Publius Furius Sp.f. Philus
Encyclopedia
Publius Furius S. f. M. n. Philus was consul
in 223 BC, praetor
in 216, and censor in 214. He died the following year, before resigning his office.
. Many members of his gens
had previously held the highest offices of the state, most famously Marcus Furius Camillus
. However, the branch or stirps of the family known as the Furii Phili had not previously held any curule magistracies
. From his filiation, we know that Publius' father was named Spurius and his grandfather Marcus, but nothing is known of them. Publius had a son, likewise named Publius, who was a young man at the time of his father's death. It is not known how they were related to the later Furii Phili.
in 223 BC, the third year of the Gallic War. Both consuls marched to the north of Italy. No sooner had they set out than the aristocratic party at Rome devised a means for depriving Flaminius, who had earned their ire by passing an agrarian law
as tribune of the plebs
in 232, of his office.
The aristocrats declared that the consular election was not valid on account of some fault in the auspices; and a letter was forthwith sent to the camp of the consuls, with orders to return to Rome. But as all preparations had been made for a great battle against the Insubres
on the Addua, the letter was left unopened until the battle was gained. Furius obeyed the command of the Senate
, and laid down his office. His colleague continued the campaign and celebrated a triumph
over the Gauls before laying down his command.
, BC 216; and after the fatal Battle of Cannae
in this year, he and his colleague Manius Pomponius Matho
summoned the senate to take measures for the defense of the city. Shortly afterwards he received the fleet from Marcus Claudius Marcellus
, with which he proceeded to Africa, but having been severely wounded in an engagement off the coast he returned to Lilybaeum
.
, but he died at the beginning of the following year, before the solemn purification (lustrum) of the people had been performed; and Regulus accordingly, as was usual in such cases, resigned his office.
These censors visited with severity all persons who had failed in their duty to their country during the great calamities which Rome had lately experienced. They reduced the condition of aerarians all the young nobles, who had formed the project of leaving Italy after the battle of Cannae, among whom was Lucius Caecilius Metellus, who was quaestor
in the year of their censorship. As, however, Metellus was elected tribune of the plebs for the following year notwithstanding his degradation, he attempted to bring the censors to trial before the people, immediately after entering upon his office, but was prevented by the other tribunes from prosecuting such an unprecedented course.
Furius was also one of the augur
s at the time of his death.
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...
in 223 BC, praetor
Praetor
Praetor was a title granted by the government of Ancient Rome to men acting in one of two official capacities: the commander of an army, usually in the field, or the named commander before mustering the army; and an elected magistratus assigned varied duties...
in 216, and censor in 214. He died the following year, before resigning his office.
Family and background
Furius was a member of the patrician gens Furia, an ancient and noble house at RomeAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
. Many members of his 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...
had previously held the highest offices of the state, most famously Marcus Furius Camillus
Marcus Furius Camillus
Marcus Furius Camillus was a Roman soldier and statesman of patrician descent. According to Livy and Plutarch, Camillus triumphed four times, was five times dictator, and was honoured with the title of Second Founder of Rome....
. However, the branch or stirps of the family known as the Furii Phili had not previously held any curule magistracies
Roman Magistrates
The Roman Magistrates were elected officials in Ancient Rome. During the period of the Roman Kingdom, the King of Rome was the principal executive magistrate. His power, in practice, was absolute. He was the chief priest, lawgiver, judge, and the sole commander of the army...
. From his filiation, we know that Publius' father was named Spurius and his grandfather Marcus, but nothing is known of them. Publius had a son, likewise named Publius, who was a young man at the time of his father's death. It is not known how they were related to the later Furii Phili.
Consulship
Furius was consul with Gaius FlaminiusGaius Flaminius
Gaius Flaminius Nepos was a politician and consul of the Roman Republic in the 3rd century BC. He was the greatest popular leader to challenge the authority of the Senate before the Gracchi a century later....
in 223 BC, the third year of the Gallic War. Both consuls marched to the north of Italy. No sooner had they set out than the aristocratic party at Rome devised a means for depriving Flaminius, who had earned their ire by passing an agrarian law
Agrarian law
Agrarian laws were laws among the Romans regulating the division of the public lands, or ager publicus.There existed three types of land in ancient Rome: private land, common pasture, and public land...
as tribune of the plebs
Tribune
Tribune was a title shared by elected officials in the Roman Republic. Tribunes had the power to convene the Plebeian Council and to act as its president, which also gave them the right to propose legislation before it. They were sacrosanct, in the sense that any assault on their person was...
in 232, of his office.
