Your Favorite Consul

[Septimus Flavius Galarius]

Just curious to see if anyone has a favorite Consul.

 

Mine would be Gaius Claudius Nero, who was as responsible as anyone else for Hannibal's destruction. Though with Marcus Livius Salinator, Nero was the one most responsible for winning the battle of metaurus, and he was the one who had Hasdrubal's cut cut off and thrown into Hannibal's camp. Though the Roman People didn't clamor for him to be made Dictator for life like Scipio, Nero was just as important in the eventual defeat of Hannibal and Carthage.

[Publius Nonius Severus]

Wow..so many choices...I think I have to go with Quintus Fabius Maximus Rullianus based not only on his impressive military succeses, but also on the speech quoted below. The setting is the consular elections for 298 BC. There are rumors flying that the Samnites and Estruscans are levying massive armies and allies to battle Rome. There are plenty of honorable and qualified candidates for consul, but the people want Fabius Maximus who had thrice already been Consul, twice Dictator, and Censor. Here is his speech:

 

Livy 10.13

 

"... He at first simply declined to become a candidate, but when he saw the trend of popular feeling he distinctly refused to allow his name to stand: "Why," he asked, "do you want an old man like me, who has finished his allotted tasks and gained all the rewards they have brought? I am not the man I was either in strength of body or mind, and I fear lest some god should even deem my good fortune too great or too unbroken for human nature to enjoy. I have grown up to the measure of the glory of my seniors, and I would gladly see others rising to the height of my own renown. There is no lack of honours in Rome for the strongest and most capable men, nor is there any lack of men to win the honour."

 

Well, this just drove the crowd crazy and they voted for him anyway...he was elected and went on to win crush his enemies, again.

[Ursus]

Caligula's horse.

[Adelais Valerius]

I liked Marius's Reforms when he was elected in 107 BC, and his handlement of the permanent employment of the soldiers after his defeat of the Germanic and Teuton tribes.

[Julius Ratus]

Obviously, my favorite Consuls are the two from 2760 A.U.C., G.O. and A.o.S.!

 

But seriously, I never gave the topic much thought. I guess I would go with either Caesar or Marius. Since most famous Roman politicians ended up as Consuls at some point or another, you could really pick any one of them.

[Adelais Valerius]

Obviously, my favorite Consuls are the two from 2760 A.U.C., G.O. and A.o.S.!

 

But seriously, I never gave the topic much thought. I guess I would go with either Caesar or Marius. Since most famous Roman politicians ended up as Consuls at some point or another, you could really pick any one of them.

 

exactly

[M. Porcius Cato]

Since most famous Roman politicians ended up as Consuls at some point or another, you could really pick any one of them.

 

I think we tend to overestimate the importance of consuls due to their military responsibilities. In consequence, most consuls end up famous (to us), but from the Roman standpoint, there may have been more famous non-consuls than famous consuls. Just look at the list of great tribunes who never attained the consulship.

[Gaius Octavius]

Obviously, my favorite Consuls are the two from 2760 A.U.C., G.O. and A.o.S.!

 

WISDOM!

[Primus Pilus]

Conversely, look at the great number of Consuls who seemingly did very little to gain the attention of people like us. Like Monarchs, Presidents, Prime Ministers and what have you, those who stand out are generally those who were "in office" when some crisis was averted or when some great war took place.

 

However, we sometimes overestimate the importance of some because of great historical events. Take for instance the reign of Antoninus Pius. While largely unknown in comparison to many more famous imperial counterparts, his reign was one of peace, stability and a sound economy. Forgive a rather generic response, but the thought simply forced its way out.

[Julius Ratus]

Since most famous Roman politicians ended up as Consuls at some point or another, you could really pick any one of them.

 

I think we tend to overestimate the importance of consuls due to their military responsibilities. In consequence, most consuls end up famous (to us), but from the Roman standpoint, there may have been more famous non-consuls than famous consuls. Just look at the list of great tribunes who never attained the consulship.

 

 

There were important tribunes who never became consuls, but who ever talks about, "Oh, he was the greatest Aedile there ever was!" Adding tribunes to my earlier assertion, anyone who was anyone became either a Consul or a Tribune. Cicero was a very good Quaestor in Sicilia and gaind some of his fame there. As a result of his fame and greatness he achieved the Consulship. The Tribuneate seems to have been the place where people could get their fame quickly without having to work their way through senetorial politics. The younger Gracchi, Clodius, and Milo are four such examples. The elder Gracchus (Tiberius Semphronius Gracchus, a.k.a. Daddy Gracchus) did become Consul due to his achievements in war.

[M. Porcius Cato]

There were important tribunes who never became consuls, but who ever talks about, "Oh, he was the greatest Aedile there ever was!" Adding tribunes to my earlier assertion, anyone who was anyone became either a Consul or a Tribune.

 

That's a better generalization. Looking just as the Romans in Plutarch's Lives:

 

Consuls:

P. Valerius Publicola (cos. 509, 508, 507)

M. Furius Camillus (dict. 396, 390, 389, 368, 367)

Q. Fulvius Flaccus (cos. 237, 224, 212, 209)

C. Flaminius (cos 223, 217)

M. Claudius Marcellus (cos 222, 215, 214, 210, 208)

Q. Fabius Maximus Verrucosus 'Cunctator' (cos 233, 228, 215, 214, 209)

P. Cornelius Scipio Africanus Major (cos. 205, 194)

M. Porcius Cato (cos 195; censor 184)

L. Aemilius Paullus Macedonicus (cos 182, 168)

C. Marius (cos. 107, 104, 103, 102, 101, 100, 86)

L. Cornelius Sulla Felix (cos. 88, 80; dict 82, 81, 80)

L. Licinius Lucullus (cos. 74)

M. Licinius Crassus Dives (cos. 70, 55)

Cn. Pompeius Magnus (cos. 70, 55, 52)

M. Tullius Cicero (cos. 63)

C. Julius Caesar (cos. 59, 48; dict. 46, 45, 44)

M. Antonius (cos. 44, 34, 31)

 

Non-consuls:

Cn Marcius Coriolanus (pr? 508)

T. Gracchus (tr. 133)

G. Gracchus (tr. 123, 122)

L. Quintus Sertorius (pr. 85)

M. Porcius Cato Uticensis (pr. 54; propr. 57, 56)

M. Junius Brutus (pr. 44)

[Northern Neil]

When did the office of consul finally end? I understand that the senate survived down to the 560's or thereabouts.

[Maladict]

When did the office of consul finally end? I understand that the senate survived down to the 560's or thereabouts.

 

See this thread. Scroll down a bit.

[miguel]

Since most famous Roman politicians ended up as Consuls at some point or another, you could really pick any one of them.

 

agree.

 

but somehow i want to pick scipio...*raising up my hand and blinking*

cannot explain why, just kinda like him ;p

[WotWotius]

I have always admired the style of the early Claudian Consuls: my personal favourite being the admiral, Publius Appius Claudius Pulcher (Cos 249 BC), whose arrogance, as well as his disrespect to all things holy, were responsible for the loss of a Roman fleet at the hands of Carthage. In keeping with the theological tradition of consulting the gods in every aspect of life, Publius' staff detected omens prior to the sea battle; this was in form of the eating habits of chickens. As already mentioned, the subsequent naval battle was lost