Gnaeus Cornelius Cossus was a consular tribune of the Roman Republic in 406, 404 and 401 BC. [1]
Cornelius belonged to the Cornelia gens, one of the older patrician gentes of the Republic. Cornelius' father, taken from filiations, was named Publius which would identify him as either Publius Cornelius Cossus, consular tribune in 415, or Publius Cornelius Cossus, consular tribune in 408 BC. Publius Cornelius Cossus, consular tribune in 395 BC, shares the same filiation as Cornelius and might thus be a brother. There are no known children or descendants of Cornelius. [2]
Cornelius first held the imperium in 406 BC as one of four consular tribunes. His colleagues in the office were Publius Cornelius Rutilus Cossus, Numerius Fabius Vibulanus and Lucius Valerius Potitus; with the exception of Valerius all consulars were newcomers to the imperium. The year saw the continuation of the war with the Volscians and the start of a new conflict with Veii. Cornelius, one can assume, remained in Rome, while his three colleagues held command in Ecetrae, Anxur and Antium respectively. The consulars oversaw a reform introducing pay for the army. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
Cornelius would be re-elected to the tribuneship in 404 BC as part of a larger six-man consular college. He shared the office with Gaius Valerius Potitus Volusus, Manius Sergius Fidenas, Publius Cornelius Maluginensis, Caeso Fabius Ambustus and Spurius Nautius Rutilus. The consulars successfully fought against the Volsci and Veii, capturing Artena from Volsci and continuing the siege of Veii. There was also a successful venture to colonize Velitrae under the command of the consulars. [9] [10] [11] [12]
Cornelius was elected for a third and final term as consular tribune in 401 BC. The college was exceptionally experienced and included several individuals who had held the imperium on repeated occasions. Cornelius' colleagues were the experienced Lucius Valerius Potitus (for a second time sharing the office with Cornelius and his fourth term in total), Marcus Furius Camillus (censor in 403), Manius Aemilius Mamercinus (fourth consular command), Caeso Fabius Ambustus (second time sharing the office with Cornelius and his second term in total) and a newcomer, Lucius Julius Iulus. The war with the Volsci and Veii remained the main focus of the consulars and Cornelius held command at Capena with his colleagues spread throughout the surrounding regions. Rome was also the site of increased internal strife giving rise to conflicts both within the consular colleges and among the tribunes of the plebs. Lucius Verginius Tricostus Esquilinus and Manius Sergius Fidenas, two of the consular tribunes from the previous year, were convicted, by the tribunes of the plebs, for their actions during a defeat of the Roman army at Veii. Further conflict arose within the college of plebeian tribunes in regards to the Lex Trebonia, with the college eventually uniting to propose an Agrarian law. [13] [14] [15] [16]
Cornelius is last mentioned in our sources as one of four ambassadors sent in 398 BC to consult with the Oracle at Delphi. His co-ambassadors were Publius Licinius Calvus Esquilinus, Valerius (the sources disagree on whether Gaius, his colleague in 404, or Lucius, his colleague in 406 and 401 BC was the ambassador for this mission) and one of the Fabii Ambusti (his former colleague Caeso or his brother Numerius Fabius Ambustus). The reason for the embassy was a portentous rise in the Alban Lake. The embassy would return to Rome in 397 BC. [17] [18] [19] [20]
Lucius Furius Medullinus, of the patrician gens Furia, was a politician and general of the Roman Republic who was consul twice and Consular Tribune seven times.
Gaius Servilius Ahala was a three time consular tribune, in 408, 407 and 402 and one-time magister equitum, in 408 BC, of the Roman Republic.
Lucius Julius L. f Vop. n. Iulus was a member of the patrician house of the Julii at ancient Rome. He was military tribune with consular powers in 401 and 397 BC.
Lucius Lucretius Tricipitinus was a Roman senator in the fifth century BC, and was consul with Titus Veturius Geminus Cicurinus in 462 BC.
Publius Cornelius Rutilus Cossus was a statesman and military commander from the early Roman Republic who served as Dictator in 408 BC.
Marcus Fabius Vibulanus was consul of the Roman republic in 442 BC and consular tribune in 433 BC.
Titus Quinctius Poenus (Pennus) Cincinnatus was a consul of the Roman Republic in 431 and 428 BC and a consular tribune in 426 BC. He might have been consular tribune again in 420 BC.
Quintus Fabius Vibulanus was a consul of the Roman Republic in 423 BC and a consular tribune in 416 and 414 BC.
Spurius Nautius Rutilus was a consul of the Roman Republic in 411 and a consular tribune in 419, 416 and 404 BC.
Publius Cornelius Cossus was a consular tribune of the Roman Republic in 415 BC.
Gaius Valerius Potitus Volusus was a consul in 410 and consular tribune in 415, 407 and 404 BC of the Roman Republic.
Quintus Quinctius Cincinnatus was a consular tribune in 415 and 405 BC of the Roman Republic.
Gnaeus Cornelius Cossus was a consular tribune in 414 BC and consul in 409 BC of the Roman Republic.
Lucius Valerius Potitus was a five time consular tribune, in 414, 406, 403, 401 and 398, and two times consul, in 393 and 392 BC, of the Roman Republic.
Manius Aemilius Mamercinus was a three time consular tribune, in 405, 403 and 401 and one-time consul, in 410 BC, of the Roman Republic.
Aulus Manlius Vulso Capitolinus was a consular tribune of the Roman Republic in 405, 402 and 397 BC.
Manius Sergius Fidenas was a consular tribune of the Roman Republic in 404 and 402 BC.
Publius Cornelius Maluginensis was a consular tribune of the Roman Republic in 404 BC.
Quintus Sulpicius Camerinus Cornutus was a consular tribune of the Roman Republic in 402 and 398 BC.
Quintus Servilius Fidenas was a prominent early Roman politician who achieved the position of Consular tribune six times throughout a sixteen-year period. Quintus Servilius was a member of the illustrious gens Servilia, a patrician family which had achieved great prominence since the foundation of the republic. In particular, Servilius was the son of Quintus Servilius Priscus Fidenas, a well respected statesman and general who served as dictator twice, in 435 and 418 BC, as well as holding the religious title of either augur or pontifex, which he held until his death in 390 BC. Servilius the younger himself had at least one son, also named Quintus Servilius Fidenas, who served as consular tribune in 382, 378, and 369 BC.