Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus | |
|---|---|
 Fabius Cunctator, statue by J. B. Hagenauer, 1777, at Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna | |
| Born | c. 280 BC |
| Died | 203 BC |
| Nationality | Roman |
| Other names | Cunctator |
| Known for | Fabian strategy |
| Office | Consul (233, 228, 215, 214, 209 BC) Dictator (221, 217 BC) Censor (230 BC) |
| Children | Quintus Fabius Maximus |
| Awards | Grass Crown Roman triumph |
Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus, surnamed Cunctator (c. 280 – 203 BC), was a Roman statesman and general of the third century BC. He was consul five times (233, 228, 215, 214, and 209 BC) and was appointed dictator in 221 and 217 BC. He was censor in 230 BC. His agnomen, Cunctator, usually translated as "the delayer", refers to the strategy that he employed against Hannibal's forces during the Second Punic War. Facing an outstanding commander with superior numbers, he pursued a then-novel strategy of targeting the enemy's supply lines, and accepting only smaller engagements on favourable ground, rather than risking his entire army on direct confrontation with Hannibal himself. As a result, he is regarded as the originator of many tactics used in guerrilla warfare.[1]
- ^ Laqueur, Walter (1976). Guerrilla Warfare: A Historical & Critical Study. Transaction Publishers. p. 7. ISBN 978-0-76-580406-8.