Ap. Claudius Pulcher 293

vol. III p.2846-2847

293) Ap. Claudius Pulcher

Son of nr. 304 (Fast Cap. on the consulships of his sons nr. 294. 305. 300). In the year 537 = 217 he was a curule aedile, and in the following year he was a military tribune. At the time, he belonged to those who had saved themselves from the battle of Cannae, and the command over his companions fell to him and P. Scipio (Liv. XXII 53, 2. 54, 5). With the legions formed out of those who survived the defeat, <50> he went to Sicily as praetor in 539 = 215 (Liv. XXIII 24, 4. 30, 18. 31, 4. 6. 32, 2). Neither were his actions against Bomilkar, who was bringing Hannibal reinforcements from Africa, and against Lokroi successful (ibid. 41, 10-12), nor did he manage to keep the grandson and successor of Hiero of Syracuse, Hieronymos, in alliance with Rome (ibid. XXIV 6, 4ff. 7, 8). He didn’t organise anything against disloyal Syracuse alone, <60> but during the following two years, as propraetor under the command of M. Claudius Marcellus nr. 220 (see there), he played an important role in Marcellus’ undertakings, especially at the siege of the city (Polyb. VIII 3, 7. 5, 1. 6. 9, 1ff. Liv. XXIV 27, 4. 6. 29, 4. 30, 1. 33, 2. 36, 6. Plut. Marc. 13, 2. 14, 3. Zonar. IX 4). Around the end of the year 541 = 213, he first left the island in order to put himself forward for the consulship in 542 = 212 (Liv. XXIV 39, 12), <page break 2847/2848> and was elected along with Q. Fulvius Flaccus (Fasti fer. Lat. CIL I² p. 57. Chronogr. Idat. Chron. pasch. Cic. Cael. 33. Liv. XXV 2, 4. 3, 1. Frontin. strat. IV 1, 44. Flor. praef. 6. Cassiod. Fest. p. 326). Both consuls made their way over to the battlefield in Campania, where winning back Capua was their most important aim. After some varied battles, they had completely surrounded the city (Liv. XXV 14, 12. 18, 1. 20, 1. 22, 5. Appian. Hann. 37). <10> Appius went to Rome to lead the elections, but soon turned back to his post at Campania because his and his colleague’s command had been lengthened for the year 543 = 211 (Liv. XXV 41, 10-13. XXVI 1, 2). When the Carthaginians tried to bring relief again, he pushed the attack that had been made by those he was besieging back to the fortifications, but he was wounded in the process by an enemy projectile (Polyb. IX 3, 1ff. Liv. XXVI 5, 8. 10. 6, 5). <20> Consequently, he gained command over the besieging army, when Hannibal’s march against Rome meant it was necessary for one of the generals and some of the troops to hurry to the capital city in order to protect it (Polyb. IX 7, 7. Liv. XXVI 8, 8f. Flor. I 22, 43. Appian. Hann. 40. Zonar. IX 6); the enemy’s swift move to break apart those surrounding the city did not shift the Romans, and with that, Capua’s fate was decided. According to Livy XXVI 15, in contrast to Fulvius, Appius proposed the kinder and more humane, <30> and perhaps also the more intelligent plan concerning the punishment of the city and its people (cf. also Claudia nr. 383); because he didn’t push through with it, and because he had no further part in the harsh criminal court which Fulvius set up over Capua, a few historians believed that he succumbed to his wounds at some point before the surrender (Liv. XXVI 16, 1. Zonar. IX 6); either way, he died soon afterwards (Liv. XXVI 33, 4; cf. Sil. Ital. XIII 450ff. XVII 300-302). <40>

([Münzer.])

This article is referenced by: M. Claudius Marcellus (220), Ap. Claudius Pulcher (294), C. Claudius Pulcher (300), P. Claudius Pulcher (305), Claudia (383)

This person is on the following family trees: The patrician branch of the Claudii