Lucius Cincius Alimentus
Encyclopedia
Lucius Cincius Alimentus was a celebrated Roman annalist
and jurist
, who was praetor
in Sicily in 209 BC
, with the command of two legions
. He wrote principally in Greek. He and Fabius Pictor are considered the first two Roman historians
, though both wrote in Greek as a more conventionally literary language. Cincian Law, which forbade the acceptance of pay for legal services, takes its name from his proposal of the legislation.
Among his works is an account of his imprisonment in the Second Punic War
, and a biography of the philosopher Gorgias
, though these works probably formed part of his Annals. His objectivity was praised by Dionysius of Halicarnassus
and Polybius
, and he was frequently cited by the Festus who was a historian
.
Cincius Alimentus was captured in one of the early battles of the Second Punic War and spent years as a prisoner of the Carthaginians
under Hannibal, who, for some reason, confided in Alimentus the details of his crossing of the Alps
. He transcribed this tale after his release, and the information found its way into the chronicles of many later Roman historians.
The distinguished historian of Rome Barthold Georg Niebuhr
praised Alimentus, early in the nineteenth century, as a critical investigator of antiquity, who threw light on the history of his country by researches among its ancient monuments. in particular, Alimentus has a far less triumphal account of the early relations between the Romans and the early Latins than most historians. One of the fragments of Alimentus which survives dates the founding of Rome as 729/8 BC (the 4th year of the 12th Olympiad
); Niebuhr accounted for the difference by supposing that both Alimentus and the other annalists found a record dating the foundation 132 ten-month years
before the reign of Tarquin the Elder, who changed the calendar; Niebuhr supposed that Alimentus converted this to 110 twelve- month years before calculating the epoch
.
Among the works attributed to Alimentus are a treatise De Officio Jurisconsulti, containing at least two books; one book De Verbis priscis; one De Consulum Potestate, one De Comitiis, one De Fastis, two, at least, Mystagogicon, and several De Re Militari. In the latter work he handles the subjects of military levies, of the ceremonies of declaring war, and generally of the Jus Fetiale
. Some of these titles have been attributed instead to Cincius
the antiquarian, who wrote some 200 years later under Augustus, and some scholars think both Cincii are in fact the same writer.
Annalists
Annalists , is the name given to a class of writers on Roman history, the period of whose literary activity lasted from the time of the Second Punic War to that of Sulla...
and jurist
Jurist
A jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
, who was praetor
Praetor
Praetor was a title granted by the government of Ancient Rome to men acting in one of two official capacities: the commander of an army, usually in the field, or the named commander before mustering the army; and an elected magistratus assigned varied duties...
in Sicily in 209 BC
209 BC
Year 209 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Verrucosus and Flaccus...
, with the command of two legions
Roman legion
A Roman legion normally indicates the basic ancient Roman army unit recruited specifically from Roman citizens. The organization of legions varied greatly over time but they were typically composed of perhaps 5,000 soldiers, divided into maniples and later into "cohorts"...
. He wrote principally in Greek. He and Fabius Pictor are considered the first two Roman historians
Roman historiography
Roman Historiography is indebted to the Greeks, who invented the form. The Romans had great models to base their works upon, such as Herodotus and Thucydides. Roman historiographical forms are different from the Greek ones however, and voice very Roman concerns. Unlike the Greeks, Roman...
, though both wrote in Greek as a more conventionally literary language. Cincian Law, which forbade the acceptance of pay for legal services, takes its name from his proposal of the legislation.
Among his works is an account of his imprisonment in the Second Punic War
Second Punic War
The Second Punic War, also referred to as The Hannibalic War and The War Against Hannibal, lasted from 218 to 201 BC and involved combatants in the western and eastern Mediterranean. This was the second major war between Carthage and the Roman Republic, with the participation of the Berbers on...
, and a biography of the philosopher Gorgias
Gorgias
Gorgias ,Greek sophist, pre-socratic philosopher and rhetorician, was a native of Leontini in Sicily. Along with Protagoras, he forms the first generation of Sophists. Several doxographers report that he was a pupil of Empedocles, although he would only have been a few years younger...
, though these works probably formed part of his Annals. His objectivity was praised by Dionysius of Halicarnassus
Dionysius of Halicarnassus
Dionysius of Halicarnassus was a Greek historian and teacher of rhetoric, who flourished during the reign of Caesar Augustus. His literary style was Attistic — imitating Classical Attic Greek in its prime.-Life:...
and Polybius
Polybius
Polybius , Greek ) was a Greek historian of the Hellenistic Period noted for his work, The Histories, which covered the period of 220–146 BC in detail. The work describes in part the rise of the Roman Republic and its gradual domination over Greece...
, and he was frequently cited by the Festus who was a historian
Festus (historian)
Festus was a Late Roman historian whose breviary was commissioned by the emperor Valens in preparation for war against Persia....
.
Cincius Alimentus was captured in one of the early battles of the Second Punic War and spent years as a prisoner of the Carthaginians
Carthage
Carthage , implying it was a 'new Tyre') is a major urban centre that has existed for nearly 3,000 years on the Gulf of Tunis, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC...
under Hannibal, who, for some reason, confided in Alimentus the details of his crossing of the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
. He transcribed this tale after his release, and the information found its way into the chronicles of many later Roman historians.
The distinguished historian of Rome Barthold Georg Niebuhr
Barthold Georg Niebuhr
Barthold Georg Niebuhr was a Danish-German statesman and historian who became Germany's leading historian of Ancient Rome and a founding father of modern scholarly historiography. Classical Rome caught the admiration of German thinkers...
praised Alimentus, early in the nineteenth century, as a critical investigator of antiquity, who threw light on the history of his country by researches among its ancient monuments. in particular, Alimentus has a far less triumphal account of the early relations between the Romans and the early Latins than most historians. One of the fragments of Alimentus which survives dates the founding of Rome as 729/8 BC (the 4th year of the 12th Olympiad
Olympiad
An Olympiad is a period of four years, associated with the Olympic Games of Classical Greece. In the Hellenistic period, beginning with Ephorus, Olympiads were used as calendar epoch....
); Niebuhr accounted for the difference by supposing that both Alimentus and the other annalists found a record dating the foundation 132 ten-month years
Roman calendar
The Roman calendar changed its form several times in the time between the founding of Rome and the fall of the Roman Empire. This article generally discusses the early Roman or pre-Julian calendars...
before the reign of Tarquin the Elder, who changed the calendar; Niebuhr supposed that Alimentus converted this to 110 twelve- month years before calculating the epoch
Epoch (reference date)
In the fields of chronology and periodization, an epoch is an instance in time chosen as the origin of a particular era. The "epoch" then serves as a reference point from which time is measured...
.
Among the works attributed to Alimentus are a treatise De Officio Jurisconsulti, containing at least two books; one book De Verbis priscis; one De Consulum Potestate, one De Comitiis, one De Fastis, two, at least, Mystagogicon, and several De Re Militari. In the latter work he handles the subjects of military levies, of the ceremonies of declaring war, and generally of the Jus Fetiale
Fetial
A fetial was a type of priest in Ancient Rome. They formed a collegium.Their duties included advising the senate on foreign affairs and international treaties, making formal proclamations of peace and of war, and confirming treaties. They also carried out the functions of traveling heralds or...
. Some of these titles have been attributed instead to Cincius
Cincius
Cincius, whose praenomen was likely Lucius and whose cognomen goes unrecorded, was an antiquarian writer probably during the time of Augustus...
the antiquarian, who wrote some 200 years later under Augustus, and some scholars think both Cincii are in fact the same writer.