Lucius Aemilius Mamercinus was a Roman politician and general who, in the early 4th century BC, held the office of

consular tribune A consular tribune was putatively a type of magistrate in the early Roman Republic. According to Roman tradition, colleges of consular tribunes held office throughout the fifth and fourth centuries BC during the so-called "Conflict of the Or ...

an extraordinary six times in his distinguished, yet mostly unknown, career.

Family

He was a member of the family of the Aemilii Mamercini, a branch of the patrician

Aemilia gens The gens Aemilia, originally written Aimilia, was one of the greatest patrician families at ancient Rome. The gens was of great antiquity, and claimed descent from Numa Pompilius, the second King of Rome. Its members held the highest office ...

which had achieved its first consulship in 484 BC and regularly attained consular honors since then. Lucius Aemilius was the son of

Mamercus Aemilius Mamercinus Mamercus Aemilius Mamercinus was a political figure in the Roman Republic, serving as consular tribune in 438 BC and dictator three times in 437, 434, and 426 BC. Prior to gaining the imperium Aemilius was, in 446 BC, elected Quaestor together wit ...

, who served as dictator three times and consular tribune once in the 430s and 420s BC, and the younger brother of

Manius Aemilius Mamercinus Manius Aemilius Mamercinus was a three-time consular tribune, in 405, 403 and 401 and also consul in 410 BC, of the Roman Republic. Aemilius belonged to the Aemilia gens, one of the oldest and most prominent patrician gens of the early Republic. A ...

, who was consul once and consular tribune thrice in the decade of the 400s BC. this gave him a very distinguished pedigree, which was likely helpful in his career in politics. Aemilius had one recorded son, also named

Lucius Aemilius Mamercinus Lucius ( el, Λούκιος ''Loukios''; ett, Luvcie) is a male given name derived from ''Lucius'' (abbreviated ''L.''), one of the small group of common Latin forenames (''praenomina'') found in the culture of ancient Rome. Lucius derives from L ...

, who himself served as consul in 366 and 363 BC, and possibly as

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 nomi ...

in 352 BC.

Career

In 391 BC, Aemilius was elected consular tribune for the first time, serving alongside

Lucius Lucretius Tricipitinus Flavus Lucius Lucretius Tricipitinus Flavus was a Roman statesman and general who had a prominent career in the early 4th century BC, serving once as consul, and four times as consular tribune, as well as perhaps serving as Princeps senatus. Family an ...

Servius Sulpicius Camerinus Servius is the name of: * Servius (praenomen), the personal name * Maurus Servius Honoratus, a late fourth-century and early fifth-century grammarian * Servius Tullius, the Roman king * Servius Sulpicius Rufus Servius Sulpicius Rufus (c. 105 BC � ...

Lucius Furius Medullinus Lucius Furius Medullinus (c. 445 BC – c. 375 BC), of the patrician '' gens Furia'', was a politician and general of the Roman Republic who was consul twice and Consular Tribune seven times. First two consulships Medullinus was elected consul fo ...

, and

Gaius Aemilius Mamercinus Gaius, sometimes spelled ''Gajus'', Kaius, Cajus, Caius, was a common Latin praenomen; see Gaius (praenomen). People * Gaius (jurist) (), Roman jurist *Gaius Acilius *Gaius Antonius *Gaius Antonius Hybrida *Gaius Asinius Gallus *Gaius Asinius P ...

, a distant cousin. In this year two wars were conducted, one against

Volsinii Volsinii or Vulsinii (Etruscan: Velzna or Velusna; Greek: Ouolsinioi, ; ), is the name of two ancient cities of Etruria, one situated on the shore of Lacus Volsiniensis (modern Lago di Bolsena), and the other on the Via Clodia, between Clusium (C ...

and the other against the Salpinates. Aemilius is not mentioned taking part in either campaign, however, likely inferring that he, alongside Servius Sulpicius who was also not mentioned as being on campaign, were charged with administering the city of Rome. In

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 ...

, Lucius Aemilius is instead referred to as Marcus, meaning that it is a possibility that this Aemilius was not the same as the consular tribune of the year. In 389 BC, Aemilius was again elected consular tribune, this time alongside Lucius Valerius Poplicola,

Lucius Verginius Tricostus Esquilinus Lucius ( el, Λούκιος ''Loukios''; ett, Luvcie) is a male given name derived from ''Lucius'' (abbreviated ''L.''), one of the small group of common Latin forenames (''praenomina'') found in the culture of ancient Rome. Lucius derives from L ...

, Publius Cornelius,

Aulus Manlius Capitolinus Aulus Manlius Capitolinus was a politician of the Roman Republic and the brother of Marcus Manlius Capitolinus. In 389, 385, 383, and 370 BC, he was a Military Tribune with Consular power. During his 389 tribuneship, he served under the dictator, ...

, and Lucius Postumius Albinus Regillensis. In the previous year, Rome was sacked by a horde of marauding Gauls, and while the Gauls were soon after defeated under the auspices of the dictator

Marcus Furius Camillus Marcus Furius Camillus (; c. 446 – 365 BC) was a Roman soldier and statesman of the patrician class. According to Livy and Plutarch, Camillus triumphed four times, was five times dictator, and was honoured with the title of ''Second Founder ...

