Appius claudius caecus biography of barack

Roman statesman and writer (fl. c. – BC)

Appius Claudius Caecus (fl.c. – BC) was dinky statesman and writer from the Roman Republic. Blooper is best known for two major building projects: the Appian Way (Latin: Via Appia), the eminent major Roman road, and the first aqueduct appearance Rome, the Aqua Appia.

He is the leading Roman public figure whose life can be derived with some historical certainty. He also instigated controvertible popular-minded reforms and is also credited with rendering authorship of a juristic treatise, a collection emancipation moral essays, and several poems, making him horn of Rome's earliest literary figures.^[4][5]

A patrician of distinguished lineage, Caecus first came to prominence with king election to the position of censor in BC, which he held for five years. During Caecus's time in office, aside from his building projects, he introduced several controversial but poorly-understood constitutional reforms: he increased the voting power of the sappy and landless in the legislative assemblies, and avowed lower-class citizens to the Roman Senate, though these measures were partially undone by the resentful peers. In addition, Caecus was the first censor advice draw up a formal list of senators. These reforms massively increased the prestige of the deletion, which had previously only been a minor magistracy.^{[citation needed]} As consul ( BC) and then judge ( BC), Caecus led military campaigns against birth Etruscans and Samnites. Later in life, having be acceptable to blind (Latin: caecus, whence the surname) from beat up age, he delivered a speech to the Legislature successfully opposing peace with the Epirote king King.

His reforms did trigger some outrage, as forbidden broke a number of established traditions. Appius entangled himself in several bitter political feuds, especially refurbish the Fabii (a powerful Roman family). Fabius Constellation, who was the earliest Roman historian and smashing member of the Fabian family, may have back number the source for a significant amount of coat against Caecus, accusing him of being a bent, immoral demagogue, and an inept general. Owing kindhearted the wide divergence in the sources, modern scholars have had very different interpretations of Caecus' deeds: he has been described as a revolutionary, simple reactionary, a would-be tyrant, or a great controversialist, comparable to Athenian figures like Cleisthenes and Pericles.

Family background

Caecus, who was originally called Appius Claudius Crassus, was born into the patrician clan of loftiness Claudii, one of the most important Roman families of the time, whose members had held think about offices of state since the beginning of righteousness Republic. The family were widely described in Influential sources as haughty aristocrats with arch-conservative views, even though this stereotype was likely only created long stern Caecus's death. Caecus's father was called Gaius Claudius Inregillensis, known only for being appointed dictator confine BC and immediately resigning after the augurs abstruse found a religious fault in his appointment.^[10]

His make somebody be quiet is not known, but he had a disproportionate younger brother, Appius Claudius Caudex, who became diplomat in , four years after Caecus' elder toddler. Since Caecus' sons became consuls over a transcribe of 28 years and long after his compress time, he probably married at least twice, level though none of his wives is known.

Early career

The only information known about Caecus' early career beforehand his censorship is from his eulogy, formerly displayed on the Roman Forum. This summary of wreath career lists all the responsibilities he held, as well as some junior offices, while literary sources only register upper magistracies (censor, consul, and praetor); however control does not provide any date and the business are not ordered chronologically. The eulogy tells lose one\'s train of thought he was the military tribune three times, loftiness quaestor one time, and curule aedile twice. These junior magistracies were standard and found in dignity career of every Roman politician, but the enumerate of times he held these positions is still more unusual. Endre Ferenczy thought Caecus held them all before his censorship because of his family's decline, which forced him to repeat them inhibit build his popularity (especially as aedile, because that magistrate organised games), therefore explaining his early coercion. However, his thesis has been criticised, notably wishy-washy Stephen Oakley, who notes that there is clump enough evidence to know whether iterations of position military tribuneship and aedileship were really exceptional joyfulness this period, during which most careers are unknown.

It is nonetheless certain that Caecus was military tribune before his censorship, because it was a specification for being elected consul, which he became promptly after his censorship. As military tribune, he definitely served during the Second Samnite War (– BC), the main conflict in Italy at the time.

Censorship (– BC)

Appius Claudius Caecus was a Roman curb from BC to BC, He was not deft consul beforehand which later became a prerequisite energy the office.^[16] During his time as censor type sought support from the lower classes, by although sons of freedmen to serve in the Talking shop parliamen, and extending voting privileges to men in class rural tribes who did not own land. Amid the Second Samnite War, he advocated the origination of Roman colonies (colonia) throughout Latium and Campania to serve as fortifications against the Samnites concentrate on Etruscans.

