Marcia (wife of Atilius Regulus)

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According to the tradition of the Roman poet Silius Italicus, Marcia was the wife of the two-time consul Marcus Atilius Regulus , who died during the First Punic War in 256 BC. Chr. Got into Carthaginian captivity. The ancient historian Friedrich Münzer thinks it is quite likely that the name Marcia given by Silius is historical, despite some poetic freedom that Silius otherwise took. If this assumption is correct, then Marcia was possibly a daughter of the consul from 281 BC. Chr., Quintus Marcius Philippus . She bore two sons to her husband.

According to the Greek-Sicilian historian Diodorus , after the death of her husband in Punic custody, Marcia is said to have taken cruel revenge on two Carthaginians who were supposed to guarantee Atilius' well-being in Rome. According to this, one of the two Carthaginians died from the torture inflicted on him, the second, by the name of Hamilcar, was only saved by the fact that the tribunes learned about it in good time and had forced better treatment of the prisoner. Also Aulus Gellius provides a representation of Diodorus similar story, while drawing on Gaius Sempronius Tuditanus supported as a source.

literature

Remarks

  1. ↑ Silius Italicus 6, 403 and 6, 576; on this Friedrich Münzer: Marcius 112). In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume XIV, 2, Stuttgart 1930, column 1601.
  2. ↑ Diodorus 24:12 .
  3. ^ Aulus Gellius, Noctes Atticae 7, 4, 1.
personal data
SURNAME Marcia
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Wife of Marcus Atilius Regulus, consul in 267 and 256 BC. Chr.
DATE OF BIRTH 4th century BC BC or 3rd century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 3rd century BC Chr.