Cossus

• a surname in the gens Cornelia (cf. Paul. ex Fest. p. 41, 9 Müll.); so esp. the military tribune in the war with the Veientes, A. Cornelius Cossus, Liv. 4, 19, 1 sq.; and id. 4, 30, 4 sqq.; Verg. A. 6, 841; Juv. 8, 21 al.

the name of a patrician family of the Cornelia gens. This family produced many illustrious men in the fifth century before the Christian aera, but afterwards sunk into obiivion. The name " Cossus" was afterwards revived as a praenomen in the family of the Lentuli, who belonged to the same gens. The Cossi and Maluginenses were probably one family originally, for at first both these surnames are united, as for instance, in the case of Ser. Cornelius Cossus Maluginensis, consul in B. C. 485. [ Maluginensis.] Afterwards, however, the Cossi and Maluginenses became two separate families.

1. Ser. Cornelius M. F. L. N. Cossus, one of the three consular tribunes in B. C. 434, though other authorities assign consuls to this year. (Diod. 12.53; Liv. 4.23.)

2. Ser. Cornelius (M. F. L. N.) Cossus probably brother of the preceding, was consul in B. C. 428 with T. Quinctius Pennus Cincinnatus II., and two years afterwards, B. C. 426, one of the four consular tribunes, when he was entrusted with the care of the city, while his three colleagues had the conduct of the war against Veii. But the latter having met with a repulse, Cossus nominated Mam. Aemilius Mamercinus dictator, who in his turn appointed Cossus master of the horse.

It was this Cossus who killed Lar Tolumnius, the king of the Veii, in single combat, and dedicated his spoils in the temple of Jupiter Feretrius--the second of the three instances in which the spolia opima were won. But the year in which Tolumnius was slain, was a subject of dispute even in antiquity. Livy following, as he says, all his authorities, places it in B. C. 437, nine years before the consulship of Cossus, when he was military tribune in the army of Main. Aemilius Mamercinus, who is said to have been dictator in that year likewise. At the same time the historian brings forward several reasons why this was improbable, and mentions in particular that Augustus had discovered a linen breastplate in the temple of Jupiter Feretrius, on which it was stated that the consul Cossus had won these spoils. But as the year of Cossus' consulship was, according to the annalists, one of pestilence and dearth without any military operations, it is probable that Tolumnius was slain by Cossus in the year of his consular tribunate, when he was master of the horse, especially since it is expressly placed in that year by some writers. (V. Max. 3.2.4; Auir. Vict. de Vir. Ill. 25.) In dedicating the spoils, Cossus would have added the title of consul, either on account of his having tilled that dignity or in consideration of his holding at the time the consular tribunate. (Liv. 4.19, 20, 30_32; Plut. Romul. 16, Marcell. 8; Niebuhr, ii. p. 458, &c.; Propert. 4.10. 23, &c., who gives quite a different account.)

3. P. Cornelius Cossus, A. F. P. N., consular tribune in B. C.415. (Liv. 4.49; Diod. 13.34.)

4. Cn. Cornelius Cossus, A. F. M. N., consular tribune in B. C. 414, and consul in 409 with L. Furius Medullinus II., the year in which plebeian quaestors were first created. (Liv. 4.49, 54; Diod. 13.38.)

5. A. Cornelius Cossus, A. F. M. N., brother of No. 4, consul in B. C. 413 with L. Furius Medullinus. (Liv. 4.51; Diod. 13.43.)

6. P. Cornelius Cossus, A. F. M. N., brother of Nos. 4 and 5, consular tribune ill B. C. .408, in which year a dictator was appointed on account of the war with the Volsci and Aequi. (Liv. 4.56; Diod. 13.104.)

7. P. Cornelius Rutilus Cossus, M. F. L. N., dictator in B. C. 408, defeated the Volsci near Antium, laid waste their territory, took by storm a fort near lake Fucinus, by which he made 3000 prisoners, and then returned to Rome. He was consular tribune in B. C. 406. (Liv. 4.56, 58.)

8. Cn. Cornelius Cossus, P. F. A. N., consular tribune in B. C. 406, when he was left in charge of the city while his colleagues marched against Veil, consular tribune a second time in 404, and a third time in 401, in the last of which years he laid waste the country of the Capenates, but the enemy did not venture upon a battle. Cossus was a moderate man in the party struggles of his day. He caused a third stipendium to be paid to those horsemen, who were not supplied with a horse by the state, and was supposed to have procured the elevation of his half-brother or cousin, the plebeian P. Licinius Calvus, to the consular tribunate in B. C. 400. (Liv. 4.58, 61, 5.10, 12.)

9. P. Cornelius Maluginensis Cossus, consular tribune B. C. 395, when he ravaged the territory of the Falisci, and consul in 393 with L. Valerius Potitus; but he and his colleague were obliged to resign their office in consequence of some defect in the election, and L. Lucretius Flavus Triciptinus and Ser. Sulpicius Camerinus were appointed in their stead. (Liv. 5.24; Fasti.)

10. A. Cornelius Cossus, was appointed dictator B. C. 385, partly on account of the Volscian war, but chiefly to crush the designs of Manlius. The dictator at first marched against the Volsci, whom he defeated with great slaughter, although their forces were augmented by the Latini, Hernici and others. He then returned to Rome, threw Manlius into prison, and celebrated a triumph for the victory he had gained over the Volsci. (Liv. 6.11_16.)

11. A. Cornelius Cossus, consular tribune in B. C. 369, and a second time in 367, in the latter of which years the Licinian laws were passed. (Liv. 6.36, 42.)

12. A. Cornelius Cossus Arvina. [Arvina.]

A Roman consul (B.C. 428) who killed in single combat Lar Tolumnius, king of Veii, and dedicated his spoils to Inpiter Feretrius, this being the second of the three instances in which the spolia opima were won (Liv.iv. 19 and 20). See Spolia Opima.