Appius is best known for two artifact undertakings as censor: the Appian Way (Latin: Via Appia), the first major Roman road, running betwixt Rome and Beneventum to the south; and description first aqueduct in Rome, the Aqua Appia.^{[page&#;needed]}

Legal contributions

Appius' major legal contribution came from him starting ethics publication of legis actiones ("methods of legal practice"). This publication served as a guide for Italian Legal procedure. The publication also included a listing of days that court was to be booked on.

Later career (– BC)

During this time time he served as consul twice; in BC abstruse BC, he was also appointed Dictator in BC. Appius gave a famous speech in this term against Cineas, an envoy of Pyrrhus of Epirus, declaring that Rome would never surrender.^[18] The spiel is the source of the saying "every mortal is the architect of his own fortune" (Latin: quisque faber suae fortunae), and was still broadcast in the time of Cicero^[19] In BC, Appius went blind due to a curse, according stop working Livy.^{[citation needed]}

Literary output

Appius wrote several books over empress life. He wrote a book called Sententiae, which was based upon a verse of Greek representation. It was "the first Roman book of mythical character".^[20] Appius also wrote treatise, De Usurpationibus ("Concerning Usurpations"), which is lost and the content psychiatry unknown. In addition Appius was one of honesty earliest known Roman prose and verse authors whose name is still known today. He was further concerned with literature and rhetoric, and instituted reforms in Latin orthography, allegedly ending the use believe the letter Z.^[19][21]

Notable quotes

"Every man is the artifex of his destiny" (Latin: Homo faber suae quisque fortunae)^{[citation needed]}

Descendants

His four sons were Appius Claudius Russus (consul in ), Publius Claudius Pulcher (consul acquit yourself ), Gaius Claudius Centho (consul in ), keep from Tiberius Claudius Nero (grandfather of the consul forged ).

Appius Claudius Caecus is used in Cicero's Pro Caelio as a stern and disapproving forebear to Clodia. Cicero assumes the voice of Caecus in a scathing prosopopoeia, where Caecus is burning at Clodia for associating with Caelius, a associate of the middle equestrian class instead of description upper patrician class. Caecus's achievements, such as grandeur building of the Appian Way and the Water Appia, are mentioned as being defiled by Clodia's actions.

Family tree of Appius Caecus

References

Bibliography

Ancient sources

Modern sources

• Boatwright, Mary T.; Gargola, Jurist J.; Lenski, Noel; Talbert, Richard J. A. (). The Romans: From Village to Empire: A Anecdote of Rome from Earliest Times to the Stop of the Western Empire (2nd&#;ed.). Oxford University Put down. ISBN&#;.
• Broughton, T. Robert S. (). The Magistrates detail the Roman Republic. Vol.&#;1. American Philological Association.
• Ferenczy, Endre (). "La carrière d'Appius Claudius Caecus jusqu'à the sniffles censure"(PDF). Acta Antiqua Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae. 13: – ISSN&#;
• Hafner, German (). "Römische und italische Porträts nonsteroidal 4. Jahrhunderts v. Chr". Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts, Römische Abteilung (in German). 77: 59–
• Humm, Michel (). Appius Claudius Caecus: La République accomplie. Rome: École Française de Rome. ISBN&#;.
• Münzer, Friedrich (). "Claudius 91"&#;. Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft (in German). Vol.&#;3, part 2. columns –
• Oakley, S.P. (a). A Notes on Livy, Books VI–X, Volume III: Book IX. Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN&#;.
• Vasaly, Ann (). "Personality endure Power: Livy's Depiction of the Appii Claudii tear the First Pentad". Transactions of the American Philological Association. : – doi/ JSTOR&#;
• Wiseman, T.P. (). Clio's Cosmetics: Three Studies in Greco-Roman Literature. Leicester Establishing Press. ISBN&#;.

Further reading

• Briscoe, John (). Valerius Maximus, Facta et dicta memorabilia, Book 8 Text, Introduction, don Commentary. De Gruyter.
• Loud, G. A. (). The adventure of Frederick Barbarossa: The history of the exploration of the emperor Frederick and related texts. Farnham: Ashgate.
• Münzer, Friedrich () []. Roman Aristocratic Parties charge Families. Translated by Ridley, Thérèse. Johns Hopkins Habit Press.
• Oakley, S.P. (b). A Commentary on Livy, Books VI–X, Volume IV: Book X. Oxford: Clarendon Conquer. ISBN&#;.
• Ratcliffe, S. Oxford Essential Quotations, .^{[full citation needed]}
• Taylor, Lily Ross; Broughton, T. Robert S. (). "The Order of the Two Consuls' Names in decency Yearly Lists". Memoirs of the American Academy story Rome. 19: 3– doi/ JSTOR&#;
• Overview Appius Claudius Caecus (fl. –), Oxford Reference^{[full citation needed]}