Appius Claudius Crassus (Consul 471 BC)

Appius Claudius Crassus Inregillensis Sabinus was consul of the Roman Republic in 471 BC. And one of the Decemviri in 451 BC. BC to 449 BC BC, the only one who belonged to both Decemvirates.

Roman historiography tells a nice story about Appius Claudius, but historically not tenable: Although he belongs to the Claudians and therefore of patrician origin, he supposedly supported the plebeians' desire for a written law . During his tenure, he is said to have shared power with their representatives. The Twelve Tables law , written by the Decemviri, survived the fall of the Decemvirate in 449 BC. Chr.

When the intended term of office of the second Decemvirate expired, the Decemviri allegedly refused to give up the office and the successors to take office. Appius Claudius was said to have made an unjust decision to claim a young woman named Verginia - unlawful according to Livius - for what is said to have led her father to kill her to save her from this dishonor, a situation which allegedly caused an uprising against the Decemviri and which is said to have finally forced the Decemviri to resign, so that the normal magistratus ( magistratus ordinarii ) could be reinstated.

Appius Claudius is said to have been murdered or - after the Verginia scandal - to have killed himself. However, the sources on this are sparse.

The story of Appius Claudius, Verginia and their father has been a popular template for tragedies since ancient times . Probably the most famous example is the civil tragedy Emilia Galotti by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing .

literature

Appius Claudius Crassus (Consul 471 BC). In: The New Pauly (DNP). Volume 3, Metzler, Stuttgart 1997, ISBN 3-476-01473-8 , column 9.
Friedrich Münzer : Claudius 123 . In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume III, 2, Stuttgart 1899, Col. 2698-2702.

Remarks

^ T. Robert S. Broughton : The Magistrates Of The Roman Republic. Volume 1: 509 BC - 100 BC (= Philological Monographs. Vol. 15, Part 1, ZDB -ID 418575-4 ). American Philological Association, New York NY 1951, p. 30, (Unchanged reprint 1968).
^ T. Robert S. Broughton: The Magistrates Of The Roman Republic. Volume 1: 509 BC - 100 BC (= Philological Monographs. Vol. 15, Part 1). American Philological Association, New York NY 1951, pp. 45-48, (Unchanged reprint 1968).
↑ The fact that the plebeian members of the Decemviri named in the tradition have been interpolated is now undisputed in the specialist field. Compare z. B. Robert Werner : The beginning of the Roman republic. Historical-chronological studies of the early days of the libera res publica. R. Oldenbourg, Munich et al. 1963, pp. 280–282, (At the same time: Munich, University, habilitation paper, 1960).
↑ Titus Livius 3: 44-48.

personal data
SURNAME	Claudius Crassus, Appius
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Crassus, Appius Claudius; Claudius Crassus Inregillensis Sabinus, Appius (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Consul of the Roman Republic
DATE OF BIRTH	6th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH	5th century BC Chr.

[1] T. Robert S. Broughton : The Magistrates Of The Roman Republic. Volume 1: 509 BC - 100 BC (= Philological Monographs. Vol. 15, Part 1, ZDB -ID 418575-4 ). American Philological Association, New York NY 1951, p. 30, (Unchanged reprint 1968).

[2] T. Robert S. Broughton: The Magistrates Of The Roman Republic. Volume 1: 509 BC - 100 BC (= Philological Monographs. Vol. 15, Part 1). American Philological Association, New York NY 1951, pp. 45-48, (Unchanged reprint 1968).

[3] The fact that the plebeian members of the Decemviri named in the tradition have been interpolated is now undisputed in the specialist field. Compare z. B. Robert Werner : The beginning of the Roman republic. Historical-chronological studies of the early days of the libera res publica. R. Oldenbourg, Munich et al. 1963, pp. 280–282, (At the same time: Munich, University, habilitation paper, 1960).

[4] Titus Livius 3: 44-48.