Who was cincinnatus and why was he important to ancient Rome?

Answer 1

won battles. And after he won his battles, he resigned his Dictatorship and returned to his farm, not holding on to his power any longer than necessary.

Answer 2

The ancient Roman republican, Cincinnatus (fl. 5th century BC/BCE), is considered a model of civic virtue especially because of his remarkable demonstration of two positive character-traits that brought great good to his society. The first was self-sacrifice, by which he gave up the safety and comfort of private life to serve diligently in public office. The second was self-discipline, by which he stepped down from public office, despite the temptation to remain and to increase his personal prestige and perhaps even wealth, once his duties were completed.

Answer 3

He was elected as a military dictator because Rome was threatened with war. He was farming when a Senatorial envoy came to talk to him and explain to him what had taken place, but Cincinnatus stopped him and put on his toga (sign of good Roman). He then took office as dictator and leads the army and beats the enemy in a few days (16 or 24 i can't remember) and he then returns to his plow after he has won. In Rome if you were elected dictator you had complete control of Rome for 2 years. He only took power when he needed to and didn't abuse his power that he had been given. That is why Cincinnatus was the ideal Roman citizen.

Answer 4

Cincinnatus was important to the development of Rome's Republican identity. He served as a Consul in 460 B.C., then was appointed as dictator in 458 B.C. and in 439 B.C. On both occasions, he promptly retired his dictatorship after accomplishing the goal for which he was appointed (subduing the Aequians and then putting down a revolt by Spurius Maelius). Hence, Cincinnatus was regarded as the model of Roman Republican virtue.

Answer 5

Cincinnatus was the man who was called from plowing his field in 458 BC to become dictator of Rome. He is renown for his old fashioned Roman values and his honesty, and throughout Roman history he was cited as an example of Roman values.

Answer 6

Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus (519 BC - 430 BC) was a Roman patrician (aristocrat) who had been impoverished by having to pay a huge fine for his son. He had to sell most of his land to pay for this. He then retired to work on the land he had left, which was only a small farm just outside Rome. He was appointed dictator in 458 BC to lead the Roman army against Aequi. He was told this while he was ploughing his land.

He defeated the Aequi at the Battle of Mons Algidus. After this, he disbanded his army, resigned, and returned to his plough. His resignation was nothing exceptional. Dictators were supposed to resign when they completed their mandated task.

Cincinnatus' leaving the plough and returning to it was mythologised by Roman historians. To them this epitomised the ideals of the Roman aristocracy who liked to see the Romans as frugal, hardy, dutiful and upright farmers. Cincinnatus was seen as a perfect case of service to the greater good, civic virtue, lack of personal ambition, modesty and Roman gravitas and was seen as an indication of the rectitude of the older days as compared to the perceived decadence and corruption of the later days when Roman historians were writing their histories.

Answer 7

Cincinnatus was seen as an ideal leader by later Romans, those of the classical period, rather than the early Romans.

Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus (519 BC - 430 BC) was a Roman patrician (aristocrat) who had been impoverished by having to pay a huge fine for his son. He had to sell most of his land. He then retired to work on the land he had left, which was only a small farm just outside Rome. He was appointed dictator in 458 BC to lead the Roman army against Aequi who were advancing towards the city. He was told this while he was ploughing his land.

He defeated the Aequi at the Battle of Mons Algidus. After this, he disbanded his army, resigned, and returned to his plough. His resignation was nothing exceptional. Dictators were supposed to resign when they completed their mandated task.

Cincinnatus' leaving the plough and returning to it was mythologised by the Roman historian Livy, who wrote several centuries later. To them this epitomised the ideals of the Roman aristocracy who liked to see the Romans as frugal, hardy, dutiful and upright farmers. Cincinnatus was seen as a perfect case of service to the greater good, civic virtue, lack of personal ambition, modesty and Roman gravitas and was seen as an indication of the rectitude of the older days as compared to the perceived decadence and corruption of the later days when Roman historians were writing their histories.

Another element that contributed to the mythologizing of Cincinnatus was the fact which he dealt with Spurius Maelius's alleged attempt to become a king. To the Romans of the Republic, monarchy was seen as tyranny and Cincinnatus was seen as a saviour of liberty.

Answer 8

• He was very humble and lived a quiet, simple life as a farmer.

Answer 9

Won battles I believe :)