Digital Prosopography of the Roman Republic

MINU0820 M. Minucius (52) C. f. C. n. Rufus

Life Dates

  • 216, death - violent (DPRR Team) Expand

    KIA, B. of Cannae. Liv. 22.49.16, Sil. Ital. 9.563-569.

Relationships

father of
? M. Minucius (53) Rufus (pr. 197) (Brennan 2000)

Career

  • Consul 221 (Broughton MRR I) Expand
    • In spite of the confusion that produced the cognomen Nasica in Fast. Hyd., Scipio almost certainly had the cognomen Asina, and was a son of the Consul{235} of 260 and 254. On the filiation of Minucius, see 217, Master of Horse; and CIL 1(2).1, p. 34, on year 537. (Broughton MRR I)
    • Eutrop. 3.7; Chr. 354 (Asina et Rufo); Fast. Hyd. (Scipione Nasica et Rufo); Chr. Pasc. ({Gr}); Oros. 4.13.16; Cassiod. (P. Cornelius et M. Minucius); Zon. 8.20; Degrassi 118, 442f. Both Consuls engaged in an expedition against the Istri (Eutrop. 3.7; Oros. 4.13.16; Zon. 8.20; cf. Liv. Per. 20). (Broughton MRR I)
  • Dictator before 218 (Broughton MRR I) Expand
    • Elected co-Dictator with Fabius by a law proposed by the Tribune Metilius (Polyb. 3.103.1-5; Nep. Hann. 5.3; Liv. 22.25-26; Val. Max. 5.2.4; Plut. Fab. 7-9; App. Hann. 12; Dio fr. 57.15-16; Auct. Vir. Ill. 43.3; Lydus Magg. 1.38; Zon. 8.26; Degrassi 118f., 444f.). As Dictator he made a dedication to Hercules (CIL 1 .2.607- ILS 11). His rivalry with Fabius came to an end when Fabius saved the forces Minucius had put in jeopardy (Polyb. 3.103-105; Nep. Hann. 5.3; Liv. 22.27-30; Val. Max. 5.2.4; Plut. Fab. 10-13; Frontin. Str. 2.5.22; Sil. It. 7.494-750; App. Hann. 12-13; Dio fr. 57.17-20; Auct. Vir. Ill. 43; Zon. 8.26). See also Elogium of Fabius, Inscr. Ital. 13.3.80-CIL 1(2).1, p. 193; Diod. 26.3.3; Liv. 23.11.10; 45.37.12; Val. Max. 3.8.2; Plut. Comp. Fab. et Per. 2.2; Apophth. Fab. 2. (Broughton MRR I)
    • Fabius was probably not a Dictator appointed interregni causa as stated in Fast. Cap. (see Mommsen, Str. 2.147; and 161, note 1). He was not involved in the interregnum at the end of this year, and his command, which terminated before the end of the year, involved the duties of a Dictator rei gerendae causa. The title pro dictatore, suggested in Liv. 22.31.8-11, is equally inacceptable{246} against the testimony of Polybius, the inscriptions, and Livy 22.8.5-6 (Mommsen, CIL 1, pp. 288f.; Str. 2.147, note 4). (Broughton MRR I)
    • n JRS 45, 1955, 91-96, T. A. Dorey argues that the reading Minucius in Plut. Marc. 5.4, referring to the dictator who was compelled to abdicate because of the squeaking of a rodent when he was appointing C. Flaminius his master of horse, is correct and that he was not Fabius Maximus as Val. Max. has it (1.1.5). (So also J. Bleicken, Volkstribunat 30.) He would refer to this dictatorship the inscription with the title Dictator (CIL 12.2.607–ILS 11-ILLRP 118). Fabius, who had held a dictatorship before 217, would then have been appointed in Minucius’ place. The inscription then would not necessarily refer to the co-dictatorship of 217 (MRR 1.243). The date of this dictatorship remains uncertain but must be after 222 and before 218. Dorey suggests that it was before 220 (MRR 1.235), when the first pair of consuls had failed to take office. Note however the difficulties that Badian found in Dorey’s reconstruction (Gnomon 33, 1961, 497), especially the vow to Hercules made while dictator (ILS 11), and the improbability that the augurs who secured the supersession of Minucius by Fabius then proceeded to secure the supersession by his (and their) opponents of the consuls whose election Fabius had achieved. See also Lippold, Consules 144, note 49. Badian agrees that Livy may be correct in preferring a measure de aequando magistri equitum et dictatoris iure, and that Minucius used it, as in ILS 11, to justify the same titles. See also Walbank, 1.243, Comm. On Polyb. 3.103.1-5, and his statement that there were two simultaneous dictators. Addendum. J. Jahn, Interregnum and Wahldiktatur 109- 115, agrees on the two dictatorships, one of Minucius with Flaminius as master of horse, which was vitiated by the squeaking of a sorex, and a second of a Q. Fabius Maximus with an unknown master of horse, and dates both to either 220 or 219. (Broughton MRR III)
  • Magister Equitum 217 (Broughton MRR I) Expand
    • Formerly read L. f. in Fast. Cap., but the reading C. f. is established both in CIL 1(2), p. 34 and Degrassi 44. (Broughton MRR I)
    • After his election with Fabius (Polyb. 3.87.9: Liv. 22.8.6-7, and 24.1; Elogia of Fab., and Fast. Cap., see above, Dictator), he soon actively opposed Fabius and his strategy of delay (Polyb. 3.90.6, 94.9-10, and 101.1-103.4; Liv. 22.24-26; Plut. Fab. 4.1; 5.4-6; 8-9; App. Hann. 12; Zon. 8.26). See below, Dictator. (Broughton MRR I)

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