Marcus Manlius
Encyclopedia
Marcus Manlius Capitolinus (died 384 BC) was consul
of the Roman Republic
in 392 BC. He was the brother of Aulus Manlius Capitolinus
. The Manlii were a patrician gens
.
During the Gallic siege of Rome
in 390 (or 387) BC, the account of which became partly mythologized
, Marcus Manlius held out for months with a small garrison on the citadel (arx)
, while the rest of Rome was abandoned. When Gauls
under the command of Brennus were attempting to scale the Capitoline
, Manlius was roused by the cackling of the sacred geese, rushed to the spot, and threw down the foremost assailants.
After the sack of Rome left the plebeians
in pitiful condition, they were forced to borrow large sums of money from the patricians, and once again became the poor debtor class of Rome. Manlius, the hero of Rome, fought for them. Livy
says, with some inaccuracy, that he was the first patrician to act as a populist (popularis
). Seeing a centurion
led to prison for debt, he freed him with his own money, and even sold his estate to relieve other poor debtors, while he accused the Senate
of embezzling public money. He was charged with aspiring to kingly power
, and condemned by the comitia
, but not until the assembly had adjourned to a place outside the walls, where they could no longer see the Capitol which he had saved. The Senate condemned him to death in 385 BC, and he was thrown from the Tarpeian Rock
one year later. He is considered the second martyr in the cause of social reform at Rome.
His house on the Capitoline Hill was razed, and the Senate decreed that no patrician should live there henceforth. The Manlii themselves resolved that no patrician Manlius should bear the name of Marcus. According to Mommsen
, the story of the saving of the Capitol was a later invention to justify his cognomen
, which may be better explained by his domicile.
References
Roman consul
A consul served in the highest elected political office of the Roman Republic.Each year, two consuls were elected together, to serve for a one-year term. Each consul was given veto power over his colleague and the officials would alternate each month...
of the Roman Republic
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
in 392 BC. He was the brother of Aulus Manlius Capitolinus
Aulus Manlius Capitolinus
Aulus Manlius Capitolinus was a politician of the Roman Republic and the brother of Marcus Manlius Capitolinus.In 389, 385, 383, and 370 BC, he was a Military Tribune with Consular power....
. The Manlii were a patrician gens
Gens
In ancient Rome, a gens , plural gentes, referred to a family, consisting of all those individuals who shared the same nomen and claimed descent from a common ancestor. A branch of a gens was called a stirps . The gens was an important social structure at Rome and throughout Italy during the...
.
During the Gallic siege of Rome
Battle of the Allia
The Battle of the Allia was a battle of the first Gallic invasion of Rome. The battle was fought near the Allia river: the defeat of the Roman army opened the route for the Gauls to sack Rome. It was fought in 390/387 BC.-Background:...
in 390 (or 387) BC, the account of which became partly mythologized
Roman mythology
Roman mythology is the body of traditional stories pertaining to ancient Rome's legendary origins and religious system, as represented in the literature and visual arts of the Romans...
, Marcus Manlius held out for months with a small garrison on the citadel (arx)
Arx (Roman)
Arx is the Latin word for citadel. In the ancient city of Rome, the Arx, not always capitalized, was located on the northern spur of the Capitoline Hill, and is sometimes specified as the Arx Capitolina. Sentries were posted there to watch for a signal to be displayed on the Janiculum if an enemy...
, while the rest of Rome was abandoned. When Gauls
Gauls
The Gauls were a Celtic people living in Gaul, the region roughly corresponding to what is now France, Belgium, Switzerland and Northern Italy, from the Iron Age through the Roman period. They mostly spoke the Continental Celtic language called Gaulish....
under the command of Brennus were attempting to scale the Capitoline
Capitoline Hill
The Capitoline Hill , between the Forum and the Campus Martius, is one of the seven hills of Rome. It was the citadel of the earliest Romans. By the 16th century, Capitolinus had become Capitolino in Italian, with the alternative Campidoglio stemming from Capitolium. The English word capitol...
, Manlius was roused by the cackling of the sacred geese, rushed to the spot, and threw down the foremost assailants.
After the sack of Rome left the plebeians
Plebs
The plebs was the general body of free land-owning Roman citizens in Ancient Rome. They were distinct from the higher order of the patricians. A member of the plebs was known as a plebeian...
in pitiful condition, they were forced to borrow large sums of money from the patricians, and once again became the poor debtor class of Rome. Manlius, the hero of Rome, fought for them. Livy
Livy
Titus Livius — known as Livy in English — was a Roman historian who wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people. Ab Urbe Condita Libri, "Chapters from the Foundation of the City," covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome well before the traditional foundation in 753 BC...
says, with some inaccuracy, that he was the first patrician to act as a populist (popularis
Populares
Populares were aristocratic leaders in the late Roman Republic who relied on the people's assemblies and tribunate to acquire political power. They are regarded in modern scholarship as in opposition to the optimates, who are identified with the conservative interests of a senatorial elite...
). Seeing a centurion
Centurion
A centurion was a professional officer of the Roman army .Centurion may also refer to:-Military:* Centurion tank, British battle tank* HMS Centurion, name of several ships and a shore base of the British Royal Navy...
led to prison for debt, he freed him with his own money, and even sold his estate to relieve other poor debtors, while he accused the Senate
Roman Senate
The Senate of the Roman Republic was a political institution in the ancient Roman Republic, however, it was not an elected body, but one whose members were appointed by the consuls, and later by the censors. After a magistrate served his term in office, it usually was followed with automatic...
of embezzling public money. He was charged with aspiring to kingly power
Rex
- People :* Rex , for people with the given name "Rex"* Rex , for people with the surname "Rex"- Places :* Rex, Georgia, an unincorporated community in Clayton County, United States...
, and condemned by the comitia
Roman assemblies
The Legislative Assemblies of the Roman Republic were political institutions in the ancient Roman Republic. According to the contemporary historian Polybius, it was the people who had the final say regarding the election of magistrates, the enactment of new statutes, the carrying out of capital...
, but not until the assembly had adjourned to a place outside the walls, where they could no longer see the Capitol which he had saved. The Senate condemned him to death in 385 BC, and he was thrown from the Tarpeian Rock
Tarpeian Rock
The Tarpeian Rock was a steep cliff of the southern summit of the Capitoline Hill, overlooking the Roman Forum in Ancient Rome. It was used during the Roman Republic as an execution site. Murderers, traitors, perjurors, and larcenous slaves, if convicted by the quaestores parricidii, were flung...
one year later. He is considered the second martyr in the cause of social reform at Rome.
His house on the Capitoline Hill was razed, and the Senate decreed that no patrician should live there henceforth. The Manlii themselves resolved that no patrician Manlius should bear the name of Marcus. According to Mommsen
Theodor Mommsen
Christian Matthias Theodor Mommsen was a German classical scholar, historian, jurist, journalist, politician, archaeologist, and writer generally regarded as the greatest classicist of the 19th century. His work regarding Roman history is still of fundamental importance for contemporary research...
, the story of the saving of the Capitol was a later invention to justify his cognomen
Cognomen
The cognomen nōmen "name") was the third name of a citizen of Ancient Rome, under Roman naming conventions. The cognomen started as a nickname, but lost that purpose when it became hereditary. Hereditary cognomina were used to augment the second name in order to identify a particular branch within...
, which may be better explained by his domicile.
References