Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

Gaius Fabricius Luscinus

 
Classical Literature Companion: Gaius Fabricius Luscīnus
 

Fabricius Luscīnus, Gaius, (‘blind in one eye’) a hero of the Romans' war with Pyrrhus (280–272 BC), a novus homo who was twice consul and was admired in later times for his old-style virtues of austerity, high principle, and incorruptibility. He refused bribes from Pyrrhus when he was sent to him by the Romans in 280 to negotiate an exchange of prisoners; and in the campaign of 278 when he was consul and in command of the Roman forces, he sent back to Pyrrhus the latter's treacherous doctor who had offered to poison him. This generous act paved the way for Pyrrhus' withdrawal from Italy. Fabricius was a notably strict censor in 275. At his death he left no money to provide his daughters' dowry, which was given by the senate.

Search unanswered questions...
Enter a word or phrase...
All Community Q&A Reference topics
 
Wikipedia: Gaius Fabricius Luscinus
Top

Gaius Fabricius Luscinus ("the one-eyed"), son of Gaius, was said to have been the first of the Fabricii to move to ancient Rome, his family originating from Aletrium (Livy ix. 43).

In 284 BC he was one of the ambassadors to Tarentum, successfully keeping the peace, and was elected consul in 282 BC, where he saved Thurii from the Sabellians. After the Romans were defeated by Pyrrhus at Heraclea, Fabricius negotiated peace terms with Pyrrhus and maybe the ransom and exchange of prisoners; Plutarch (Pyrrhus 18) reports that Pyrrhus was impressed by his inability to bribe Fabricius, and released the prisoners even without a ransom. Fabricius was consul a second time in 278 BC, and once again successful against the Samnites, Lucanians and Bruttians. He also defeated Tarentum's army after Pyrrhus' departure from Italy to Sicily.

Fabricius was elected censor in 275 BC.

The tales of Fabricius are the standard ones of austerity and incorruptibility, similar to those told of Curius Dentatus, and Cicero often cites them together; it is difficult to make out a true personality behind the virtues.


Preceded by
Publius Cornelius Dolabella and Gnaeus Domitius Calvinus Maximus
Consul of the Roman Republic
with Quintus Aemilius Papus
282 BC
Succeeded by
Lucius Aemilius Barbula and Quintus Marcius Philippus
Preceded by
Publius Sulpicius Saverrio and Publius Decius Mus
Consul of the Roman Republic
with Quintus Aemilius Papus
278 BC
Succeeded by
Publius Cornelius Rufinus and Gaius Iunius Bubulcus Brutus

 
 

 

Copyrights:

Classical Literature Companion. The Concise Oxford Companion to Classical Literature. Copyright © 1993, 2003 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Gaius Fabricius Luscinus" Read more