Titus Veturius Geminus Cicurinus (consul 494 BC)

This article is about the consul in 494 BC. For the consul in 494 BC, see Titus Veturius Geminus Cicurinus (consul 462 BC).

Titus Veturius Geminus Cicurinus (Latin: Aulus Virginius Tricostus Caeliomontanus) was a Roman Republican patrician politician and general of the gens Veturia. He served as a Roman consul in 494 BC together with Aulus Verginius Tricostus Caeliomontanus.

Family

Cicurinus seems to have been the name of two different family branches within the Veturia gens. They were respectively named Crassus Cicurinus and Geminus Cicurinus. Titus Veturius was probably the twin brother of Gaius Veturius Geminus Cicurinus who was consul in 499 BC.

His son, Titus Veturius Geminus Cicurinus, who was also named in the twin format, became consul in 462 BC.

Consulship

During his consulship, Veturius and his colleague Verginius were faced with the popular unrest which led to a secession of the plebs. The two consuls brought the matter before the senate, however the senators were critical of the consuls for not using their consular authority to prevent the growing sedition. The consuls were instructed to enrol the army levies from the populace, however the people refused. The senate, beginning to realise the seriousness of the situation, debated the crisis and chose to appoint Manius Valerius Maximus as dictator.[1]

A number of military threats emerged, and Veturius was assigned three legions to deal with the Aequi who had invaded Latium. Veturius' army attacked the mountain camp of the Aequi. The Aequi fled, and the Romans captured much booty from the enemy camp without shedding blood.[2]

After the armies returned to Rome, the dictator resigned his office in disgust at the senate's unwillingness to reach a compromise with the people. Then, on the pretext of some renewed hostilities by the Aequi, the senate ordered the legions to be led out of the city. The people were outraged by this turn of events. In order to escape their military oath, the people contemplated murdering the consuls, however it was observed that a criminal act could not absolve them of their oath which was holy in its nature. Shortly afterwards, the plebs seceded to the Mons Sacer, and the crisis continued into the following consular year.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Livy, Ab urbe condita, 2.28-30
  2. ↑ Livy, 2.31
  3. ↑ Livy, 2.32
Political offices
Preceded by
Appius Claudius Sabinus Regillensis and
Publius Servilius Priscus Structus		 Consul of the Roman Republic
with Aulus Verginius Tricostus Caeliomontanus
494 BC 		Succeeded by
Postumus Cominius Auruncus and
Spurius Cassius Viscellinus
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