Tiberius Coruncanius

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Tiberius Coruncanius (* 4th century BC; † probably 243 BC) was a Roman politician, general, high priest and legal scholar of the 3rd century BC. As the first Roman lawyer, he formulated and taught a systematic, rational understanding of law instead of the religiously based decisions in individual cases, as they had previously only existed.

origin

He came from a plebeian family from Tusculum or Camerium , the gens Coruncania , which until then had not assumed any high state offices in the Roman Republic . Therefore he was considered a typical homo novus . Both his father and his grandfather were called Tiberius, which can be deduced from the fact that he was called Tiberius Coruncanius Ti. F. Ti. N. Is recorded in the Fasti Capitolini .

consulate

In 280 Coruncanius was together with Publius Valerius Laevinus consul and thus as a military leader in the war for supremacy in Italy. When the two consuls divided the Roman army in the fight against King Pyrrhos I of Epirus, he took over the army, which turned against the Etruscans , took the city of Vulci and won a victory against Volsinii . Meanwhile the other Roman army suffered a defeat against Pyrrhus himself in the battle of Heraclea . But when the latter then turned to the Roman heartland, the Latium , he met the troops of Coruncanius, who had returned from the northern theater of war. Since his army had already shrunk despite the victory and he was in a strategically unfavorable position, the king feared that he would not have enough soldiers for another field battle and returned to Anagnia , which is two days' march from Rome. For his victories Coruncanius received the Acta triumphorum according to a triumph "[de V] ulsiniensibus et Vulcientibus".

Nothing is known about any further involvement of Coruncanius in the military events of this time. Possibly he took over the political and military security and administration of Italy while his counterpart fought in the main theater of war.

Priesthood and dictatorship

When Tiberius Coruncanius took over the office of priest ( pontifex ) is not known; His legal activity is presumably related to his practice. Between 255 and 252, but probably 254, he became the first plebeian pontifex maximus (Roman high priest of state), which was only made possible by the Lex Ogulnia of 300 as an important result of the class struggles .

In 246 he was comitiorum habendorum causa (for holding elections) dictator , his Magister equitum (equestrian colonel) was Marcus Fulvius Flaccus . He presumably held the office of Pontifex Maximus until 243, since from that year his successor Lucius Caecilius Metellus is occupied. From this it can be concluded that Coruncanius probably died at this point in time because the office of the highest Roman priest was usually transferred for life.

Legal activity

In addition to his political activities, Coruncanius made a name for himself as a lawyer, although he himself did not publish any writings that were still preserved in late antiquity. According to tradition, he was the first legal scholar who not only wrote numerous responses (answers to written inquiries), as is traditionally customary, from which customary law then emerged, but also gave public systematic legal instruction, i.e. gave lectures. In doing so, he made jurisprudence “from a mystery to a profession”. The previous incoherent laws and ordinances had drawn their authority mainly from the sacred sphere, just as Coruncanius himself held religious offices. According to Alfred Heuss , he was nevertheless "the first" secular "jurist" due to his new understanding of law.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Marcus Tullius Cicero , Pro Cn. Plancio 8 ( English translation ).
  2. ^ Tacitus , Annalen XI, 24.
  3. ^ Velleius Paterculus , Historia Romana II, 128.1 ( Latin text , English translation ).
  4. ↑ Fasti Capitolini Acti triumphales , Tiberius Coruncanius Ti. F. Ti. N.
  5. ^ Sextus Pomponius , in: Digest 1,2,2,38 ( Latin text , English translation ).
  6. ^ Sextus Pomponius, in: Digest 1,2,2,35 ( Latin text , English translation ).
  7. ^ "Rendering jurisprudence a profession instead of a mystery": Tiberius Coruncanius. In: John Roberts: Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World. Oxford University Press 2007 ( online ).
  8. ^ Alfred Heuss : Roman history. 6th edition. Schöningh, Paderborn et al. 1998, ISBN 3-506-73927-1 , p. 38.
personal data
SURNAME Coruncanius, Tiberius
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Roman Pontifex Maximus, consul and lawyer
DATE OF BIRTH 4th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 243 BC Chr.