Battle of Mons Algidus
The
Battle of Mons Algidus was fought in
458 BC (or
457 BC) between the
Roman Republic and
Aequi near
Mons Algidus,
Latium. The Roman
dictator Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus turned a Roman defeat into an important victory.
The government of
Rome was already shared between the original Romans,
Latin and
Sabine peoples. For example, the
Quinctia gens who had a great impact on Roman public life during that time was of Latin origin.
Hernici were allied to Rome; the
Etruscans were not yet involved against the Romans, but
Veius, very close to Rome.
The greatest enemies of Rome were
Volsci and Aequi. The Volsci were from the territory west of Rome. The Aequi latters from east would attack, whether allied or alone, Rome and its surroundings. In particular, the Aequi had moved from the
Apennine Mountains towards
Tusculum (
Frascati), and with their operations they disturbed the commercial communications along the
Via Latina and the Roman country.
Within Rome the situation was troublesome. There were contrasts between
patricians and
plebians. During this time there was also a revolt by slaves, which had held for long time the
Campidoglio, along with the most important temples of Rome. It was during this revolt that
consul Valerius Publicola had died. The revolt only ended only with the arrival of an army from Tusculum, lead by Tusculan dicator Lucius Mamilius. Cincinnatus was appointed the new consul to replace Publicola.
In
459 BC, the Aequi occupied Tusculum. In response to the threat, the Romans decided to send an army to help the allied city, under the command of consul
Lucius Cornelius Maluginensis. In addition, the consul
Fabius Vibulanus, who was at that point
besieging Antium, attacked Tusculum for several months. In the end, the Tusculans freed their city, and Vibulanus killed many Aequi near Mons Algidus.
In
458 BC, the Aequi broke the truce. They attacked Tusculum again, and camped near Mons Algidus; at the same time, a Sabinian army moved against Rome. Two armies were formed in haste - consul
Gaius Nautius Rutilus planned to move against the Aequi territories, while consul
Lucius Minucius Esquilinus Augurinus planned to move against the Aequi camped near Mons Algidus (
Livy,
Ab Urbe condita, III, 25).
Minucius did not attack the Aequi, who by nightfall had started to build a fortification all around the Roman camp (
ibid, III, 26). Since even Nautius did not know how to handle the situation, Cincinnatus was elected dictator (
ibid, III, 26).
Cincinnatus choose his
magister equitum, and levied in
Campus Martius each available Roman, requiring them to bring food for five days and twelve
valli. The
vallus was the pole brought by each Roman soldier, and used to build a wall all around the camp to protect it; a requirement of twelve
valli instead of one was unusual.
The Roman army arrived at Mons Algidus by night. Cincinnatus signalled to the besieged Romans that he had arrived, then ordered his men to built a wall all around the Aequi. The Aequi attacked Cincinnatus, but they were soon obliged to turn and face the Romans of Minucius, who had left their camp to reach their companions. At dawn, the wall around the Aequi was completed; Cincinnatus ordered his men, who had marched and worked for a whole day without rest, to attack the Aequi within the wall. The Aequi, unable to sustain a double attack, surrendered. Cincinnatus let them go (
ibid, III, 28),
The Aequi leaders were kept prisoners in Rome. The
spoils of the sacking of the Aequi camp was distributed among Cincinnatus' men, while the Romans fighting under Minucius were scolded and Minucius himself deposed.
Cincinnatus received a
Roman triumph, while the Tusculan consul Lucius Mamilius received the Roman citizenship. Having been elected dictator for six months, Cincinnatus resigned after only sixteen days (
ibid, III, 29).
