Marcus Minucius Augurinus
Marcus Minucius Augurinus was a Roman Republican politician of the patrician gens Minucia during the beginning of the 5th century BC. He served as Consul of Rome in 497 BC and 491 BC, both times serving together with Aulus Sempronius Atratinus.
Marcus Minucius Augurinus | |
|---|---|
| Consul of the Roman Republic | |
| In office [1] 1 September 497 BC – 29 August 496 BC | |
| Preceded by | Quintus Cloelius Siculus, Titus Lartius |
| Succeeded by | Aulus Postumius Albus Regillensis, Titus Verginius Tricostus Caeliomontanus |
| In office [2] 1 September 491 BC – 29 August 490 BC | |
| Preceded by | Titus Geganius Macerinus, Publius Minucius Augurinus |
| Succeeded by | Quintus Sulpicius Camerinus Cornutus, Spurius Lartius |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Unknown Ancient Rome |
| Died | Unknown Ancient Rome |
Family origins
Although the Minucia gens has been traditionally known as a plebeian family, the family's origins are indeed of the patrician class and it is from that branch of the family from which Minucius Augurinus is descended.
He was the brother of Publius Minucius Augurinus, who later served as consul in 492 BC.
Biography
Minucius Augurinus was the first of his gens to become a Roman consul, serving in the years 497 BC and 491 BC respectively. On both occasions, his colleague was Aulus Sempronius Atratinus. During his first tenure as consul, he was charged with the consecration of the newly constructed Temple of Saturn in the Roman Forum. It was during this consulship that the festivities surrounding Saturnalia first began.[3][4] Prior to becoming consul Minucius held the quaestorship in 509 BC.[5]
He was again elected consul for 491 BC. There had been a famine in Rome in the previous year, and in 491 BC a significant quantity of corn was imported from Sicily, and the question of how it should be distributed amongst the Roman citizens, together with tensions arising from the recent secession of the plebs, led to the exile and defection of Gaius Marcius Coriolanus after he unsuccessfully advocated the reversal of the reforms which arose from the secession, including the creation of the Tribune of the Plebs.[6]
He was one of the five ex-consuls sent as envoys to treat with Coriolanus in 488 BC during his march towards Rome.[7][8]
See also
References
- Robert Maxwell Ogilvie, Commentary on Livy, books 1–5, Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1965, pp. 404, 405.
- Robert Maxwell Ogilvie, Commentary on Livy, books 1–5, Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1965, pp. 404, 405.
- Livy, Ab Urbe Condita, 2.21
- Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities, 6.1
- Broughton, vol i, pp.3 Plutarch, Poplicola, 12:3
- Livy, 2.34
- Broughton, vol i. pp.6
- Dionysius, vii, 55.4
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Quintus Cloelius Siculus Titus Lartius |
Consul of the Roman Republic with Aulus Sempronius Atratinus 497 BC |
Succeeded by Aulus Postumius Albus Regillensis Titus Verginius Tricostus Caeliomontanus |
| Preceded by Titus Geganius Macerinus Publius Minucius Augurinus |
Consul of the Roman Republic with Aulus Sempronius Atratinus II 491 BC |
Succeeded by Quintus Sulpicius Camerinus Cornutus Spurius Lartius |