Marcus Horatius Turrinus Barbatus ( 450–449 BC) was a Roman senator from the early

Republic A republic () is a " state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th ...

, who served as consul in 449 BC alongside Lucius Valerius Poplicola Potitus. According to Roman historical tradition, he and Valerius played an important role in ending the

Decemvirate The decemviri or decemvirs (Latin for "ten men") were some of the several 10-man commissions established by the Roman Republic. The most important were those of the two Decemvirates, formally the " decemvirate with consular power for writing ...

and bringing harmony between the patrician and

plebeian In ancient Rome, the plebeians (also called plebs) were the general body of free Roman citizens who were not patricians, as determined by the census, or in other words " commoners". Both classes were hereditary. Etymology The precise origins ...

orders. To the two consuls are traditionally attributed the

Valerio-Horatian Laws The Valerio-Horatian laws ( la, leges Valeriae Horatiae) were three laws which were passed by the consuls of Rome for 449 BC, Lucius Valerius Poplicola Potitus and Marcus Horatius Barbatus. They restored the right of appeal to the people and intr ...

, which gave full force of law to measures passed by plebiscite, restored the right of any citizen to appeal to the people, and confirmed the sacrosanctity of

plebeian tribune 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 o ...

s. The historicity of these laws has been doubted. During his consulship, Horatius also held a command against 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 di ...

, and celebrated a triumph, against the wishes of the Senate but supported by popular vote. The pairing of Valerius and Horatius has raised doubts about their authenticity due to the similarity with the pair Publius Valerius Poplicola and Marcus Horatius Pulvillus in 509 and 507 BC, but Ogilvie accepts the historicity of Horatius Barbatus himself.

Endnotes

References

* * * * * '' Oxford Classical Dictionary'',
Valerius Poplicola Potitus, Lucius and Horatius Barbatus, Marcus
{{DEFAULTSORT:Horatius Turrinus Barbatus, Marcus 5th-century BC Roman consuls Barbatus, Marcus, Turrinus Roman triumphators