C. Curtius Chilo 15

vol. IV p.1866

15) C. Curtius Chilo

He was allegedly consul with M. Genucius Augurinus in 309 = 445. His name is not handed down to us with certainty: Curtius Varro de l. l. V 150. Idat. Chron. Pasch.; Γάιος Κούρτιος Zonar. VII 19; <30> P. Curatius Liv. IV 1, 1; T. Curatius Cassiod.; Ἀγρίππας Κούρτιος Χίλων Diod. XII 31, 1; Philo Chronogr.; in contrast Γάιος Κοίντιος Dionys. XI 53. According to Livy, both consuls fought against the famous rogationes of the tribune of the plebs C. Canuleius and his colleagues (IV 2, 1. 6, 1. 6): when these were passed, Curtius lead the first elections of consular tribunes, but because of a mistake during the auspices he allowed them to be declared invalid (IV 7, 3; name-form Curatius and Curiatius). <40> According to Varro loc. cit., Lutatius and Cornelius traced the name of the Lacus Curtius (see p.1892) back to this Curtius, because he supposedly enclosed a lighting-grave (cf. the altar in Ovid. and Suid. above nr. 7) in the relevant location at the request of the senate. Curtius is the only consul of his family, and he is supposed to have become consul at a time when it was only possible for patricians to be consul, while the later Curtii were plebeians; <50> moreover, the Greek cognomen makes him seem foreign, and doubts also arise about his colleagues; for these reasons, especially because of how inconsistent tradition is, the name of the consul Curtius is probably unhistorical and fictitious (cf. Mommsen Röm. Forsch. I 111. Jordan Topogr. I 1, 519 A. 47).

[Münzer.]

This article is referenced by: M. Curtius (7), Lacus Curtius