Quintus Mamilius Vitul

Quintus Mamilius belonged to a noble plebeian family, whose representatives ruled Tuskulum and considered their legendary founder of the city of Telegon , son of Odysseus , to be their ancestor: the daughter of Telegon was called Mamilia . The descendants of the rulers of Tusculum moved to Rome in the middle of the 4th century BC. e. and soon began to occupy the highest posts here ^[1] . Capitoline fasts call the precursors of the father and grandfather of Quintus Mamilia - Quintus and Mark, respectively ^[2] . His elder brother was Lucius Mamilius Vitul , consul of 265 BC. e. ^[3]

The mention of the Quintus of Mamilia in the sources refers to 262 BC. e. when he was consul. His colleague in this position was the patrician Lucius Postumius Megell ^[4] . The consuls went together to Sicily to continue the war with Carthage, which began two years earlier. They were provided with only two legions formed from Roman citizens instead of four, as their predecessors entered into an alliance with Syracuse ^[5] .

Mamilius and Postumius attacked Akragant , the main base of the Carthaginians on the island. In June 262 BC. e. the siege of this city began , lasting five months. Inside the city there were about 50 thousand people; Romans and civilians performing siege works, according to Diodorus of Sicily , were up to 100 thousand ^[6] . The Carthaginians landed another army in Sicily under the command of Gannon, which cut off the Romans from their supply bases and put them in a difficult position. The army of Vitulus and Megella began to suffer from hunger and disease, and the enemy dodged the battle. Perhaps the Romans would have had to lift the siege, if not for the help of King Syracuse Hieron II ^[7] .

When the defenders of Akragantus were in distress due to hunger, Gannon had to give the Romans a battle. Sources say that the battle was long and hard, but in the end the Carthaginian mercenaries in the front ranks fled, and the rest of the Hannon warriors followed suit. The Romans captured the entire convoy of the enemy and most of their 50 elephants. The very next night, the remnants of the Akraganthus garrison left, and the Romans occupied the city without resistance. All its inhabitants (up to 25 thousand people ^[8] ) were sold into slavery ^[9] . After that, Vitul and Megell went for the winter to Messana ^[10] .

This victory largely determined the further course of the entire conflict: the Romans occupied one of the key points in Sicily, established their control over most of this island, which at that time was the only disputed territory between Rome and Carthage, and firmly seized the strategic initiative ^[11] .

Sources

1. Diodorus of Sicily . Historical Library (Neopr.) . Site "Symposium". Date of treatment December 27, 2016.
2. Polybius . General history. - M. , 2004. - T. 1. - 768 p. - ISBN 5-17-024958-6 .
3. Fasti Capitolini (neopr.) . Site "History of Ancient Rome". Date of treatment December 26, 2016.

Literature

1. Rodionov E. Punic wars. - SPb. : St. Petersburg State University, 2005 .-- 626 p. - ISBN 5-288-03650-0 .
2. Broughton R. Magistrates of the Roman Republic. - New York, 1951. - Vol. I. - P. 600.
3. Münzer F. Mamilius // Paulys Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft . - 1928. - Bd. XIV, 1. - Kol. 953-954.
4. Münzer F. Mamilius 14 // Paulys Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft . - 1928. - Bd. XIV, 1. - Kol. 958.
5. Münzer F. Mamilius 15 // Paulys Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft . - 1928. - Bd. XIV, 1. - Kol. 958-959.