Fabius Cunctator

(Quintus Fabius Maximus Cunctator)

250–203 BC

"I CARRY HERE PEACE AND WAR, CHOOSE MEN OF CARTHAGE, WHICH YE WILL."

Fabius Maximus, also known as the Cunctator (Latin for delayer), was one of the senators sent on an embassy to Carthage after Hannibal attacked Saguntum. He resolved that Rome should declare war on Carthage. Fabius had already been consul twice when he was elected dictator in 217, after the disastrous battles of Trebia, and Lake Trasimene. Instead of gathering an army and attacking Hannibal immediately, however, his policy was to follow and harass Hannibal, but to avoid a direct battle. Many in Rome disagreed with his tactics, however, and insisted on giving battle. Eventually Fabian's dictatorship expired, and in 216 Varro and Paullus were elected consuls, and led the Romans to their worst defeat ever, at Cannae. After the debacle at Cannae, Fabian was reelected consul, and continued his cautious policies. He was the primary leader of the Romans during the early part of the Second Punic War, until Scipio Africanus emerged as the predominant general with his conquest of Spain.

Key events during the life of Fabius Maximus Cunctator:

Year	Event
233 BC	First consulship.
219 BC	Goes on an embassy to Carthage after Hannibal attacked Saguntum—offers Carthage "War or Peace."
217 BC	Elected dictator.
215 BC	Third consulship.
214 BC	Fourth consulship.
209 BC	Fifth consulship. Drove Hannibal out of Tarentum.
203 BC	Died.

Other Resources

Story Links	Book Links
Dictator Fabius  in	Hannibal  by  Jacob Abbott
Overthrow of Cannae  in	Helmet and Spear  by  Alfred J. Church
Of Fabius Maximus  in	Stories from Roman History  by  Lena Dalkeith
Man Who Waited  in	Tales of the Romans: The Children's Plutarch  by  F. J. Gould
Romans Defeated  in	The Story of the Romans  by  H. A. Guerber
Fabius  in	Our Young Folks' Plutarch  by  Rosalie Kaufman
Hannibal  in	Red Book of Heroes  by  Mrs. Andrew Lang
Boy Hannibal  in	The Story of Rome  by  Mary Macgregor
Hannibal Outwits Fabius  in	The Story of Rome  by  Mary Macgregor

Image Links
Fabius calms the fears of the Romans  in Stories from Roman History	Hannibal's Strategem  in Famous Men of Rome	Hannibal's Stratagem in Campania  in Greatest Nations - Rome
I carry here peace and war. Choose, men of Carthage, which ye will.'  in The Story of Rome

Contemporary	Short Biography
Varro	Led Rome to disastrous defeat at Cannae. Survived and tried to rally the troops.
Aemilius Paulus	Consul at the Battle of Cannae; opposed the confrontation, but died on battlefield.
Hannibal	Carthaginian general, invaded and laid waste to Italy for sixteen years.
Cornelius Scipio	Tried to intercept Hannibal in Gaul, but was defeated at Ticino River and Trebbia.
Minucius	General who urged battle with Hannibal—later rescued by Fabius.