A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

GRACCHUS. GRACCHUS. 287
fragments from the Digest (which-had been corn- mand, he abstained from entering into zany engagepiled several years before he wrote), his eye rested ment with the enemy, although there was no want
on the heading of the extract from Gaius, which of favourable opportunities, and although' the inimmediately precedes the extract from Pomponius, habitants of. Casilinum, which was besieged by
and is conspicuous from being at the beginning of Hannibal, were suffering from famine. As there
the second title of the first book of the Digest. was no other way of relieving the besieged without
Niebuhr builds largely (in the opinion of Dirk- fighting against the enemy, he contrived in three
sen and other eminent modern critics, too largely) successive nights to send down the river Vulturnus
on the fact that Lydus cites from Gaius that which casks filled with provisions, which were eagerly
the Digest gives to Pomponius. It is Niebuhr's caught up by the inhabitants, the river flowing
theory, that the commencement of the treatise of through the town. But in the fourth night the
Gaius in the Twelve Tables gave an account of the casks were thrown on shore by the wind and
early constitution and the vicissitudes of the Roman waves, and thus discovered by the enemy, who
magistrates; that Gaius, in this part of his work, now, with increased watchfulness, prevented the
took Gracchanus for his principal authority; and introduction of any further supplies into Casilinum.
that Gaius is trustworthy when he chooses Grac- The famine in the place increased to such a fearful
chanus as a guide, but is not a safe and critical degree, that the people and the garrison, which
antiquary when he depends on his own researches. chiefly consisted of Praenestines, fed on leather,
According to Niebuhr, Pomponius unfairly appro- mice, and any herbs they could get, until at length
priates the work of Gaius, which he epitomises in they surrendered. The garrison was allowed to
his Enchiridion, while Lydus, by honestly copying depart on condition of a certain sum being paid for
Gaius, preserves copious remains, of Gracchanus. every man. Out of 570 men, more than half had
Pomponius, in the fragment De Origine Juris, perished in the famine, and the rest, with their
sometimes counts dates by the number of years commander, M. Anicius, went to Praeneste, where
from the expulsion of the kings, or from the first afterwards a statue was erected to Anicius, with
consulship. (Dig. 1. tit. 2. s. 2. ~ 20.) Lydus an inscription recording the sufferings of the be(i. 38) adopts the same mode of reckoning. Nie- sieged at Casilinum. Shortly after this affair
buhr assumes that all such statements connected Gracchus accompanied the dictator to Rome, to
with the history of the magistrates, and adapted to report on the state of affairs, and to take meathe years of the consular era, are derived from sures for the future. The dictator expressed great
Gracchanus. Gracchanus, he maintains, was an satisfaction with the conduct of Gracchus, and reinvaluable historian of the constitution, possessed commended him for the consulship, to which he
the soundest notions, and derived his information was accordingly elected for the year B. C. 215, with
from the most authentic sources, such as the writings L. Postumius Albinus. The time was one of great
of the pontiffs and the early law-books. disasters for Rome; but Gracchus did not lose his
Though the remains, which can with certainty courage, and inspired the senate with confidence,
be attributed to Gracchanus, are very scanty, and directing their attention to the point where it was
scarcely warrant such unqualified panegyric, they most needed. He undertook the command of the
undoubtedly make us acquainted with some in- volones and allies, marched across the river Vulteresting and valuable facts in the early history of turnus, and pitched his camp in the neighbourRome. hood of Liternum. He there trained and disci(Niebuhr, Hist. of Rome, vol. ii. pp. 10-12, plined his troops, and prepared them to meet the
pp. 118, n. 251, vol. iv. p. 40; Heffter, in Rlein. enemy. On hearing that the Campanians were
Museum fiir Jurisp. vol. ii. pp. 117-124; Dirk- about to hold a large meeting at Hamae, he marched
sen, Vermischte Schriften, 8vo. Berlin, 1841, pp. 51 towards Cumae, where he encamped, and from
-68; Dirksen, Brucehsticke, &c., pp. 56-60; whence he made an unexpected attack upon the
Krause, Vit. et Frag. Hist. Rom. pp. 221-2, where assembled Campanians. They were routed in a
the praenomen.of Gracchanus is erroneously stated very short time, and 2000 of thel, with their
to be C. instead of M.) [J. T.G.] commander, Marius Alfius, fell in the engageGRACCHUS, the name of an illustrious family ment. After taking possession of their camp, Gracof the plebeian Sempronia gens, of which the fol- chus quickly returned to Cumae, as Hannibal was
lowing members are known in history. encamped at no great distance. The latter, on
1.. TIB. SEMPRONIUS, TIB. F. C. N. GRACCHUS, hearing of the affair of Hamae, hastened thither,
was consul in B. C. 238; and with his colleague, but came too late, and found only the bodies of the
P. Valerius Falto, carried on a war in Sardinia slain, whereupon he too returned to his camp above
and Corsica, shortly after the insurrection of the Tifata; but immediately after he laid siege to
Carthaginian mercenaries. He conquered the enemy, Cumae, as he was anxious to obtain possession of a
but, though he made no booty, he is said to have maritime town. Gracchus was thus besieged by
brought back a number of worthless captives. Hannibal: he could not place much reliance on his
(Fest. s. v. Sardi; Zonar. viii. 18; comp. Polyb. i. troops, but was obliged to hold out for the sake of
88; Oros. iv. 12.) the Roman allies, who implored his protection.
2. TIB. SEaMPRONIUS, TIB. F. TIm. N. GRACCHUS, He made a sally, in which he was so successful,
a distinguished general of the second Punic war. that the Carthaginians, being taken by surprise,
In B. c. 216 he was curule aedile; and shortly lost a great number of men; and before they had
after the battle of Cannae, he was appointed ma- time to turn round, he ordered his troops to withgister equitum to the dictator, M. Junius Pera, draw within the walls of Cumae. Hannibal now
who had to levy a fresh army against Hannibal. expected a regular battle; but, as Gracchus reBoth then pitched their camp near Casilinum; and mained quiet, he raised the siege, and returned to
the dictator being obliged to return to Rome, Tifata. Soon afterwards Gracchus marched his
Gracchus was entrusted with the command of the troops from Cumae to Luceria in Apulia.
camp; but in accordance with the dictator's cor- For the year 214 his imperium was prolonged,