In 494 the plebeians at Rome rebelled, because they were exhausted by taxes and military service. A large part of them left the city, and crossed the Anio to a mountain (Mons Sacer) near by. The Senate sent MENENIUS AGRIPPA to treat with them. By his exertions (Footnote: Menenius is said to have related for them the famous fable of the belly and members.) the people were induced to return to the city, and for the first time were allowed to have officers chosen from their own ranks to represent their interests. These officers were called Tribúni Plebis.
Two years later (492) Gaius Marcius, one of the patricians, met and defeated the Volsci, a neighboring tribe, at CORIOLI. For this he received the name of CORIOLÁNUS. During a famine, he advised that grain should not be distributed to the plebeians unless they relinquished their right to choose the Tribúni Plebis. For this he was banished. Having obtained command of a Volscian army, he marched against Rome, and came within five miles of the city. Here he was met by a deputation of his own citizens, who begged him to spare the city. He refused; but, when his wife and mother added their tears, he was induced to withdraw the army. He was afterwards killed by the Volscians as a traitor. (Footnote: See Shakespeare's "Coriolanus.")
After the expulsion of Tarquin, the FABII were among the most distinguished men at Rome. There were three brothers, and for seven consecutive years one of them was Consul. It looked as if the Fabian gens would get control of the government. The state took alarm, and the whole gens, numbering 306 males and 4,000 dependents, was driven from Rome. For two years they carried on war alone against the Veientes, but finally were surprised and slain (477). One boy, Quintus Fabius Vibulánus, alone survived to preserve the name and gens of the Fabii.
In 458 the Romans were hard pressed by the Aequi. Their territory had been overrun, and their Consuls, cut off in some defiles, were in imminent danger of destruction. LUCIUS QUINCTUS CINCINNÁTUS was appointed Dictator. He was one of the most noted Roman warriors of this period. The ambassadors sent to inform him of his appointment found him working with bare arms in his field. Cincinnátus told his wife to throw over him his mantle, that he might receive the messengers of the state with proper respect. Such was the simplicity of his character, and yet so deeply did he reverence authority. The Aequi could not withstand his vigorous campaign, but were obliged soon to surrender, and made to pass under the yoke as a sign of humiliation. The Dictator enjoyed a well earned triumph.
In 451 one of the Decemviri, APPIUS CLAUDIUS, was captivated by the beauty of a patrician maiden, VIRGINIA, (Footnote: See Macaulay's "Lays of Ancient Rome.") a daughter of Lucius Virginius, and the betrothed of Lucius Icilius. He formed, with one of his tools, an infamous plot to obtain possession of Virginia, under pretence that she was a slave. When, in spite of all the efforts of the girl's father and lover, the Decemvir had, in his official capacity, adjudged her to be the slave of his tool, Virginius plunged a knife into his daughter's bosom, in presence of the people in the Forum. The enraged populace compelled the Decemviri to resign, and Appius, to escape worse punishment, put an end to his own life.
MARCUS FURIUS CAMILLUS was a famous man of a little later period. He was called a second Romulus for his distinguished services. In 396 he captured Veii, after a siege of ten years. On his return he celebrated the most magnificent triumph yet seen at Rome. He was afterwards impeached for not having fairly divided the spoils obtained at Veii, and went into exile at Ardea. When Rome was besieged by the Gauls under Brennus, in 390, Camillus was recalled and made Dictator. At the head of forty thousand men he hastened to the city, raised the siege, and in the battle which followed annihilated the Gauls. He was Dictator five times, Interrex three times, Military Tribune twice, and enjoyed four triumphs. He died at the advanced age of eighty-eight.
BRENNUS was the famous leader of the Senones, a tribe of Gauls, who
invaded Italy about 390. He defeated the Romans at the River Allia (July
18, 390), and captured the city, except the Capitol, which he besieged
for six months.
During the siege he tried to surprise the garrison, but was repulsed
by Manlius, who was awakened by the cackling of some geese. Peace was
finally purchased by the Romans by the payment of a thousand pounds of
gold. To increase the weight, Brennus is said to have thrown his sword
on the scales. At this juncture, as the story runs, Camillus appeared
with his troops, ordered the gold to be removed, saying that Rome must
be ransomed with steel, and not gold. In the battle which followed, the
Gauls were defeated.
CHRONOLOGY.
(The dates previous to 389 B.C. are uncertain.)
B.C.
753. Foundation of Rome by Romulus.
753-510. REGAL PERIOD.
753-716. Romulus.
716-673. Numa Pompilius.
673-641. Tullus Hostilius.
640-616. Ancus Marcius.
616-578. Tarquinius Priscus.
578-534. Servius Tullius.
534-510. Tarquinius Superbus.
510-30. THE REPUBLIC.
