Episode 46 – The Third Samnite War

— That’s right, when the Etruscans heard that Corvus was leading the roman troops, they got into their fort and did not want to come out, not even to check on the weather.

For the third time, the Samnites. And some say, third time is a charm. And in this case, it was exactly like that. It’s the last years of Marcus Valerius Corvus’ life.

Partial Transcript

Hello, this is Abel, speaking from Beijing, China. Welcome to my podcast.

The Tale of Rome, Episode 46 — The Third Samnite War.

Peace reigned supreme in Rome.

We are in the year 302 BC, or — as the Roman liked to refer to their years — we are in the year of the consulship of Denter and Paulus.

Less than six months ago, peace treaties were ratified by the Senate of Rome, and now — Romans were the masters, of all of Central Italy.

And just as we’ve seen in our last episode, there was no shortage of heroes, either.

Take two examples?

Fabius Rullianus and Papirius Cursor.

Yep. It does happen at times. All of the sudden, it happens that a generation springs up in some places, and — suddenly, a nation finds itself blessed, by a generation of people who simply do stuff better.

Better than their parents, and better than their grandparents, at times.

It’s like a wave — like the waves of the ocean, coming ashore. Every so often, you get a bigger one, a prettier one, and sometimes you can tell by counting the waves in between, but sometimes you can’t.

Yep. Sometimes, it’s almost like magic.

It happened in the States, with the baby boomers, and it happened in Argentina, with the incredible soccer generation, that saw people like Maradona, rise and fall.

True.

Sometimes, a generation like this, changes the destiny of a sport, a view on things, or even a nation, — even for a whole century, only to disappear after that, and never to return.

These waves usually leave nostalgia behind, and a strong taste that thing used to be better, before.

A legacy, if you will.

Alright, before I go all the way off the topic, here is an overview of the stuff we’ll be seeing today.

For that — I made a short list, of five topics.

Have a listen.

ONE — The years 302, 301, and 300 BC, from a legislative point of view. Two important laws are coming out in these years, and we wanna be there, and see what they are all about.

Their names are — the Lex Valeria, and the Lex Ogulnia.

TWO — We are also getting to see Marcus Valerius Corvus again, who — by now — is being addressed as Marcus Valerius Maximus Corvus.

[…]

In the year 300 BC, Corvus was elected again, to lead the destiny of Rome — but this time as a Consul, and not as a Dictator.

His mission this time was to finish the thing with the Aequi, and this was the fifth time, he was elected Consul of Rome.

But — that year — Corvus was doing something more than just leading troops, and winning things for Rome.

Yep. In the year 300 BC, Corvus decided to give his support to the two laws that we talked about, earlier on.

Let me explain.

First — Since Corvus was totally in favor of the Lex Ogulnia, he made sure that, the day the law passed, he was present in Rome, standing — right in front of the building that was housing the College of Pontiffs.

He also made sure he was there, when the first Plebeian priests joined the ranks of those Pontifex.