Editing Marcus Furius Camillus (section)

=== Early career ===

Camillus is first firmly recorded as entering public office in 401&nbsp;BC. He served in that year and again in 398&nbsp;BC as [[consular tribune]] against the [[Falisci]] and the Capenates. Both were tribes near Rome and [[Veii]]. His first supposed office was that of [[Roman censor|censor]] (before having held any other public office) in the year 403&nbsp;BC.{{sfn|Drummond|2012}}

He was then supposed to have, as [[Roman dictator|dictator]], completed a campaign against Veii which saw the city captured in 396&nbsp;BC.{{sfn|Drummond|2012}} The specific story of Veii's capture in Livy is mostly legendary.{{sfn|Cornell|1989a|p=298}} After a ten-year siege (the third Veientine war) – "obviously modelled on the Greek legend of the [[Trojan War|Trojan war]]" – the [[Alban Lake]] rises supernaturally after a supposed prophecy of Veii's destruction in its "Books of Fate". The Romans then extirpate the prodigy by building a tunnel to drain the lake after being so instructed by the [[oracle at Delphi]]. Camillus, as commander, then persuades Veii's goddess, Juno Regina, to leave the city and move to Rome.{{sfn|Cornell|1995|p=312}} Archaeological remains near Veii include blocked drainage tunnels from the fifth-century, which may indicate the possibility that this story in Livy arises a Romans breakthrough into the city through them.{{sfn|Ogilvie|1970|p=672}}

Following the capture of the city, Livy reports that Camillus had its free population sold into slavery before the land was resettled with Roman citizens with land allotments of seven [[jugera]].<ref>{{harvnb|Forsythe|2005|p=250|ps=, citing, {{harvnb|Livy|loc=5.22.1}}.}}</ref> Archaeological evidence points to Romans switching quarries: after the capture of Veii's better-quality quarries, Roman structures switch largely to using stone sourced therefrom, which may suggest enslaved Veientine quarry workers.{{sfn|Forsythe|2005|p=250}} Camillus then celebrates a [[Roman triumph|triumph]] and dedicates a temple of [[Juno (mythology)|Juno]] on the [[Aventine hill|Aventine]].{{sfn|Lomas|2018|p=233}} It is likely that many of the details of his return in Livy were copied from the less historically distant triumphal entrances of [[Scipio Africanus]] or [[Sulla]].{{sfn|Ogilvie|1970|p=679}}

In 394&nbsp;BC, he supposedly secured the surrender of the Falisci in their main town of Falerii Veteres (modern [[Civita Castellana]]) after refusing to accept pupils from a schoolmaster as hostages.{{sfnm|Drummond|2012|2a1=Ward-Perkins|2a2=Potter|2y=2012}} Much of the Livian narrative about the exchange with the schoolmaster is meant to recount an {{lang|la|exemplum}} which stresses the importance of Roman good will ({{langx|la|fides}}) and the importance of gentlemanly aristocratic behaviour.{{sfn|Ogilvie|1970|pp=685–86}}

After taking Veii and Falisci, Camillus is supposed to have been prosecuted. Accounts differ: he may have been accused by the [[quaestor]]s of misappropriating spoils of war or of his extravagance in purchasing four white horses for his triumph. Whatever the charge, though a quaestorian trial for misappropriation is more likely,{{sfn|Ogilvie|1970|pp=699, 679–80}} Camillus was reportedly convicted and sent into exile. Historians believe this story of disgrace before the courts is modelled on fates of [[Achilles]] and [[Scipio Africanus]] and is meant to draw comparison with [[Themistocles]] and [[Gnaeus Marcius Coriolanus]].{{sfn|Drummond|2012}} The underlying source for the story likely postdates the Sullan period and is an "evident anachronism".{{sfn|Ogilvie|1970|p=694}} The story of conviction, however, likely did not happen and was instead adduced to place Camillus away from Rome when the Gallic sack occurs, excusing him of any blame for Rome's defeat.{{sfnm|Forsythe|2005|1p=255|Cornell|1995|2p=317}}<ref>{{harvnb|Ogilvie|1970|p=698}} believes Camillus was in voluntary exile but that his depicted return to save the city from the Gauls is a late invention and fictitious.</ref>