BROOKLYN COLLEGE

CLASSICS 16

ROME: CITY OF EMPIRE

The Middle Republic

War with Carthage

The Second Punic War - Fabius Maximus (c. 275-203 BC)

Rome's early relations with Carthage had been friendly, but eventually turned to enmity when Rome got involved in Sicily where Carthage had interests. Rome and Carthage fought three wars with Carthage (called the 'Punic Wars'; the Roman name for the Carthaginians was 'Poeni'): First Punic War (264-241 BC), Second Punic War (218-201 BC), and the Third Punic War (149-146 BC). Fabius Maximus was a Roman hero of the Second Punic War, in which the Carthaginian general Hannibal threatened the very existence of Rome. Hannibal was eventually defeated by Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus, whose grandson by adoption, Publius Scipio Aemilianus Africanus, completely destroyed the city of Carthage in the Third Punic War. Carthage was uninhabited for over a century, until it was reinhabited under Augustus.

In the following questions, the numbers in parentheses are references to paragraphs in Plutarch's Life of Fabius Maximus. Page references are to Jo-Ann Shelton, As the Romans Did: A Sourcebook in Roman Social History (Oxford, 1988). In answering the questions that require one of a one (or more) paragraph answer, give examples from Plutarch's text to illustrate your points. Send your answers to the following questions to me by e-mail: rdunkle@brooklyn.cuny.edu. Please read about Plutarch on page 452 of Shelton.

QUESTIONS

Note that the Fabian clan, like many an aristocratic Roman family, traced its origin back to a god (e.g., the Julian family claimed that they were descended from Venus) (1). What god did the Fabian family believe was its ancestor (1)? Fabius's full name is Quintus (praenomen) Fabius (nomen) Maximus (cognomen) Verrucosus (cognomen). All Roman citizens had at least three names: praenomen (like our first name), nomen (like our second name), and cognomen (no equivalent in most modern cultures; many cognomina (plural of cognomen) have their origin in physical peculiarities). Fabius, like some other prominent Romans, had two cognomina: Maximus ('most eminent'), which he inherited from an ancestor and Verrucosus, which he was given because of a physical characteristic). See John Porter's informative site: The Roman Name"

The high esteem that the Romans had for Fabius is evidenced by his election to five consulships. See Shelton (pp. 211-213) for the Roman magistracies and in particular, the consulship (see also "The Duties of the Consuls" on pp. 214-15). Write a brief paragraph on the contrast between popular belief in portents and Fabius's attitude (2).

What disaster led to Fabius's being appointed dictator (3)?

Why was the dictator not allowed to have a horse (unless given permission) (4)? Write two paragraphs on how Fabius used religion to the restore Roman confidence after the battle of Lake Trasimene (4). Compare his measures here to those after the battle of Cannae (18).

What problems did the tribune ('tribune of the plebeians'; see Shelton, pp. 212-214) Metilius cause for Fabius at Rome (8)? Why was Metilius able to criticize the dictator Fabius openly (9)?

How did the Romans view Fabius after the disaster at Cannae (17)?

One of Hannibal's Elephants

Late in the war Fabius attacked Bruttium, which had taken advantage of Hannibal's presence to revolt from Rome, and Tarentum, which was held by Hannibal. How did Fabius treat these two cities one he had defeated them (22) (read also Scott-Kilvert's footnotes at the bottom of p. 78)?

Roman culture was a patriarchy with a vengeance, but note Fabius's behavior when his son as a consul went to war and returned to Rome to celebrate a triumph (for the Roman triumph see Shelton, pp. 258-59) (24). What does Fabius's behavior show about the relative importance of the family and state?

Briefly contrast the strategy of Publius Cornelius Scipio (later given the cognomen of 'Africanus' for his victory over Hannibal and Carthage) with that of Fabius (25-27).

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