QUINTUS FULVIUS FLACCUS

quintus fulvius flaccus, son of the first of the family, marcus, who was consul with appius claudius caudex in 264. he especially distinguished himself during the second punic war. he was consul four times (237, 224, 212, 209), censor (231) pontifex maximus (216), praetor urbanus (215). during his first consulships he did good service against the ligurians, gauls and insubrians. in 212 he defeated hanno near beneventum, and with his colleague appius claudius pulcher began the siege of capua. the capture of this place was considered so important that their imperium was prolonged, but on condition that they should not leave capua until it had been taken. hannibal's unexpected diversion against rome interfered with the operations for the moment, but his equally unexpected retirement enabled flaccus, who had been summoned to rome to protect the city, to return, and bring the siege to a successful conclusion. he punished the inhabitants with great severity, alleging in excuse that they had shown themselves bitterly hostile to rome. he was nominated dictator to hold the consular elections at which he was himself elected (209). he was appointed to the command of the army in lucania and bruttium, where he crushed all further attempts at rebellion. nothing further is known of him. the chief authority for his life is the part of livy dealing with the period (see punic wars). his brother gnaeus was convicted of gross cowardice against hannibal near herdoniae in 210, and went into voluntary exile at tarquinii. his son, quintus, waged war with signal success against the celtiberians in 182-181, and the ligurians in 179. having vowed to build a temple to fortuna equestris, he dismantled the temple of juno lacinia in bruttium of its marble slabs. this theft became known and he was compelled to restore them, though they were never put back in their places. subsequently he lost his reason and hanged himself.