The Partial Recap - 430s BCE

We recap the confusing details of the 430s BCE. Be careful – there's a lot of dictators about!

This is a short, sharp, scripted overview of all the big events that defined the 430s BCE. If you’re inspired to delve into more details, all the episodes from this decade can be found in our Foundation of Rome series starting with Episode 127: The Assassination of Spurius Maelius.

The Partial Recap – 430s BCE

A view to the East over the Roman Forum with the Temple of Saturn on the left and the Palatine Hill on the right, showing the Temple of Castor and Pollux, the Arch of Titus, Santa Francesca Romana, and the Colosseum. Detail from the photograph by Nicholas Hartmann, June 1976. Image Source: Wikimedia Commons. Used under license.

Sound Credits

Our music was composed by the incomparable Bettina Joy de Guzman.

Automated Transcript

Dr Rad 0:16
Welcome to The Partial Historians,

Dr G 0:20
we explore all the details of ancient Rome.

Dr Rad 0:23
Everything from the political scandals, the love affairs, the battles waged and when citizens turn against each other. I'm Dr. Rad

Dr G 0:34
and I'm Dr. G. We consider Rome as the Romans saw it by reading different authors from the ancient past and comparing their stories.

Dr Rad 0:43
Join us as we trace the journey of Rome from the founding of the city.

Welcome to the Partial Recap for the 430s BCE.

Dr G 1:12
I'm Dr. G.

Dr Rad 1:14
And I'm Dr. Rad

Dr G 1:15
And this is our highlights addition of the 430s in Rome will take you through from 439 to 430. In an epitome of our normal episodes

Dr Rad 1:27
Perfect for those mornings when you don't want some lengthy rhetoric with your coffee. But Please be warned. The Roman world is a violent one

Dr G 1:34
Get ready for a re-cappuccino.

Dr Rad 2:02
439 BCE. In 439 BCE, the consuls were Agrippa Menenius Lanatus and Titus Quinctius Capitolinus Barbatus, Rome was still having issues with their green supply and 439 BCE. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that they were having issues with the man who had tried to solve the green crisis and to be honest, the dates are blurry here. This is more 439 and 438. An equestrian named Spurius Maelius had used his private fortune to secure desperately needed corn, something that the officially appointed prefect of corn supply Lucius Minucius had failed to do. Spurius Maelius had allegedly been using his success with the grain to curry favour and after carefully building support amongst the plebs instal himself as monarch. Funnily enough Minucius was the one to uncover this dastardly plot. Jealous much? This may somehow connect to another version of events we have in which the people overthrew Minucius and put Maelius in his place. In this time of crisis, the Romans turned to Cincinnatus, that old war horse or did they? Officially Cincinnatus was made dictator and chose Gaius Servilius Ahala, whose name means Gaius Servilius ‘Armpit', as the master of the horse, depending who you believe Ahala was either just a random elite man who was given a senatorial approval to kill Maelius, or he was sent by Cincinnatus to arrest the scheming Spurius. When Spurius decided not to go quietly, and when he screamed for help from the nearby plebs, Ahala decided to murder him on the spot. Naturally. Ahala and a band of young patricians reported the crime to Cincinnatus, who was thoroughly pleased that Maelius was dead. The populace were less thrilled and Cincinnatus summoned an assembly to explain exactly how Maelius' murder went down. With Rome safe again, Maelius' house was torn down. Too much evil plotting had gone down in there to leave it standing. It became a memorial named the Aquaemaelium to commemorate whatever he was supposedly doing. The rest of his property was donated to the public treasury. Again, according which account you believe some other traitors flesh rabbits may have found their heads detached for their bodies and displayed in the Forum. In the aftermath of the Spurius Maelius debacle, Lucius Minucius was given an ox and a gilded statue outside the Porta Trigamenia, he may also have been made a plebeian and an 11th tribune of the plebs just to keep an eye on them after this attempted coup business, but even Livy is unsure about this one. The tribunes certainly weren't pleased that Minucius was being honoured, so they pushed to have military tribunes with consular power and 438 BCE. Come on pleb power! Ahala did not fare as well as Minucius going into “self imposed exile”. Wink. Looking to delve deeper into the details of 439 BCE, check out our Episode 127 The Assassination of Spurius Maelius.

Dr G 5:49
438 BCE in 438 BCE, the military tribunes with consular power were Mamercus Aemilius, Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus and Lucius Julius Iullus. If the idea to have military tributes with consular power is to allow non elite Romans into the politics then we can call this year a fail. These guys are all patricians. It's a tough time in Rome because the Roman colony of Fidenae decided to revolt and side with the Etruscan city of Veii, led by King Lars Tolumnius: disaster! To make matters worse, the Fidenates ended up murdering the ambassadors that the Romans sent to sort out this mess. Lars Tolumnius may have had something to do with this, but it is all very murky. The four slain ambassadors received statues which were erected at the public expense in Rome, lest we forget. Me thinks the Romans have vengeance on their mind. Jump into Episode 128 Mopping up Maelius, to catch all the details.

Dr Rad 7:31
437 BC in 437 BCE, the consuls were Marcus Geganius Macerinus and Lucius