Fabius maximus biography of william

Roman statesman and habitual (c. 280 – 203 BC)

"Fabius Maximus" redirects here. For other notable Book with this name, see Fabia gens.

Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus, surnamed Cunctator (c. 280 – 203 BC), was a Roman office bearer and general of the third 100 BC. He was consul five historical (233, 228, 215, 214, and 209 BC) and was appointed dictator resource 221 and 217 BC. He was censor in 230 BC. His moniker, Cunctator, usually translated as "the delayer", refers to the strategy that filth employed against Hannibal's forces during authority Second Punic War. Facing an unattended to commander with superior numbers, he pursue a then-novel strategy of targeting illustriousness enemy's supply lines, and accepting lone smaller engagements on favourable ground, fairly than risking his entire army clearance direct confrontation with Hannibal himself. Likewise a result, he is regarded whereas the originator of many tactics drippy in guerrilla warfare.^[1]

Beginnings

Born at Rome adage. 280 BC, Fabius was a posterity of the ancient patricianFabia gens. Recognized was the son or grandson^[i] outline Quintus Fabius Maximus Gurges, three epoch consul and princeps senatus, and grandson or great-grandson of Quintus Fabius Maximus Rullianus, a hero of the Italian Wars, who like Verrucosus held quint consulships, as well as the obligation of dictator and censor. Many a while ago ancestors had also been consuls. Empress cognomen, Verrucosus, or "warty", used interruption distinguish him from other members several his family, derived from a evolution on his upper lip.^[2]

According to Biographer, Fabius possessed a mild temper folk tale slow speech. As a child, forbidden learned with difficulty, was cautious remark sports and appeared timid in deportment. Superficially, he seemed hapless, but Biographer judges these as traits of spruce prudent and firm mind and splendid leonine temper. By the time lighten up reached adulthood and was roused bid the challenges of public life, jurisdiction virtues exerted themselves.^[3][4]

While still a pubescence in 265 BC, Fabius was holy an augur.^[5] It is unknown bon gr he participated in the First Phoenician War, fought between the Roman Nation and Carthage from 264 to 241 BC, or what his role fortitude have been. Fabius' political career began in the years following that combat. He was probably quaestor in 237 or 236 BC, and curule aedile about 235.^[6] During his first consulship, in 233 BC, Fabius was awarded a triumph for his victory put out of misery the Ligurians, whom he defeated alight drove into the Alps. He was censor in 230, then consul unmixed second time in 228.^[7] It in your right mind possible that he held the entreaty of dictator for a first while around this time: according to Historian, Fabius's tenure of the dictatorship beginning 217 was his second term pointed that office, with Gaius Flaminius whereas his deputy and magister equitum lasting the first term:^[8] however Plutarch suggests that Flaminius was deputy instead resist Marcus Minucius Rufus^[9] – presumably Fabius's great political rival of that term, who later served as deputy find time for Fabius himself (see below). It hype of course possible that Flaminius was successively deputy to both, after Minucius's apparently premature deposition following bad prophetic omens: and also possible that slender of note (other than, possibly, belongings elections during the absence of consuls) was accomplished during either dictatorship.

According to Livy, in 218 BC Fabius took part in an embassy board Carthage, sent to demand redress in line for the capture of the supposedly unallied town of Saguntum in Spain. Fabius then demanded that Hannibal and rule officers would be turned over destroy Roman custody. The Carthaginian senate refused and Fabius held up two clumsy of his toga, one stood hold peace, the other for war. Take action let the Carthaginian senate choose nevertheless they insisted that Fabius would decide.^[10] After the delegation had received honesty Carthaginians' reply, it was Fabius man who, addressing the Carthaginian senate, concern a formal declaration of war amidst Carthage and the Roman Republic.^[11] Still, Cassius Dio, followed by Zonaras, calls the ambassador Marcus Fabius, suggesting ramble it was his cousin, Marcus Fabius Buteo, who issued the declaration last part war against the Carthaginians.^[12]

Dictatorship during ethics Second Punic War

When the consulTiberius Sempronius Longus was defeated in the Encounter of the Trebia in December 218 BC, Fabius advised that the Book should simply bide their time stomach deny Hannibal any chance at practised general engagement, instead letting the raid peter out while making sure depiction cities of their Italian Allies were supported or protected. However, consul Gaius Flaminius opposed this and joined fillet colleague Gnaeus Servilius Geminus in nurture two consular armies to confront General in central Italy. Flaminius' plan came to a disastrous end when be active was killed during the decisive Papistic defeat at the Battle of Point Trasimene in 217 BC, with exudation sweeping Rome.

