CORIOLANUS

By this time in Roman history, the citizens were divided between the upper-class patricians and the common people called plebeians. Although called a republic, the government was closer to an aristocracy as the patricians, despite being around 10% of the citizens, held most of the power. In 493 BCE, the plebeians seceded (secessio plebis) by abandoning the city and camping on one of the seven hills. They were disappointed that the advent of the Republic had not changed the power dynamic in which the patricians had most of the power. The timing of the secession was fortuitous because it coincided with a Volsci offensive in 493. The plebeians refused to fight unless their demands were met. The patricians promised to share power and the plebeians returned.

Rome found a great commander in Gnaeus Marcius, a rich nobleman from one of the most important families. The Roman army invaded Volsci territory to lay siege to the city of Corioli.  Upon the approach of a relief army, the Coriolians sallied forth so the Romans would have to fight in two directions. Marcius quickly gathered a small force and routed the citizens and then followed them through the opened city gates. Setting fire to several buildings was enough to get the city to surrender. Upon seeing this development, the Volscian army gave up and retreated. From this exploit, Marcius earned the cognomen (nickname) of Coriolanus.  

Now that the war was over, the upper class did not honor its pledge to give the lower class more power. So, once again, the plebeians left the city and this time fortified a hill outside the walls. They took most of the army with them. The Senate panicked and sent a negotiator. He conceded that the Rome could not survive without both of its classes.  He agreed that the plebeians would be allowed to elect a new set of officials called tribunes. These magistrates were given the power to defend plebeian rights. The plebeians returned to Rome, but tensions remained high.  Coriolanus was one of the nobles who disputed this ceding of power by the upper class. He wanted the reforms rescinded. Plebs who had carried him through the streets of Rome as a hero now wished they had dropped him in a well. He was accused of pocketing some of the spoils of war from the recent conflict and forced into exile in 491 B.C.E.. The bitter Coriolanus went over to the Volscians and was taken in by their leader Aufidius! He convinced them to give him an army. He sent half of it to distract the Latin League, while he and Aufidius led the other half against Rome. The shrewd Aufidius realized that it is always better if you can claim that your enemy started the fight.  So, he visited Rome while it was hosting athletic competitions between various cities. He conferred with the Roman Senate and warned it that street-fighting was likely between the Roman and Volscian youth. The Romans heeded his warning and told the Volscians to go home. Aufidius was there to meet the banned and was shocked, shocked that the Romans would dishonor the Volscians this way. This means war! From 490-488, Coriolanus invaded Latium twice, doing the obligatory ravaging of the countryside. He probably took pleasure in burning peasant homes. Take that, you democracy-lovers! Coriolanus instructed the troops to leave patrician property alone, hoping to engender class strife in the besieged city. It did not work, but the plebeians did put pressure on the Senate to sue for peace. Coriolanus’ dream of the patricians welcoming him as their savior and installing him as king was a pipe one. The Romans knew a traitor when they saw one. Yet, the city’s population was suffering mightily from the siege. In an act of desperation, Coriolanus’ mother Veturia and his wife Volumnia were sent to his camp to beg him to end the siege.  Coriolanus relented and disappeared from history. (That’s assuming he ever existed to begin with.  Historians are divided on this.)  Shakespeare was inspired to write the play “Coriolanus” about the tragic fall of a Roman hero. He had an idea of what happened to him. To find out, read the play.