The Capture of

Fidenae 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 Etr ...

was a battle fought in 435 BC between the

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 Etr ...

and the

Roman Republic The Roman Republic ( la, Res publica Romana ) was a form of government of Rome and the era of the classical Roman civilization when it was run through public representation of the Roman people. Beginning with the overthrow of the Roman Ki ...

under

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 tim ...

Quintus Servilius Priscus Structus Fidenas.

Background

Following an incident earlier in 435 BC in which Fidenates entered Roman territory and ravaged it, Priscus was appointed dictator for the year by the Senate. Priscus chose former consul

Postumus Aebutius Helva Cornicen Postumus Aebutius Helva Cornicen ( 442–435 BC) was consul at Rome in 442 BC, and magister equitum in 435. Consulship Aebutius was elected consul for the year 442, with Marcus Fabius Vibulanus. Their year of office was peaceful, and commissio ...

to join him as his '' magister equitum''.

Battle

Priscus ordered that all men strong enough to bear arms were to muster at the

Porta Collina 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 ...

. From there they marched north in the direction of Fidenae. They first engaged the Fidenates past Fidenae near

Nomentum Mentana is a town and ''comune'', former bishopric and present Latin Catholic titular see in the Metropolitan City of Rome, Lazio, central Italy. It is located north-east of Rome and has a population of about 23,000. History Mentana's name in ...

, and the Fidenates were driven southwards back into Fidenae. Priscus built

circumvallation Investment is the military process of surrounding an enemy fort (or town) with armed forces to prevent entry or escape. It serves both to cut communications with the outside world and to prevent supplies and reinforcements from being introduced ...

around the town. Because of the town's elevation and its bountiful resources and supplies, Priscus decided not to lay siege or charge into the city. He instead decided to exploit the natural fortifications on the opposite side of town in order to enter it. He divided his army in such a way that certain groups would be able to constantly attack the walls of the town while another would be able to work on tunnelling through the hill. When the hill was finally tunnelled through, the Romans entered the town, taking the Fidenates, who had been preoccupied with the attackers at the walls, by surprise.Liv. 4 22

Aftermath

Priscus was given the

cognomen A ''cognomen'' (; plural ''cognomina''; from ''con-'' "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 here ...

"Fidenas" because of his victory.

References

435 BC

5th century BC in the Roman Republic 430s BC conflicts {{AncientRome-battle-stub