Gaius Lutatius Catulus (consul 242 BC) facts for kids

Gaius Lutatius Catulus was an important Roman leader and a naval commander during the First Punic War. He lived around 242–241 BC. He was part of a Roman family called the Lutatii, who were plebeians. This meant his family was part of the common people, not the noble families. His family name, "Catulus," actually means "puppy"!

We don't know much about his early life. But like many Roman politicians, he likely followed a standard career path called the cursus honorum. This path usually started with serving in the cavalry (soldiers on horseback) and then holding positions like military tribune (an army officer) and quaestor (a financial officer).

Becoming a Roman Leader

In 242 BC, Gaius Lutatius Catulus was elected as a consul. A consul was one of the two highest elected officials in the Roman Republic. He was a novus homo, which means he was the first person from his family to reach this high position.

His fellow consul was Aulus Postumius Albinus. However, Postumius also held a special religious job called Flamen Martialis. Because of this, the chief priest, Lucius Caecilius Metellus, said Postumius could not leave Rome. This meant Lutatius Catulus was the only one who could lead the war in Sicily.

The Senate (Rome's governing council) gave him a second-in-command, a praetor named Quintus Valerius Falto. A praetor was a high-ranking Roman official, often a judge or army commander. This was a bit new because a second praetor position had only been created a few years earlier. This allowed one praetor to leave Rome, which was helpful for military campaigns. Usually, the two consuls would share command of the army.

Leading the War in Sicily

After taking command, Lutatius Catulus and Valerius sailed to Sicily. Lutatius was in charge of both the Roman armies (called legions) and a brand new fleet of ships. This new fleet was very important because the long war had almost emptied Rome's public money. Wealthy citizens had to donate money to build these ships. We don't know exactly how much Lutatius helped with building the fleet.

No major battles happened in 242 BC. The next year, Lutatius's brother, Quintus Lutatius Cerco, became consul. But Lutatius and Valerius were allowed to continue leading the war efforts against Carthage. This was called being a proconsul and propraetor, meaning they kept their military authority even after their term as consul or praetor ended.

The Battle of the Aegates Islands

In 241 BC, Carthage sent a large fleet of ships to Sicily. This fleet was led by an admiral named Hanno. Their goals were to take back control of the sea and resupply their general, Hamilcar, and their soldiers who were trapped in Sicily.

Lutatius Catulus was injured, so he couldn't personally lead the Roman fleet in the big battle that followed. Command went to Valerius. This battle, known as the Battle of the Aegates, was a huge victory for Rome. Carthage could not afford to build another fleet after this loss.

Because of this defeat, Carthage had to negotiate a peace treaty with Lutatius Catulus. This treaty was very good for the Romans. The Senate first rejected Lutatius's original treaty. Then, a group of 10 senators negotiated an even stricter treaty. Even though it was changed, the treaty still carried Lutatius's name.

Both Lutatius Catulus and Valerius were given a triumph by the Senate. A triumph was a grand parade and celebration in Rome to honor a victorious general. To celebrate his victory, Lutatius built a temple to Juturna, a Roman goddess, in an area of Rome called Campus Martius. This area is now known as Largo di Torre Argentina.

We don't have any historical records about what he did after this great victory.

In Popular Culture

Gaius Lutatius Catulus is also the main character in a book called Merikonsuli ("The Marine Consul") by Finnish writer Jukka M. Heikkilä.