The Old Guard Roman
Lucius Quintius Cincinnatus (519 – 430 BC) was one of the Roman Republic’s most admired figures. He was elected Rome’s consul in 460 BC, and twice appointed dictator, in 458 and 439 BC. Cincinnatus became legendary for his selfless devotion to the Republic during crises. He assumed power when thrust upon him to deal with grave problems, then surrendered it when the crises ended. Cincinnatus was a conservative patrician and a capable general who opposed the plebeians’ demands for a greater share of power. He lost that fight.
Things got worse when his son killed a plebeian and fled Rome. Cincinnatus’ opponents held him accountable and impoverished him with a huge fine. His possessions were reduced to a small farm, and he was reduced to manual labor in his old age, forced to toil in his fields with his own hands. However, a military emergency in 458 BC led to his appointment as dictator – a constitutional office of absolute power to which Romans appointed a leader during crises for a six month period.
