Gaius Iulius Mento

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Gaius Iulius Mento or Gnaeus Iulius Mento was consul in Rome in the 5th century BC. Chr.

He belonged to the patrician Gens Iulia . Titus Livius gives Gnaeus as his first name ( praenomen ), while he is otherwise referred to as Gaius.

Gaius Iulius Mento was born in 431 BC. Elected consul together with Titus Quinctius Pennus Cincinnatus . During her tenure, Rome was attacked again by the Volskern and Aequern , who had set up two separate camps on Mount Algidus . The Roman Senate then proposed to appoint a dictator . The two consuls initially disagreed, but then bowed to pressure from the tribunes . Since no suitable candidate could be found, Titus Quinctius Pennus Cincinnatus was chosen as dictator by drawing lots. The latter, however, then handed this office over to his father-in-law Aulus Postumius Tubertus , who was known as a strict and relentless military leader. For his part, Aulus chose Lucius Iulius Iullus as the military tribune , to whom he transferred the command of the cavalry .

The dictator went over to the drafting of troops, whereby he also made Latins and hernics responsible , who both deposited contingents. Mento stayed behind to protect Rome, while Cincinnatus took over one of the two armies. After the victory, Tubertus were granted the honors of a triumph . This handed over the command of the two parts of the army to Cincinnatus, returned to Rome for the triumph ceremony and then abdicated.

Mento, who stayed behind in Rome, meanwhile held the inauguration ceremonies for the Temple of Apollo Sosianus (originally dedicated to Apollo Medicus ), which should have taken place two years earlier but had to be postponed because of the epidemic that was rampant in Rome at the time.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Livy, Ab urbe condita 4,26,1.
  2. ↑ Diodor 12,65,1: Γάιος Ἰούλιος ( Gaius Iulius ); even with Livius, Ab urbe condita 4,29,6 he is called Gaius.
  3. ^ Livy, Ab urbe condita 4, 26-29.
personal data
SURNAME Mento, Gaius Iulius
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Mento, Gnaeus Iulius
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Roman consul
DATE OF BIRTH before 431 BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH after 431 BC Chr.