Triciptinus

the name of an ancient patrician family of the Lucretia gens.

1. Sp. Lucretius Triciptinus, the father of Lucretia, whose rape by Sex. Tarquinius led to the dethronement of Tarquinius Superbus and the establishment of the republic. [Vol. III. p. 978b.] Triciptinus was a member of the senate under Tarquinius, and was appointed Praefectus Urbi by the king, when the latter left the city to prosecute the war against Ardea. After the dethronement of the king, and before the appointment of the consuls, Triciptinus, in virtue of his office of Praefectus Urbi, had the government of the city. He presided at the comitia, in which the first consuls were elected, and for this purpose was probably elected interrex by the patricians, as indeed is expressly stated by Dionysius (5.11), and might be inferred from analogy.

The two first consuls were L. Junius Brutus and L. Tarquinius Collatinus, B. C. 509; and after the death of Brutus in battle, in the course of the same year, Triciptinus was elected to supply his place; but worn out by age, he died a few days after entering upon the office. (Liv. 1.58, 59, 2.8; Dionys. A. R. 4.76, 82, 84, 5.11, 19; Tac. Ann. vi 11; Cic. de Rep. 2.31.)

2. T. Lucretius Triciptinus, T. F., consul in B. C. 508 with P. Valerius Publicola, in which year he fought against the Etruscans, who had attacked Rome under Porseina, and he is said by Dionysius to have been wounded in the battle. Dionysius, however, places the invasion of Porsena in the following year, and according represents Triciptinus as one of the generals of the Roman army under the consuls. (Liv. 2.8, 11; Dionys. A. R. 5.20, 22, 23.) Triciptinus wits consul a second time in B. C. 504 with P. Valerius Publicola, in which year the consuls carried on the war against the Sabines with success. (Liv. 2.16; Dionys. A. R. 5.40, foll.)

3. Lucretius (Triciptinus), consul in B. C. 507 with P. Valerius Publicola, according to Livy (2.15); but in Dionysius (5.21) and the Fasti M. Horatius Pulvillus is mentioned instead as the colleague of Publicola. [Pulvillus, No. 1]

4. L. Lucretius Triciptinus, T. F. T. N., son of No. 2, was consul in B. C. 462 with T. Veturius Geminus Cicurinus. He fell upon the Volscians, when they were returning from an invasion of the Roman territory laden with booty, and nearly annihilated the whole army. He obtained in consequence the honour of a triumph. In the following year he exerted himself warmly to save Kaeso Quintius, who was brought to trial by the tribune Virginius. (Liv. 3.8, 10, 12; Dionys. A. R. 9.69-71.) Triciptinus is mentioned by Dionysius (11.15) as one of the distinguished senators who spoke in favour of the abolition of the decemvirate in B. C. 449.

5. Hostus Lucretius Triciptinus, L. F. T. N., son of No. 4, consul in B. C. 429 with L. Sergius Fidenas. (Liv. 4.30.)

6. P. Lucretius Hosti F. Triciptinus, son of No. 4, consular tribune in B. C. 419, and a second time in 417. (Liv. 4.44. 47.)

7. L. Lucretius Flavus Triciptinus, consul in B. C. 393 with Ser. Sulpicius Camerinus, in which year he conquered the Aequi. He was consular tribune in 391, when he gained a victory over the Volsinienses; and he held the same office a second time in 388, a third time in 383, and a fourth time in 381. (Liv. 5.29, 32, 6.4, 21, 22.) Plutarch (Camill. 32) represents L. Lucretius as the senator who was usually asked first for his opinion, probably because he was one of the few who had held the rank of consul; and the same writer informs us that Lucretius spoke against the removal to Veil.

See Lucretia Gens.