Early Republic

[Cassius Loginus]

At the moment I am reading the Founders of the Republic.

 

With Poplicola, Cocles and Coriolanus there were no second consuls sharing the power of Rome?

[M. Porcius Cato]

List of consuls HERE. Background on prominent statesmen HERE.

[Primus Pilus]

At the moment I am reading the Founders of the Republic.

 

With Poplicola, Cocles and Coriolanus there were no second consuls sharing the power of Rome?

 

Be aware that the early history of the Republic is quite steeped in legend or terribly sketchy detail. According to Livy, Poplicola (or Publicola) was consul 4 times, each with a colleague (the first time he was sole suffect consul after Brutus and Collatinus. Collatinus was expelled much like his kinsmen King Tarquin and Brutus died).

 

However, its quite probable that the constitution had not been quite flushed out yet, and Poplicola may have actually been a sort of intermediary after the expulsion of Tarquin. He was one of several of the early consuls who have may have held power and authority that wasn't much different than the King he helped expel. There are any number of possible scenarios when trying to identify the details.

 

Horatius Cocles was a heroic commander who supposedly defended the Sublician bridge from the Etruscans. As far as I can discern, he was never consul.

 

Coriolanus was likely an aristocrat and general who seemingly commanded a private army. He too was never really consul, but seems to be one of these early men of influence in the 'revolution'. Essentially, after failing to exert his own authority (especially over the Plebes) he led an army of the Volscii against Rome (plebeian interests anyway).

 

Again, the key here is that much of the early stories of Livy and Plutarch are legendary. There are certainly elements of any legend that are based on truth, but much of these early stories we must take with the proverbial "grain of salt". Some of these men may have been "kingly" in their own right after the expulsion of Tarquin, as it took a considerable length of time to determine the constitutional authority. (if the king was expelled in 510 and the tribunis plebis was established in 494, then it was at least 16 years of rather uncertain government with many possibilities)

[Vibius Tiberius Costa]

Although I think UNRV's list of consuls is far superior here is the wikipedia site it can divuldge a bit further into individuals.

 

vtc