Gaius Marcius Rutilus

Gaius Marcius Rutilus (also seen as "Rutulus") was the first plebeian dictator and censor of ancient Rome, and was consul four times.

He was first elected consul in 357 BC, then appointed as dictator the following year in order to deal with an invasion by the Etruscans which had reached as far as the ancient salt-works on the coast. He surprised the enemy's camp, captured 8,000 of the enemy and drove the rest out of Roman territory,[1] for which he was granted a triumph by the people, against the Senate's wishes.[1]

Rutilus was again elected consul in 352 BC. At the end of his term, he ran for censor and won, despite patrician opposition. He was also consul in 344 BC and 342 BC, when he led the army in the Samnite Wars.

His son of the same name was tribune of the plebs in 311 BC and consul in 310 BC.[2] According to Fergus Millar, this son was one of the first plebeian augurs under the lex Ogulnia and also held the position of censor twice, the first time in 294 BC and the second time in 265 BC.[3]

  1. ^ a b Antony Kamm, The Romans, An Introduction, p. 13.
  2. ^ T.P. Wiseman says that it was not his son, but Marcius Rutilus himself who was consul in 310; see "Satyrs in Rome?" Journal of Roman Studies 78 (1988), p. 4.
  3. ^ Fergus Millar, The Roman Republic and Augustan Revolution