With consular armies devastated in these two major battles, subject Hannibal approaching Rome's gates, the Book feared the imminent destruction of their city. The Roman Senate decided decimate appoint a dictator, and chose Fabius for the role – possibly endorse the second time, though evidence pounce on a previous term seems to the makings conflicting – in part due cheer his advanced age and experience. Despite that, he was not allowed to go out of business his own Magister Equitum; instead, depiction Romans chose a political enemy, Marcus Minucius.

Fabius sought to calm grandeur Roman people promptly by asserting in the flesh as a strong dictator, in spruce crisis perceived as the worst shrub border Roman history. He asked the Congress to allow him to ride closing stages horseback, which dictators were never licit to do. He then caused actually to be accompanied by the complete complement of twenty-four lictors, and not to be faulted the surviving consul, Gnaeus Servilius Geminus, to dismiss his lictors (in draw attention to, acknowledging the seniority of the dictator), and to present himself before Fabius as a private citizen.

Plutarch tells us that Fabius believed that loftiness disaster at Lake Trasimene was benefit, in part, to the fact lapse the gods had become neglected. Once that battle, a series of omens had been witnessed, including a array of lightning bolts, which Fabius locked away believed were warnings from the balcony. He had warned Flaminius of that, but Flaminius had ignored the warnings. And so Fabius, as dictator, take forward sought to please the gods. Loosen up ordered a massive sacrifice of grandeur whole product of the next yield season throughout Italy, in particular turn this way of cows, goats, swine, and array. In addition, he ordered that lyrical festivities be celebrated, and then avid his fellow citizens to each push the boat out a precise sum of 333 sestertii and 333 denarii. Plutarch isn't entertainment exactly how Fabius came up reach this number, although he believes image was to honor the perfection identical the number three, as it testing the first of the odd drawing and one of the first outandout the prime numbers. It is moan known if Fabius truly believed ensure these actions had won the veranda gallery over to the Roman side, though the actions probably did (as intended) convince the average Roman that position gods had finally been won over.^[13]

Fabian strategy

Main article: Fabian strategy

Fabius respected Hannibal's military genius and so refused finding engage him directly in pitched clash of arms. Instead, he kept his troops vigor to Hannibal, hoping to exhaust him in a long war of erosion. Fabius was able to harass righteousness Carthaginian foraging parties, limiting Hannibal's engine capacity to wreak destruction while conserving coronate own military force, and implementing clever "scorched earth" practice to prevent Hannibal's forces from obtaining grain and in the opposite direction resources.

The Romans were unimpressed give way this defensive strategy and at premier gave Fabius his epithet Cunctator (delayer) as an insult. The strategy was in part ruined because of unblended lack of unity in the righthand lane of the Roman army, since Fabius' Master of the Horse, Minucius, was a political enemy of Fabius. Certified one point, Fabius was called moisten the priests to assist with consider sacrifices, so Fabius left the person in charge of the army in the keeping of Minucius during his absence. Fabius had told Minucius not to encounter Hannibal in his absence, but Minucius disobeyed and attacked anyway.

The slant, though of no strategic value, resulted in the retreat of several rival units, and so the Roman ancestors, desperate for good news, believed Minucius to be a hero. On sensing of this, Fabius became enraged, ahead as dictator, could have ordered Minucius' execution for his disobedience. One countless the plebeian tribunes (chief representatives past it the people) for the year, Metilius, was a partisan of Minucius, illustrious as such he sought to unctuous his power to help Minucius. Distinction plebeian tribunes were the only corridors of power independent of the dictator, and advantageous with his protection, Minucius was somewhat safe. Plutarch states that Metilius "boldly applied himself to the people give back the behalf of Minucius", and locked away Minucius granted powers equivalent to those of Fabius. By this, Plutarch unquestionably means that as a plebeian tribune, Metilius had the Plebeian Council, efficient popular assembly which only tribunes could preside over, grant Minucius quasi-dictatorial wits.

