C. Manlius 18

vol. XIV p.1156-1157

18) C. Manlius

C. Manlius (praenomen in Cic. Cat. I, 7. Sall. Cat. 27, 1. 30, 1. 32, 3. 59, 3. Appian. bell. civ. II 7. 10) served as a centurion under Sulla (Cic. Cat. II 14. Ascon. Mil. 44 K.-2 = 43 St. Dio XXXVII 30, 4). <20> In so doing, he gained some military experience (Cic. Cat. II 20. Plut. Cic. 14, 3. Dio loc. cit.), as well as some considerable pay. However, he neglected to manage or maintain his estate, and as an older man he fell into hardships, and then debt, which he would only be able to wrestle himself out of by means of revolution (Cic. Cat. II 20, describing Manlius as an example of these sorts of veterans. Appian. II 7. Dio XXXVII 30, 5). <30> He clearly lived in the Sullan military colony of Faesulae: here, from the beginning of 691 = 63, he started to receive some substantial funds from Catiline, whom he had known since the time of Sulla (Cic. Cat. I, 7: audacious satelles atque administer). These funds were intended to help him recruit the many unhappy men in North Etruria who were keen on revolution (Sall. Cat. 24, 2. Appian. II 10). <40> Of course, he will have spent a fair amount of time in Rome, to talk with Catiline in person: this is what is meant when our sources say that, as well as other conspirators being sent off into various places across Italy, Manlius too was ‘sent away’ to Faesulae (Sall. Cat. 27, 1. 4. Appian. II 7) - it doesn’t have to imply that Faesulae was not his permanent home. <50> In Autumn, he’d had so much success conscripting his men and furnishing them with arms that he set up an official camp in Faesulae, in which he awaited Catiline as a general (Cic. Cat. I 10. 23. 30. II 14. 16. 20. Sall. Cat. 28, 4. 32, 1. 36, 1. 56, 1. Ascon. Mil. 44 K.-S. = 43 St. Flor. II 12, 8. Plut. Cic. 15, 5. 16, 1. Dio XXXVII 33, 2; cf. Gelzer vol. II A p.1704ff.). <60> On 27th October, he gave the signal to begin the revolt, and when the proconsul and imperator Q. Marcius Rex was sent against him by the senate, he gave him an ultimatum of sorts, on behalf of his co-conspirator: this, of course, was met with the only answer possible - an order to first lay down arms (Sall. Cat. 32, 1-34, 1). Around the middle of November, when Catiline had been met by the masses of voluntary soldiers whom Manlius had conscripted and had taken over command, both men were cast out of the senate and declared enemies (ibid. 36, 1f. Plut. Cic. 16, 6. Appian. II 10f.). <page break 1156/1157>

In the Battle of Pistoria in January 692 = 62, Manlius commanded the right wing of Catiline’s army (Sall. Cat. 59, 3) and fell in the fighting (ibid. 60, 5). Other C. Manlii active in Etruria (nr. 17) have nothing to do with him.

[Münzer.]

This article is referenced by: Against Catiline 1