Mamercinus

• of or belonging to a Mamercus, Mamercine, a Roman surname, e. g. L. Aemilius Mamercinus, Liv. 7, 1.

or Mamercus, the most ancient family of the patrician Aemilia Gens, and one of the most distinguished of all the Roman families in the early ages of the republic. The family professed to derive its name from Mamercus in the reign of Numa, to whom indeed all the Aemilii traced their origin. [Mamercus; Aemilia Gens.] This family, like many of the other distinguished families in early Roman history, disappears about the time of the Samnite wars. The name Mamercus was very early used as a praenomen in the Aemilia gens, and continued to be so employed, especially by the Aemilii Lepidi, long after the family of this name had become extinct. In the same way we find that Cossus, which was originally a family-name of the Cornelii, was revived as a praenomen by the Cornelii Lentuli, after the family of the Cossi had sunk into oblivion. [Cossus.]

1. L. Aemilius Mam. F. Mamercus, consul for the first time in B. C. 484 with K. Fabius Vibulanus, conquered the Volsci and Aequi, according to Livy, but suffered a defeat from them, according to the statement of Dionysius, who also says that Mamercus was in consequence ashamed to go into the city for the purpose of holding the comitia. (Liv. 2.42; Dionys. A. R. 8.83-87; Diod. 11.38.) He was consul a second time in B. C. 478 with C. Servilius Structus Ahala, and defeated the Veientines before the walls of their city with great slaughter. He subsequently concluded a treaty with them on terms which the senate regarded as too favourable, and was in consequence denied the honour of a triumph. (Liv. 2.49 ; Dionys. A. R. 9.16, 17; Diod. 11.52.) He was consul a third time in B. C. 473 with Vopiscus Julius Julus. For the events of this year see Julus, No. 3, where the authorities are given. We learn from Dionysius (9.51) that he supported in B. C. 470 the agrarian law, on account of his hostility to the senate for having denied him a triumph.

2. Tib. Aemilius MAM. N. Mamercus, L. F., son of No. 1, was consul in B. C. 470 with L. Valerius Potitus. Their year of office was one of considerable agitation, on account of the agrarian law and the trial of App. Claudius. Tib. Mamercus supported the law along with his father, because the latter had been wronged by the senate. [No. 1.] He also led an army into the country of the Sabines, but did not perform anything of consequence. (Liv. 2.61, 62; Dionys. A. R. 9.51, 55; Diod. 11.69.) He was consul a second time in B. C. 467 with Q. Fabius Vibulanus, and again warmly supported the agrarian law: in each year it was no doubt the execution of the Cassian law which he endeavoured to carry into effect. In this year he was to some extent successful. Without disturbing the occupiers of the public land, some land which had been taken from the Volsci in the preceding year was assigned to the plebs, and a colony sent to Antium. Mamercus carried on war against the Sabines again in this year. (Liv. 3.1; Dionys. A. R. 9.59; Diod. 11.74; comp. Niebuhr, Hist. of Rome, vol. ii. pp. 229, 230.)

3. Mam. Aemilius Mamercinus, M. F., consular tribune in B. C. 438. (Liv. 4.16; Diod. 12.38.) In B. C. 437 he was nominated dictator, to prosecute the war against the Veientines and Fidenates, because Fidenae had revolted. in the previous year to Lar Tolumnius, the king of Veii. He appointed L. Quinctius Cincinnatus his magister equitum, and gained a brilliant victory over the forces of the enemy, and obtained a triumph in consequence. (Liv. 4.17_20; Eutrop. 1.19 ; Lydus, de Magistr. 1.38.) It was in this battle that Lar Tolumnius is said by Livy to have been killed in single combat by Cornelius Cossus; but it is very doubtful whether this event happened in this year. [See Cossus, No. 2.] Indeed the conquest of the Fidenates and the death of Lar Tolumnius is referred by Niebuhr to B. C. 426, in which year Aemilius Mamercinus is stated to have been dictator for the third time. And it is not improbable, as Niebuhr remarks, that " some member of the Aemilian house found matter in legendary traditions for an apocryphal panegyric on this Aemilius: in this panegyric more dictatorships were probably ascribed to him than he ever really filled, and the exploits achieved under his auspices, as well as his own, were referred to definite years, which they did not belong to." (Hist. of Rome, vol. ii. p. 458.)