509. Battle of Lake Regillus.
508. Porsena. Horatius Codes.
494. Tribúni Plebis. Menenius Agrippa.
492. Corioli. Coriolánus.
477. Destruction of the Fabian Gens.
458. War with the Aequians. Cincinnátus.
451. The Decemviri. Appius Claudius. Virginia.
396. Capture of Veil. Camillus.
390. Siege of Rome by Brennus. Battle at the Allia river (July 18).
387. The planting of the first military or Latin colonies.
367. The Licinian Rogations.
353. Caere: the first Municipium.
343-341. First Samnite War.
340-338. The Latin War.
338. Antium, the first Roman or maritime colony.
326-304, The Second Samnite War.
321. The Caudine Forks.
298-290. The Third Samnite War.
295. Sentínum.
283. Lake Vadimónis.
281-272. Pyrrhus.
280. Heracléa. Cineas.
279. Asculum.
274. Beneventum.
272. Rome mistress of Italy; morality at its height.
264. Period of foreign conquest begins.
264-241. First Punic War.
260. Lipara; Mylae.
257. Tyndaris.
256. Ecnomus. Regulus at Clupea.
249. Drepana.
241. Aegátes Insulae. Catulus. Hamilcar Barca.
237. Sardinia and Corsica acquired, and provincial system established.
229. Illyrican War. Important results.
222. Gallia Cisalpína acquired by battle of Telamon.
220. Hannibal in Spain.
219. Saguntum.
218-202. Second Punic War.
218. Ticinus. Trebia.
217. Trasiménus. Casilínum.
216. Cannae.
212. Capture of Syracuse. Archimédes.
207. Baecula. Metaurus.
202. Zama.
214-205. First Macedonian War.
200-197. Second Macedonian War.
198. Cynoscephalae.
190. Magnesia.
183. Death of Africánus, Hannibal, and Philopoemen.
171-168. Third Macedonian War.
168. Pydna.
149-146. Third Punic War.
149., Death of Cato the elder.
146. Destruction of Carthage and Corinth.
143-133. The Numantine War.
134-132. The Servile War.
133. Tiberius Gracchus.
129. Death of Africánus the younger.
123-121. Gaius Gracchus.
118-104. The Jugurthine War. Metellus. Marius. Sulla.
102. Aquae Sextiae.
101. Vercellae.
90-89. The Italian or Social War.
86. Death of Marius.
86-84. Sulla's campaign against Mithradátes.
84. Death of Cinna.
80. Reforms of Sulla.
78. Death of Sulla.
80-72. Sertorius in Spain.
73-71. Spartacus.
72-67. Campaign of Lucullus against Mithradátes.
67. Pompey conquers the pirates.
67-61. Pompey in the East.
63. Cicero Consul. Catiline.
59. First Triumvirate formed. Caesar's first Consulship.
59. The Leges Juliae. Clodius. Cicero's banishment.
Cato sent to Cyprus.
58-49. Caesar in Gaul.
57. Recall of Cicero. Return of Cato.
53. Death of Crassus.
Murder of Clodius. Pompey's consulship and
52 separation from Caesar.
49. Caesar crosses the Rubicon.
49. Siege and capture of Ilerda.
48 (Jan. 4). Caesar sails from Brundisium.
48. Victory of Pompey near the sea-board.
48 (Aug. 9). Pharsalia. (Sept 28) Murder of Pompey.
Caesar establishes Cleopatra on the throne of Egypt.
47. Battle of Zela.
47 (Sept.). Caesar returns to Rome.
46 (Apr. 4). Thapsus. Death of Cato the younger.
45 (Mar. 17). Munda.
44 (Mar. 15). Murder of Caesar.
43 (Nov. 27). The Second Triumvirate.
43 (Dec.) Murder of Cicero.
42 (Nov.). Philippi.
36. Naulochus.
31 (Sept. 2). Actium.
THE EMPIRE.
B.C. / A.D.
30-41. THE JULIAN EMPERORS.
30-14. Augustus.
A.D.
14-37. Tiberius.
37-41. Caligula.
41-68. THE CLAUDIAN EMPERORS.
41-54. Claudius.
54-68. Nero.
68-69. Galba.
69. Otho.
69-96. THE FLAVIAN EMPERORS.
69-79. Vespasian.
79. Destruction of Jerusalem.
79-81. Titus.
80. Destruction of Herculaneum and Pompeii.
81-96. Domitian.
96-180. THE FIVE GOOD EMPERORS.
96-98. Nerva.
98-117. Trajan. Limit of Empire reached.
117-138. Hadrian.
138-161. Antonínus Pius.
161-180. Marcus Aurelius.
180-192. Commodus.
192-284. From Pertinax to Diocletian.
284-305. Diocletian.
306-337. Constantine the Great.
312. Edict of Milan.
325. Council of Nice.
337-476. From Constantine to Romulus Augustulus.