Publius Postumius Albus Regillensis
Encyclopedia
Publius Postumius Albus Regillensis, whom Livy
calls "Marcus", was a patrician politician of ancient Rome
who was appointed one of four military consular tribunes in 414 BC.
Around that year, he was given command against the Aequi
, and showed great energy and enterprise in quickly taking the Aequi
an town of Bolae
, while promising his forces that any plunder or spoils captured would be distributed among the troops. Afterwards, he angered his soldiers by reneging on his promise; although some contemporary writers thought he had stayed true to his word, and suggested that his soldiers' anger came about because the town had been recently sacked and then repopulated by new settlers, and there were fewer valuables to be taken than Postumius had led them to expect (Livy
found this latter explanation unlikely).
Shortly afterwards Postumius made a minor scandal in Rome when at a public assembly he threatened to punish for his soldiers after it was suggested that Bolae
be given to them as settlers. When his men, furious at this new insult, assaulted a quaestor
who had attempted to calm the mutinous mood, Postumius punished them severely, and ordered several of his men to be crushed to death. Several of his soldiers attempted to stop the executions by force, and when Postumius rushed to aid his lictor
s and centurion
s who were trying to break up the gathering, an angry mob of his men seized him and stoned him to death
.
Livy
Titus Livius — known as Livy in English — was a Roman historian who wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people. Ab Urbe Condita Libri, "Chapters from the Foundation of the City," covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome well before the traditional foundation in 753 BC...
calls "Marcus", was a patrician politician of ancient Rome
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
who was appointed one of four military consular tribunes in 414 BC.
Around that year, he was given command against the Aequi
Aequi
thumb|300px|Location of the Aequi in central Italy.The Aequi were an ancient people of northeast Latium and the central Appennines of Italy who appear in the early history of ancient Rome. After a long struggle for independence from Rome they were defeated and substantial Roman colonies were...
, and showed great energy and enterprise in quickly taking the Aequi
Aequi
thumb|300px|Location of the Aequi in central Italy.The Aequi were an ancient people of northeast Latium and the central Appennines of Italy who appear in the early history of ancient Rome. After a long struggle for independence from Rome they were defeated and substantial Roman colonies were...
an town of Bolae
Bolae
Bolae or Bola was an ancient city of Latium that was repeatedly mentioned in the early history of Rome.-Foundation:Its foundation is expressly ascribed by Virgil to the kings of Alba Longa, and its name is found also in the list given by Diodorus Siculus of the colonies of that city...
, while promising his forces that any plunder or spoils captured would be distributed among the troops. Afterwards, he angered his soldiers by reneging on his promise; although some contemporary writers thought he had stayed true to his word, and suggested that his soldiers' anger came about because the town had been recently sacked and then repopulated by new settlers, and there were fewer valuables to be taken than Postumius had led them to expect (Livy
Livy
Titus Livius — known as Livy in English — was a Roman historian who wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people. Ab Urbe Condita Libri, "Chapters from the Foundation of the City," covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome well before the traditional foundation in 753 BC...
found this latter explanation unlikely).
Shortly afterwards Postumius made a minor scandal in Rome when at a public assembly he threatened to punish for his soldiers after it was suggested that Bolae
Bolae
Bolae or Bola was an ancient city of Latium that was repeatedly mentioned in the early history of Rome.-Foundation:Its foundation is expressly ascribed by Virgil to the kings of Alba Longa, and its name is found also in the list given by Diodorus Siculus of the colonies of that city...
be given to them as settlers. When his men, furious at this new insult, assaulted a quaestor
Quaestor
A Quaestor was a type of public official in the "Cursus honorum" system who supervised financial affairs. In the Roman Republic a quaestor was an elected official whereas, with the autocratic government of the Roman Empire, quaestors were simply appointed....
who had attempted to calm the mutinous mood, Postumius punished them severely, and ordered several of his men to be crushed to death. Several of his soldiers attempted to stop the executions by force, and when Postumius rushed to aid his lictor
Lictor
The lictor was a member of a special class of Roman civil servant, with special tasks of attending and guarding magistrates of the Roman Republic and Empire who held imperium, the right and power to command; essentially, a bodyguard...
s and centurion
Centurion
A centurion was a professional officer of the Roman army .Centurion may also refer to:-Military:* Centurion tank, British battle tank* HMS Centurion, name of several ships and a shore base of the British Royal Navy...
s who were trying to break up the gathering, an angry mob of his men seized him and stoned him to death
Stoning
Stoning, or lapidation, is a form of capital punishment whereby a group throws stones at a person until the person dies. No individual among the group can be identified as the one who kills the subject, yet everyone involved plainly bears some degree of moral culpability. This is in contrast to the...
.