Appius Claudius Caecus is led into the Curia Hostilia by his sons. 19th century painting by Cesare Maccari.Memorial inscription of Appius Claudius C. F. Caecus, "Appius Claudius Caecus, son of Gaius."The first Roman road, the Via Appia. Via Appia within the ancient Minturno
Appius Claudius Caecus (fl. c. 312–279 BC) was a statesman and writer from the Roman Republic. He is best known for two major building projects: the Appian Way (Latin: Via Appia), the first major Roman road, and the first aqueduct in Rome, the Aqua Appia.
He is the first Roman public figure whose life can be traced with some historical certainty. He also instigated controversial popular-minded reforms and is also credited with the authorship of a juristic treatise, a collection of moral essays, and several poems, making him one of Rome's earliest literary figures.[3][4][5]
A patrician of illustrious lineage, Caecus first came to prominence with his election to the position of censor in 312 BC, which he held for five years. During Caecus's time in office, aside from his building projects, he introduced several controversial but poorly-understood constitutional reforms: he increased the voting power of the poor and landless in the legislative assemblies, and admitted lower-class citizens to the Roman Senate, though these measures were partially undone by the resentful nobility. In addition, Caecus was the first censor to draw up a formal list of senators. These reforms massively increased the prestige of the censorship, which had previously only been a minor magistracy.[citation needed] As consul (296 BC) and then praetor (295 BC), Caecus led military campaigns against the Etruscans and Samnites. Later in life, having become blind (Latin: caecus, whence the surname) from old age, he delivered a speech to the Senate successfully opposing peace with the Epirote king Pyrrhus.
His reforms did trigger some outrage, as he broke a number of established traditions. Appius embroiled himself in several bitter political feuds, especially with the Fabii (a powerful Roman family). Fabius Pictor, who was the earliest Roman historian and a member of the Fabian family, may have been the source for a significant amount of smear against Caecus, accusing him of being a corrupted, immoral demagogue, and an inept general. Owing to the wide divergence in the sources, modern scholars have had very different interpretations of Caecus' deeds: he has been described as a revolutionary, a reactionary, a would-be tyrant, or a great reformer, comparable to Athenian figures like Cleisthenes and Pericles.[6]
^Hafner, "Römische und italische Porträts", pp. 59–66.
^Humm, Appius Claudius Caecus, pp. 36, 37.
^Ferenczy 1965, p. 379.
^Bispham, Edward (2008). "M. Humm, Appius Claudius Caecus. La République Accomplie (Befar 322). Rome: École Française de Rome, 2005. Pp. X + 779, 10 PLS, 14 illus, 2 tables. ISBN 978-2-72830-682-4. €112.00". Journal of Roman Studies. 98: 188–189. doi:10.1017/S0075435800001787.
^Oxford Classical Dictionary, "Appius Claudius Caecus"
^Oakley, Commentary, Book 9, p. 366.
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339 BC at least one of the censors had to be plebeian. In 312 BC, AppiusClaudiusCaecus was elected censor without being consul before. In 294 and 265 BC...
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