But, returning to the ancient authorities, we find that Aemilius Mamercinus is put down as dictator a second time in B. C. 433 with A. Postumius Tu bertus as his magister equitum. He was appointed to the dictatorship through fear of an impending war in Etruria, but this passed off, and he had no occasion to leave the city. In this year he carried a law limiting to eighteen months the duration of the censorship, which had formerly lasted for five years. This measure was received with great ap probation by the people; but the censors then in office were so enraged at it, that they removed him from his tribe, and reduced him to the condition of an aerarian. (Liv. 4.23, 24.) He is named as dictator a third time in B. C. 426 with A. Cornelius Cossus as his magister equitum. It was probably in this year, as we have already stated, that he conquered the Veientines and Fidenates, and took Fidenae, not in his first dictatorship, though Livy and other ancient authorities speak of a victory gained over these people in each of these years. (Liv. 4.31-34; Oros. 2.13; Diod. 12.80.)

4. M'. Aemilius Mam. F. M. N. Mamercinus, son of No. 3, was consul in B. C. 410 with C. Valerius Potitus Volusus. (Liv. 4.53; Diod. 13.76.) He was also three times consular tribune, first in B. C. 405, a second time in B. C. 403, and a third time in B. C. 401. (Liv. 4.61, 5.1, 10.)

5. C. Aemilius Tib. F. Tib. N. Mamercinus, consular tribune in B. C. 394, carried on the war with his colleague Sp. Postumius Albinus against the Aequi. He was consular tribune again in B. C. 391, when, in conjunction with his colleague C. Lucretius, he conquered the people of Volsinii. (Liv. 5.26, 28, 32; Diod. 14.97, 107.)

6. L. Aemilius Mam. F. M. N. Mamercinus, son of No. 3, was consular tribune seven times, first in B. C. 391 (Fast. Capit.), a second time in 389, a third time in 387, a fourth time in 383, a fifth time in 382. a sixth time in 380, and a seventh time ill 377. (Liv. 6.1, , 21, 22, 27, 32.)

7. L. Aemilius Mam. N. Mamercinus, L. F., son of No. 6, was magister equitum to the dictator M. Furius Camillus, B. C. 368;. He was consul in B. C. 366 with L. Sextius Lateranus, who was the first plebeian elected to this dignity, in accordance with the Licinian law, which had been recently passed. He was again elected to the consulship in B. C. 363, with Cn. Genucius Aventinensis. (Liv. 6.38, 7.1, 3; Diod. 15.82; 16.2.)

8. L. Aemilius Mamercinius, L. F. L. N., Son of No. 7, was interrex in B. C. 353, and magister equitum to C. Julius Julus in B. C. 352. (Liv. 7.17, 21.)

9. L. Aemilius Mamxercinus Privernas, L. F. L. N., the son of No. 8, a distinguished general in the Samnite wars, was consul for the first time in B. C. 341 with C. Plautins Venno Hypsaeus, in which year he merely laid waste the Samnite territory. In B. C. 335 he was elected dictator, for the purpose of holding the comitia as the consuls were absent from Rome. In B. C. 329 he was consul a second time with C. Plautius Decianus. There was great alarm at Rome at this time, in consequence of a report that the Gauls were marching southward. Accordingly, while Decianus proceeded against Privernum, which continued to prolong its resistance, Mamercinus began to levy a large army, in order to oppose the Gauls; but as the report of the Gaulish inroad proved to be unfounded, both consuls united their forces against Privernum. The town was taken, and Mamercinus as well as his colleague obtained a triumph in consequence. The capture of this town must have been regarded as a very glorious achievement, since Mamercinus received the surname of Privernas, and the Plautii preserved the recollection of it upon their coins. In B. C. 316 Mamercinus was again elected dictator, and fought against the Samnites with success. (Liv. 8.1, 16, 20, 9.21.)

10. Tib. Aemilius TIB. F. TIB. N. Mamercinus, consul B. C. 339 with Q. Publilius Philo. Aemilius, invested his colleague with the dictatorship, for the purpose of depriving the curiae of a great part of their power. (See Dict. of Ant. s. v. Publiliae Leges.) Livy attributes the appointment of Publilius by Aemilius to disappointment on the part of the latter, who had been refused a triumph by the senate; but respecting the real reason for this step, see Niebuhr, Hist. of Rome, vol. iii. p. 146, &c. (Liv. 8.12.)

1. P. Pinarius Mamercinus Rufus, consul B. C. 489, with C. Julius Julus. [Julus, No. 1.]

2. L. Pinarius Mamercinus Rufus, consul B. C. 472 with P. Furius Medullinus Fusus. (Liv. 2.56; Dionys. A. R. 9.40; Diod. 11.66; Macrob. Saturn. 1.13.)

3. L. Pinarmus Mamercinus Rufus, L. F. P. N., consular tribune B. C. 432. (Liv. 4.25; Diod. xii, 60.)