Outline
Key figures in Camillus’ life
- Brennus, Chief of the Gauls
- Postumius Tubertus dictator
- Lucius Furius Medullinus, 445–375 BC; brother of Marcus Furius Camillus; elected consul twice and one of six consular tribunes (tribunes elected to function like consuls) seven times; he was Camillus’ military subaltern, rushed his troops into a battle that almost resulted in disaster but was saved by Camillus
Key events in Camillus’ Life
- Born 446 BC into a patrician family originally from Tusculum
- Chosen dictator 5 times, awarded 4 triumphs
- Performs with great courage in the battle against the Aequians and Volscians
- Appointed censor (403 BC), which means he was responsible for keeping the citizen rolls. During his tenure he persuaded bachelors to marry wartime widows. Increased tax revenues by including orphans in the headcount and not allowing them to be exempt from taxation
- Conquest of Veii in the tenth year of war (396 BC) where after a successful siege, all the males were put to the sword and the women and children sold into slavery. Camillus does not make good on the promise to dedicate one tenth of the plunder to Apollo at Delphi. As a result the said amount must be collected from the citizens of Rome. This causes much resentment toward Camillus. Furthermore, he opposes the relocation of many Roman citizens to Veii, a move that was also opposed by the Senate, and would have gone a long way to alleviating the impoverishment of the common classes.
- 394 BC; siege of Falerii; Grammaticus offers to betray the city by turning over the children of the leading citizens in his charge to the besieging Romans; Camillus returns the children to Falerii along with the traitorous teacher. The Falerii, as a consequence of this act, voluntarily submit to Roman hegemony. Thus there is no plunder for the army.
- 393 BC, Camillus banished because of differences over the plunder of Veii and lack of plunder at Falerii. Camillus and his family choose exile to the city of Ardea.
- Gauls invade and beat the Roman army at the battle of Allia and sack Rome (390 BC). When the Gauls threaten Ardea, Camillus raises an army and attacks them while they’re occupying Rome. But not before having the remaining Senators make him Dictator. Once appointed, he defeats the Gauls in battle outside the city. He is named the “second Romulus, the second founder of Rome.”
- Aequi and Volsci, supported by the Etruscans, invade Roman territory after the Gauls are defeated (389 BC). Camillus, who is military tribune, is appointed Dictator. Wins battles and stops the invasions but is not able to decisively defeat the Latin tribes.
- Camillus appointed consular tribune for the sixth time in 378 BC and defeats the Volsci. Tusculum incorporated into the Roman state with full citizen rights.
- Appointed dictator in 368 BC in order to prosecute the war with Velletri. This was an attempt by the Patricians to distract the populace of Rome from a plan to have two consuls elected each year; one from the Patricians, the other from the Plebeians. Under threat from the commons, Camillus resigned his Dictatorship and the plan was ultimately implemented with the passage of the Lex Licinia Sextia.
- Appointed dictator for the fifth time in 367 BC to confront another Gallic invasion. He made tactical adjustments to Roman armature, including protecting the head with metal helmets and edging Roman shields with a bronze rim in order to withstand the Gallic slashing sword. Soldiers were also given long pikes to keep Gallic swordsmen at bay. The Gauls were crushed at the battle of the Anio River.
- Camillus dies of the plague in 365 BC.
Key Characteristics of Camillus
- Scion of a patrician family
- Mild temperament
- Modest in command
- Conservative politically
- Effective military commander
- Good organizer and strong administrator