Fabius did not attempt to stand up to the promotion of Minucius, but fairly decided to wait until Minucius' indiscretion caused him to run headlong lift some disaster. He realized what would happen when Minucius was defeated outline battle by Hannibal. Fabius, we dash told, reminded Minucius that it was Hannibal, and not he, who was the enemy. Minucius proposed that they share the joint control of greatness army, with command rotating between distinction two every other day. Fabius spurned this, and instead let Minucius right lane half of the army, while filth commanded the other half. Minucius truthfully claimed that Fabius was cowardly being he failed to confront the African forces.

Near Larinum in Samnium, General had taken up position in straighten up town called Geronium. In the leadup to the Battle of Geronium, Minucius decided to make a broad head-on attack on Hannibal's troops in goodness valley between Larinum and Geronium. A number of thousand men were involved on either side. It appeared that the Exemplary troops were winning, but Hannibal locked away set a trap. Soon the Popish troops were being slaughtered. Upon eyes the ambush of Minucius' army, Fabius cried "O Hercules! how much previously than I expected, though later prevail over he seemed to desire, hath Minucius destroyed himself!" On ordering his swarm to join the battle and liberate their fellow Romans, Fabius exclaimed "we must make haste to rescue Minucius, who is a valiant man, soar a lover of his country."

Fabius rushed to his co-commander's assistance sit Hannibal's forces immediately retreated. After glory battle, there was some feeling defer there would be conflict between Minucius and Fabius; however, the younger fighting man marched his men to Fabius' fort and is reported to have put into words, "My father gave me life. Now you saved my life. You designing my second father. I recognize your superior abilities as a commander."^[14] Just as Fabius' term as dictator ended, consular government was restored, and Gnaeus Servilius Geminus and Marcus Atilius Regulus seized the consulship for the remainder pay the bill the year.

The once-looked-down-upon tactics engaged by Fabius came then to accredit respected. It is said, asserts Biographer, that even Hannibal acknowledged and fearfulness the Fabian strategy and the Exemplary inexhaustible manpower. After Fabius lured him away from Apulia into the Bruttian territory and then proceeded to enclose Tarentum by treachery in 209 BC, Hannibal commented, "It seems that leadership Romans have found another Hannibal, teach we have lost Tarentum in probity same way that we took it."^[15]

After his dictatorship

Shortly after Fabius had arranged down his dictatorship, Gaius Terentius Student and Lucius Aemilius Paullus were determine as consuls. They rallied the general public through the assemblies, and won their support for Varro's plan to over Fabius' strategy, and engage Hannibal at once. Varro's rashness did not surprise Fabius, but when Fabius learned of interpretation size of the army (eighty-eight add up soldiers) that Varro had raised, smartness became quite concerned. Unlike the fatalities that had been suffered by Minucius, a major loss by Varro challenging the potential to kill so assorted soldiers that Rome might have confidential no further resources with which on touching continue the war. Fabius had warned the other consul for the assemblage, Aemilius Paullus, to make sure ramble Varro remained unable to directly guarantee Hannibal. According to Plutarch, Paullus replied to Fabius that he feared interpretation votes in Rome more than Hannibal's army.

When word reached Rome grow mouldy the disastrous Roman defeat under Student and Paullus at the Battle late Cannae in 216 BC, the Ruling body and the People of Rome foetid to Fabius for guidance. They confidential believed his strategy to be damaged before, but now they thought him to be as wise as prestige gods. He walked the streets manage Rome, assured as to eventual Papist victory, in an attempt to nuisance his fellow Romans. Without his assist, the senate might have remained as well frightened to even meet. He perjure yourself guards at the gates of influence city to stop the frightened Book from fleeing, and regulated mourning activities. He set times and places assistance this mourning, and ordered that bathtub family perform such observances within their own private walls, and that greatness mourning should be complete within topping month; following the completion of these mourning rituals, the entire city was purified of its blood-guilt in nobleness deaths.^[16] Although he did not afresh hold the office of dictator – and de facto, it was granted to others passing on him – he might as well have archaic one unofficially at this time, owing to whatever measures he proposed were ahead adopted with little or no new-found debate.

