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 throug ...

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

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 nomi ...

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 Pelas ...

, 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 Fidenae ( grc, Φιδῆναι) was an ancient town of Latium, situated about 8 km north of Rome on the ''Via Salaria'', which ran between Rome and the Tiber. Its inhabitants were known as Fidenates. As the Tiber was the border between Etru ...

, with re-inforcements from

Veii Veii (also Veius; it, Veio) 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 ...

, took advantage of a pestilence at Rome. They entered Roman territory, and crossing the

Anio The Aniene (; la, Aniō), 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 pri ...

, advanced almost as far as the

Colline Gate The Colline Gate (Latin ''Porta Collina'') was a landmark in ancient Rome, supposed to have been built by Servius Tullius, semi-legendary king of Rome 578–535 BC. The gate stood at the north end of the Servian Wall, and past it were two impo ...

, when Quintus Servilius Priscus was appointed

dictator A dictator is a political leader who possesses absolute power. A dictatorship is a state ruled by one dictator or by a small clique. The word originated as the title of a Roman dictator elected by the Roman Senate to rule the republic in times ...

. 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 pioneer (military), pioneer or 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 minefie ...

s, and took the citadel, bringing Fidenae under Roman control.

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 ...

, ''

Bibliotheca Historica ''Bibliotheca historica'' ( grc, Βιβλιοθήκη Ἱστορική, ) is a work of universal history by Diodorus Siculus. It consisted of forty books, which were divided into three sections. The first six books are geographical in theme, ...

'', xii. 34.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aebutius Helva Cornicen, Postumus 5th-century BC Roman consuls Helva Cornicen, Postumus Magistri equitum (Roman Republic)

Consulship

Magister Equitum

See also

References