Publius Decius Mus (312 BC)

Publius Decius Mus (312 BC)

Publius Decius Mus, (d. 295 BC) of the plebeian Decia, was a Roman consul in the years 312 BC, 308 BC, 297 BC and 295 BC. He was a member of a family that was renowned for sacrificing themselves on the battlefield for Rome.

First and second consulship

Publius Decius Mus, born the son of the consul of 340 BC Publius Decius Mus, was elected consul in 312 BC together with Marcus Valerius Maximus Corvinus. When war broke out with the Samnites, Mus had to stay in Rome due to an illness and it was his colleague who was sent to manage the war. When the Etruscans joined in the war on the side of Rome's enemies, Mus was ordered by the Senate to appoint a dictator.

In 309 BC he served as a legate under the dictator Lucius Papirius Cursor and the next year he was elected consul again, this time with Quintus Fabius Maximus Rullianus as his colleague. While his colleague handled the war against Samnium, Mus was entrusted the war against the Etruscans in which he was so successful that the Etruscans sued for a truce.

In 306 BC Mus was appointed as the Master of the Horse to the dictator Publius Cornelius Scipio Barbatus. In 304 BC, Mus and Rullianus were elected censor. In 300 BC Mus successfully espoused the cause of opening the pontificate to the plebeians against Appius Claudius Caecus.

Third Samnite War

In 297 BC Mus and Rullianus were again elected consul. This time both consuls were to go to Samnium to make war. In this campaign Mus was able to defeat a Samnite army near Maleventum. The next year saw his command in Samnium prorogued as proconsul.

The Third Samnite War, had thrown up a formidable coalition of Etruscans, Samnites, Umbrians and Gauls against Rome. When Rullianus was unanimously called to the consul­ship, he stipulated as a condition for accepting that Mus again be his colleague so in 295 BC Mus was elected to a fourth consulship. While Mus was first stationed in Samnium, events up north dictated that both Roman armies be united to face the enemy. When the armies clashed near Sentinum, Publius Decius Mus commanded the left wing of the Roman army. Faced by the Gauls, his troops started giving away under their attacks and Mus followed the example of his father and dedicated himself and the enemy army to the gods of the underworld and thus fell in the battle.

Publius Decius Mus was the father of the consul of 279 BC, Publius Decius Mus.

References

*Titus Livius, "Ab Urbe Condita" ix. 40, 41, 44, 46, x. 7—.9, 14—-17, 22, 24- 26—29.


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  • Publius decius mus (consul en -312) — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Publius Decius Mus. Publius Decius Mus était un homme politique romain. C est le fils de Publius Decius Mus l ancien (consul en 340 av. J. C.). et le père de Publius Decius Mus (consul en 279 av. J. C.). En 312… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Publius Decius Mus — Decius war der Gentilname eines römischen Plebejergeschlechtes (gens). Bekannt ist es durch drei Angehörige (Vater, Sohn und Enkel) namens Publius Decius Mus, die sich, um das römische Heer zu retten, geopfert haben sollen; der Erste in der… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Publius decius mus (consul en -279) — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Publius Decius Mus. Publius Decius Mus est un homme politique romain du IIIe siècle av. J. C., fils de Publius Decius Mus (consul en 312 av. J. C.), petit fils de Publius Decius Mus (consul en 340 av. J. C.) …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Publius Decius Mus (340 BC) — Publius Decius Mus, son of Quintus, of the plebeian Decia, was a Roman consul in the year 340 BC.He first enters history in 352 BC as an appointed official, one of the quinqueviri mensarii, public bankers charged with relieving citizen debts to… …   Wikipedia

  • Publius Decius Mus (Konsul 312 v. Chr.) — Publius Decius Mus († 295 v. Chr. bei Sentinum) war ein Politiker der römischen Republik und viermaliger Konsul. Das erste Konsulat bekleidete er 312 v. Chr. 310 v. Chr. diente er als Legat. In seinem zweiten Konsulat 308 v. Chr. errang er einen… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Publius Decius Mus (consul en -312) — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Publius Decius Mus. Publius Decius Mus était un homme politique romain. C est le fils de Publius Decius Mus l ancien (consul en 340 av. J. C.). et le père de Publius Decius Mus (consul en 279 av. J. C.).… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Publius Decius Mus (consul en -279) — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Publius Decius Mus. Publius Decius Mus est un homme politique romain du IIIe siècle av. J.‑C., fils de Publius Decius Mus (consul en 312 av. J. C.), petit fils de Publius Decius Mus (consul en 340 av. J …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Publius Decius Mus —  Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différentes personnes de la Rome antique partageant un même nom. Publius Decius Mus désigne plusieurs personnalités de la Rome antique : Publius Decius Mus, consul en 340 av. J. C. ; Publius… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Decius Mus — Decius war der Gentilname eines römischen Plebejergeschlechtes (gens). Bekannt ist es durch drei Angehörige (Vater, Sohn und Enkel) namens Publius Decius Mus, die sich, um das römische Heer zu retten, geopfert haben sollen; der Erste in der… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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