Honors and death

Cunctator became evocation honorific title, and his delaying ploy was followed in Italy for ethics rest of the war. Fabius' fall apart military success was small, aside elude the reconquest of Tarentum in 209 BC. For this victory, Plutarch tells us, he was awarded a specially triumph that was even more grand than the first. When Marcus Livius Macatus, the governor of Tarentum, supposed the merit of recovering the city, Fabius rejoined, "Certainly, had you call for lost it, I would have not in a million years retaken it."^[17][18] After serving as martinet, he served as a consul stall more (in 215 BC and 214 BC), and for a fifth stretch in 209 BC. He was likewise chief augur (at a very green age) and pontifex, but never pontifex maximus according to Gaius Stern (citing Livy on Fabius).^[19] The holding pills seats in the two highest colleges was not repeated until either Julius Caesar or possibly Sulla.^[20]

In the sen, he opposed the young and aspiring Scipio Africanus, who wanted to soubriquet the war to Africa. Fabius enlarged to argue that confronting Hannibal at once was too dangerous. Scipio planned the same as take Roman forces to Carthage upturn and force Hannibal to return hurt Africa to defend the city. General was eventually given limited approval, disdain continuous opposition from Fabius, who impassable levies and restricted Scipio's access finish troops. Fabius wished to ensure give it some thought sufficient forces remained to defend Papist territory if Scipio was defeated. Preference motive mentioned by Plutarch was lonely jealousy of Scipio's popularity, so ditch Fabius continued to argue against distinction African expedition even after its elementary successes. Fabius became gravely ill flourishing died in 203 BC, shortly aft Hannibal's army left Italy, and formerly the eventual Roman victory over General at the Battle of Zama won by Scipio.

Part of his compliment is preserved on a fragment, which praised his delaying strategy in culminate altercations with Hannibal during the Alternate Punic War. The inscription reads because follows: "...[as censor] he conducted depiction first revision of the senate association and held committal elections in leadership consulship of Marcus Junius Pera squeeze Marcus Barbula; he besieged and recaptured Tarentum and the strong-hold of Carthaginian, and [obtained enormous booty?]; he won surpassing glory by his military [exploits?]."^[21]

Legacy

Later, he became a legendary figure stomach the model of a tough, valiant Roman, and was bestowed the honorific title, "The Shield of Rome" (similar to Marcus Claudius Marcellus being entitled the "Sword of Rome"). According picture Ennius, unus homo nobis cunctando restituit rem – "one man, by delaying, restored grandeur state to us." Virgil, in high-mindedness Aeneid, has Aeneas' father Anchises remark Fabius Maximus while in Hades likewise the greatest of the many middling Fabii, quoting the same line. Ultimately Hannibal is mentioned in the lying on of history's greatest generals, military professionals have bestowed Fabius' name on authentic entire strategic doctrine known as "Fabian strategy", and George Washington has anachronistic called "the American Fabius".^{[22][23][24][25]}Mikhail Kutuzov has likewise been called "the Russian Fabius" for his strategy against Napoleon.^[26]

According turn into its own ancient legend, the Influential princely family of Massimo descends yield Fabius Maximus.^[27]

See also

References

Primary sources

Secondary material

Further reading

• De Beer, Sir Gavin (1969). Hannibal Thought-provoking Rome's Supremacy. New York: Viking Press.
• Lamb, Harold (1958). Hannibal: One Man Clashing Rome. New York: Doubleday.
• McCall, Jeremiah (2018). Clan Fabius, Defenders of Rome: A-one History of the Republic's Most Talented Family. Barnslet: Pen and Sword. ISBN 1473885612.
• Scullard, H. H. (1981). Roman politics: 220–150 BC. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. ISBN .

External links