pulvillus was an aristocrat before and during the early Roman Republic at the time of the overthrow of the Roman monarchy. He was a suffect consul in 509 BC and elected again in 507 BC, according to the Varronian chronology. Bio ...

, consul in 509 and 507 BC, and the grandson of a Marcus Horatius. His complete name is ''Gaius (or Marcus) Horatius M.f. M.n. Pulvillus''.

Biography

First consulship

In 477 BC, was elected consul with Titus Menenius Lanatus.

, ''Universal History'' XI. 17 The

senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

conferred to him management of the war against the

Volsci The Volsci (, , ) were an Italic tribe, well known in the history of the first century of the Roman Republic. At the time they inhabited the partly hilly, partly marshy district of the south of Latium, bounded by the Aurunci and Samnites on the ...

while his colleague prepared to confront the Veientes. However, following the victories of Veii at the

Battle of the Cremera A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...

and again against Menenius, Horatius was recalled to Rome, where the Veientes had occupied the

Janiculum The Janiculum (; it, Gianicolo ), occasionally the Janiculan Hill, is a hill in western Rome, Italy. Although it is the second-tallest hill (the tallest being Monte Mario) in the contemporary city of Rome, the Janiculum does not figure among th ...

. He won a battle in Janiculum, but the success was insufficient in driving the

Etruscans The Etruscan civilization () was developed by a people of Etruria in ancient Italy with a common language and culture who formed a federation of city-states. After conquering adjacent lands, its territory covered, at its greatest extent, rou ...

out - the war had to be continued by the consuls of the following year.

, ''Roman History'', II. 51

, ''Roman Antiquities'', IX. 18-24

Second consulship

In 457 BC, he was consul for the second time with

Quintus Minucius Esquilinus Quintus Minucius Esquilinus ( 457 BC) was, according to tradition, a Roman politician and general from the early Roman Republic, Republic, who served as Roman consul, consul in 457 BC as the colleague of Gaius Horatius Pulvillus. During his term o ...

For the consuls of this year, only

gives two different names: Marcus Fabius Vibulanus and

Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus ( – ) was a Roman patrician, statesman, and military leader of the early Roman Republic who became a legendary figure of Roman virtue—particularly civic virtue—by the time of the late Republic. Cincinnatus was ...

(see Diod., XII.2) The

tribunes of the plebs Tribune of the plebs, tribune of the people or plebeian tribune ( la, tribunus plebis) was the first office of the Roman state that was open to the plebeians, and was, throughout the history of the Republic, the most important check on the power of ...

prevented the mobilization of the army for the campaign against the

Aequi 300px, Location of the Aequi (Equi) in central Italy, 5th century BC. The Aequi ( grc, Αἴκουοι and Αἴκοι) were an Italic tribe on a stretch of the Apennine Mountains to the east of Latium in central Italy who appear in the early his ...

, but finally gave in when the

Sabines The Sabines (; lat, Sabini; it, Sabini, all exonyms) were an Italic people who lived in the central Apennine Mountains of the ancient Italian Peninsula, also inhabiting Latium north of the Anio before the founding of Rome. The Sabines divid ...

were found pillaging Roman fields.

, ''Roman History'', III. 30 Horatius led Roman forces against the Aequi, while Minucius led forces against the Sabines. The number of tribunes was increased to ten this year, with one tradition giving Horatius a leading role in accomplishing this.

End of career

He later entered the college of the augurs. He died in 453 BC during a plague,

, ''Roman History'', III. 32 or typhus which also took the consul Sextus Quinctilius Varus and the consul suffect Spurius Furius Medullinus Fusus who replaced him.

, X.53 Gaius Veturius Cicurinus succeeded Pulvillus within the college of augurs.

, ''Roman History'', III. 32.3

References

Modern sources

Ancient sources

Notes

Bibliography

Ancient authors

in ''Romaike Archaiologia'' books 9 and 10. *

in ''Bibliotheca historica'' book 11. *

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 in ...

in ''Roman History'' book 3.

Modern authors

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Horatius Pulvillus, Gaius 453 BC deaths 5th-century BC Roman consuls Augurs of the Roman Republic Pulvillus, Gaius Year of birth unknown Year of death uncertain