Mummius
Family: Roman · Role: dedicator · First appears: Book 5 · Chapter 24
At Olympia in Book 5, Chapter 10, Mummius defeated the Achæans, captured Corinth, expelled the Dorians, and dedicated golden shields. In Chapter 24, he erected a brazen Zeus at Olympia from Achaean spoils, and another statue of Zeus in the Altis from spoils taken in the war with Achaia. He was described as the first Roman known to have made a votive offering in a Greek temple.
In Book 7, Chapter 15, after Mummius had been chosen consul, Rome declared the Achæans guilty of treason and ordered him to lead land and naval forces against them. Metellus hurried to join the campaign first and win laurels before Mummius arrived. In Chapter 16, Mummius reached the Roman army with Orestes, took command, and sent Metellus and his forces back to Macedonia. After Roman troops struck the Achaean infantry in the flank, the Achæans were routed.
Mummius took Corinth in force on the third day and set it on fire. Many of those still in the city were killed, while the women, children, and surviving fighting slaves were sold; he also razed the walls of cities that had fought Rome, seized their arms, abolished democracies, and appointed chief magistrates according to property qualifications. The less valuable spoils he gave to Philopœmen, general of Attalus’ troops.
Relationship record
Life events
- Mummius defeated the Achæans, captured Corinth, expelled the Dorians, and dedicated golden shields.(Book 5 · Chapter 10 · 📍 Olympia)
- “the offering of Mummius the Roman General, after he had beaten the Achæans and taken Corinth, and expelled the Dorians from Corinth.”
- Mummius erected a brazen Zeus at Olympia from the spoils of Achaia.(Book 5 · Chapter 24 · 📍 Olympia)
- With: Zeus
- “but he out of the spoils of Achaia erected a brazen Zeus at Olympia.”
- Mummius erected another statue of Zeus from spoils taken in his war with Achaia.(Book 5 · Chapter 24 · 📍 Altis)
- With: Zeus
- “tradition says it was erected by Mummius from the spoils of his war with Achaia.”
- Rome declares the Achæans guilty of treason and orders Mummius to lead naval and land forces against them.(Book 7 · Chapter 15)
- “passed a vote against the Achæans that they were guilty of treason, and, as Mummius had just been chosen consul, they ordered him to lead against them both a naval and land force.”
- Mummius took command of the Roman army and sent Metellus and his forces back to Macedonia.(Book 7 · Chapter 16)
- Mummius routed the Achæans after Roman troops attacked their infantry flank.(Book 7 · Chapter 16)
- “1,000 picked men of the Romans took them in flank, and so turned the battle into a complete rout of the Achæans.”
- Mummius captured Corinth in force and set the city on fire.(Book 7 · Chapter 16 · 📍 Corinth)
- “not till the third day did he take Corinth in full force and set it on fire.”
- Mummius killed many remaining inhabitants and sold the women, children, and surviving fighting slaves.(Book 7 · Chapter 16 · 📍 Corinth)
- “And most of those that were left in the city were slain by the Romans, and the women and children were sold by Mummius”
- Mummius razed the walls of hostile cities and confiscated their arms.(Book 7 · Chapter 16)
- “And Mummius rased the walls of all the cities which had fought against the Romans, and took away their arms”
- Mummius abolished democracies and appointed magistrates according to property qualifications.(Book 7 · Chapter 16)
- “then he put down all democracies, and appointed chief-magistrates according to property qualifications.”
Book 5 · Chapter 24
- with Zeus (Mummius erected a brazen statue of Zeus.) “Of the Romans we know of none, either plebeian or patrician, earlier than Mummius who put up a votive offering in any Greek temple, but he out of the spoils of Achaia erected a brazen Zeus at Olympia.”
Book 7 · Chapter 15
- rivals with Metellus “And Metellus, directly he heard that Mummius and the army with him had set out against the Achæans, made all haste that he might win his laurels in the campaign first, before Mummius could get up.”
Book 7 · Chapter 16
- with Orestes (Orestes accompanied Mummius to the Roman army as an envoy.) “Meantime Mummius, and with him Orestes, who was first sent from Rome to settle the disputes between the Lacedæmonians and Achæans, reached the Roman army one morning”
- with Metellus (Mummius relieved Metellus and sent him back to Macedonia.) “took over the command, and sent Metellus and his forces back to Macedonia”
- with Philopœmen (Mummius gave the less valuable spoils to Philopœmen.) “those of less value he gave to Philopœmen, the general of Attalus’ troops”
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Extracted from the original text of Pausanias' Description of Greece. Made with Rho MD.