The aristocrats declared that the consular election was not valid on account of some fault in the auspices; and a letter was forthwith sent to the camp of the consuls, with orders to return to Rome. But as all preparations had been made for a great battle against the Insubres
Insubres
The Insubres were a Gaulish population settled in Insubria, in what is now Lombardy . They were the founders of Milan . Though ethnically Celtic at the time of Roman conquest , they were most likely the result of the fusion of pre-existing Ligurian, Celtic and "Italic" population strata with Gaulish...
on the Addua, the letter was left unopened until the battle was gained. Furius obeyed the command of 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...
, and laid down his office. His colleague continued the campaign and celebrated a triumph
Roman triumph
The Roman triumph was a civil ceremony and religious rite of ancient Rome, held to publicly celebrate and sanctify the military achievement of an army commander who had won great military successes, or originally and traditionally, one who had successfully completed a foreign war. In Republican...
over the Gauls before laying down his command.
Praetorship
Furius was elected praetor peregrinus in the third year of the Second Punic WarSecond Punic War
The Second Punic War, also referred to as The Hannibalic War and The War Against Hannibal, lasted from 218 to 201 BC and involved combatants in the western and eastern Mediterranean. This was the second major war between Carthage and the Roman Republic, with the participation of the Berbers on...
, BC 216; and after the fatal Battle of Cannae
Battle of Cannae
The Battle of Cannae was a major battle of the Second Punic War, which took place on August 2, 216 BC near the town of Cannae in Apulia in southeast Italy. The army of Carthage under Hannibal decisively defeated a numerically superior army of the Roman Republic under command of the consuls Lucius...
in this year, he and his colleague Manius Pomponius Matho
Manius Pomponius Matho
Manius Pomponius M.f. M.n. Matho was a Roman consul and general who was elected consul for the year 233 BC with Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosses, later called Cunctator...
summoned the senate to take measures for the defense of the city. Shortly afterwards he received the fleet from Marcus Claudius Marcellus
Marcus Claudius Marcellus
Marcus Claudius Marcellus , five times elected as consul of the Roman Republic, was an important Roman military leader during the Gallic War of 225 BC and the Second Punic War...
, with which he proceeded to Africa, but having been severely wounded in an engagement off the coast he returned to Lilybaeum
Marsala
Marsala is a seaport city located in the Province of Trapani on the island of Sicily in Italy. The low coast on which it is situated is the westernmost point of the island...
.
Censorship
In 214 BC, Furius was censor with Marcus Atilius RegulusMarcus Atilius Regulus (consul 227 BC)
Marcus Atilius M.f. M.n. Regulus , a son of Marcus Atilius Regulus, the consul captured during the First Punic War, and grandson of Marcus Atilius Regulus , was Roman consul for the year 227 BC, together with Publius Valerius Flaccus, and was a consul suffectus in 217 BC, replacing Gaius Flaminius...
, but he died at the beginning of the following year, before the solemn purification (lustrum) of the people had been performed; and Regulus accordingly, as was usual in such cases, resigned his office.
These censors visited with severity all persons who had failed in their duty to their country during the great calamities which Rome had lately experienced. They reduced the condition of aerarians all the young nobles, who had formed the project of leaving Italy after the battle of Cannae, among whom was Lucius Caecilius Metellus, who was quaestor
Quaestor
A Quaestor was a type of public official in the "Cursus honorum" system who supervised financial affairs. In the Roman Republic a quaestor was an elected official whereas, with the autocratic government of the Roman Empire, quaestors were simply appointed....
in the year of their censorship. As, however, Metellus was elected tribune of the plebs for the following year notwithstanding his degradation, he attempted to bring the censors to trial before the people, immediately after entering upon his office, but was prevented by the other tribunes from prosecuting such an unprecedented course.
Furius was also one of the augur
Augur
The augur was a priest and official in the classical world, especially ancient Rome and Etruria. His main role was to interpret the will of the gods by studying the flight of birds: whether they are flying in groups/alone, what noises they make as they fly, direction of flight and what kind of...
s at the time of his death.