Cincinnatus

(Lucius Quinctius)

519–439 BC

"PUT ON THY ROBE AND HEAR THE WORDS OF THE PEOPLE."

Cincinnatus is famous for returning to his farm after sixteen glorious days as a dictator. He was a former consul who had retired to his farm, when the Roman Senate, with great ceremony, offered him the dictatorship because the Roman army had become trapped while fighting the Æquians. Cincinnatus quickly raised an army, marched on the enemy, and rescued the trapped Consul’s army in a single day. After a week of celebrations in Rome, he returned to his farm, and picked up his plow where he had left it.

Cincinnatus was recalled out of retirement many years later to put down a plebeian revolt.

Key events during the life of cincinnatus:

Year	Event
460 BC	Elected Consul.
458 BC	Offered Dictatorship to save army stuck in a trap.
439 BC	Second Dictatorship, revolt of plebeians.

Other Resources

Story Links	Book Links
Story of Cincinnatus  in	Fifty Famous Stories Retold  by  James Baldwin
Cincinnatus  in	Stories From Livy  by  Alfred J. Church
Farmer Hero  in	The Story of the Romans  by  H. A. Guerber
Plans of a Traitor  in	The Story of the Romans  by  H. A. Guerber
Cincinnatus  in	Famous Men of Rome  by  John H. Haaren & A. B. Poland
Roman Army in a Trap  in	The Story of Rome  by  Mary Macgregor
Friend of the People  in	The Story of Rome  by  Mary Macgregor
Cincinnatus and the Aequians  in	Historical Tales: Roman  by  Charles Morris
Cincinnatus, the Man from the Plough  in	Old World Hero Stories  by  Eva March Tappan

Image Links
Cincinnatus  in Fifty Famous Stories Retold	Put on thy robe and hear the words of the people.'  in Stories From Livy	A Roman Army passing under the Yoke  in Famous Men of Rome

Contemporary	Short Biography
Minucius	Consul whose army was trapped by the Aequians.
Gracchus Cloelius	Leader of Aequian army
Maelius	Rich plebeian who gave money to poor, killed by jealous senate.