, Rome was heavily weakened by the sack, giving her enemies an opportunity to strike, among them being the Volscians and Etruscans. To defend against these threats, the senate appointed Camillus as dictator once again, after which he recruited as many young men as he could and marched off to war. Camillus however, did delegate his authority to the tribunes, giving a detachment of men to Aulus Manlius so that he could hold down the city, and another detachment to Aemilius to defend against the Etruscan threat, while he himself marched to fight the Volscians. In 387 BC, Aemilius was elected consular tribune yet again, alongside

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 dictator. He was the most important Roman commander during the S ...

, Gnaeus Sergius Fidenas Coxo,

Licinus Menenius Lanatus ''Licinus'' is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae native to the Palearctic (including Europe), the Near East and North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African con ...

, Lucius Valerius Poplicola, and possibly Aulus Manlius Capitolinus. This year was a quiet one, as no military campaign was undertaken, however, there were a few notable actions within the city, with a temple to Mars being dedicated and four new voting tribes being established. In 383 BC, Aemilius was chosen as consular tribune for a fourth time, serving with his former colleagues Aulus Manlius Capitolinus, Lucius Lucretius Tricipitinus Flavus, and Lucius Valerius Poplicola, as well as

Servius Sulpicius Rufus Servius Sulpicius Rufus (c. 105 BC – 43 BC), was a Roman orator and jurist. He was consul in 51 BC. Biography Early life He studied rhetoric with Cicero, accompanying him to Rhodes in 78 BC, though Sulpicius decided subsequently to pursue lega ...

and Marcus Trebonius. During this year war was declared on

Velitrae Velletri (; la, Velitrae; xvo, Velester) 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 comm ...

and

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 ...

but was not conducted, as a result of a pestilence at Rome. The year also saw the beginning of a conflict with the Latin city of

Praeneste Palestrina (ancient ''Praeneste''; grc, Πραίνεστος, ''Prainestos'') is a modern Italian city and ''comune'' (municipality) with a population of about 22,000, in Lazio, about east of Rome. It is connected to the latter by the Via Pre ...

that continued for the next several years. The next year, in 382 BC, Aemilius was once again consular tribune, with Spurius Papirius Crassus,

Lucius Papirius Mugillanus The gens Papiria was a patrician family at ancient Rome. According to tradition, the Papirii had already achieved prominence in the time of the kings, and the first Rex Sacrorum and Pontifex Maximus of the Republic were members of this gens. L ...

Servius Cornelius Maluginensis Servius Cornelius Maluginensis was a Roman senator who was elected consul in 485 BC. Family Maluginensis was from the patrician ''Cornelii Maluginenses'', one of the oldest attested branches of the '' gens Cornelia''. It is possible that he ca ...

Quintus Servilius Fidenas Quintus Servilius Fidenas was a prominent early Roman politician who achieved the position of Consular tribune six times throughout a sixteen-year period. Quintus Servilius was a member of the illustrious gens Servilia, a patrician family which h ...

, and

Gaius Sulpicius Camerinus Gaius, sometimes spelled ''Gajus'', Kaius, Cajus, Caius, was a common Latin praenomen; see Gaius (praenomen). People *Gaius (jurist) (), Roman jurist *Gaius Acilius *Gaius Antonius *Gaius Antonius Hybrida *Gaius Asinius Gallus *Gaius Asinius Pol ...

. In this year, the tribunes Spurius and Lucius Papirius carried on the war against Velitrae, defeating their armies in battle, while the rest of the tribunes, including Aemilius, presided over the city. In 380 BC, Aemilius was honored with his sixth and final term as consular tribune. In this term, he served with Lucius Valerius Poplicola,

Publius Valerius Potitus Poplicola Publius may refer to: Roman name * Publius (praenomen) * Ancient Romans with the name: ** Publius Valerius Publicola (died 503 BC), Roman consul, co-founder of the Republic **Publius Clodius Pulcher (c. 93 BC – 52 BC), Republican politician * ...

, Servius Cornelius Maluginensis, Licinus Menenius Lanatus,

Gaius Sulpicius Peticus Gaius Sulpicius Peticus was a prominent fourth century Roman politician and general who served as consul five times and as dictator once. Sulpicius was a member of the gens Sulpicia, a prominent patrician family which had attained the consular dign ...

, Gnaeus Sergius Fidenas Coxo, Tiberius Papirius Crassus, and Lucius Papirius Mugillanus. In this year, there was a civil disturbance between the patricians and plebeians, which caused the Praenestines, whom the Romans were still at war with, to attack the city, resulting in the naming of a dictator to defeat them.

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 ...

References

{{reflist

Bibliography

(Titus Livius),

Ab Urbe Condita Libri The work called ( en, From the Founding of the City), sometimes referred to as (''Books from the Founding of the City''), is a monumental history of ancient Rome, written in Latin between 27 and 9 BC by Livy, a Roman historian. The work ...

Roman consular tribunes Aemilii