Editing Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus (section)

===First dictatorship===

[[File:Cincinato abandona el arado para dictar leyes a Roma, c.1806 de Juan Antonio Ribera.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Juan Antonio Ribera]]'s {{circa|1806}} ''Cincinnatus Leaves the Plough to Dictate Laws to Rome'']]
[[File:Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus par Denis Foyatier (1793-1863), jardin des Tuileries, Paris.jpg|alt=Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus by Denis Foyatier (1793–1863) Tuileries Garden, Paris|thumb|280x280px|Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus by [[Denis Foyatier]] (1793–1863) [[Tuileries Garden]], [[Paris]]]]
In 458{{nbsp}}BC, the [[Aequi]] to Rome's east broke their treaty of the year before and attempted to retake [[Tusculum]] ([[Frascati]]). The consuls for the year—[[Lucius Minucius Esquilinus Augurinus|L. Minucius Esquilinus Augurinus]] and [[Gaius Nautius Rutilus|G. Nautius Rutilus]]—led out two armies, one to Tusculum's relief and another to strike against the lands of the Aequi and their [[Sabines|Sabine]] allies. Upon reaching [[Mount Algidus]] in the [[Alban Hills]], the army under L. Minucius Esquilinus Augurinus encamped and rested instead of immediately attacking. The Aequi quickly deployed around their position and successfully besieged them, with only five [[Roman cavalry|horsemen]] escaping{{sfnp|''AC''|1879}} to tell the [[Roman Senate]] what had happened. With the army of the second consul unable to help, the senators fell into a panic and authorized the nomination of a dictator. G. Nautius Rutilus or Horatius Pulvillus named Cincinnatus for a term of six months.{{sfn|Livy|loc=''History'', III, § 26}}

A group of senators was sent to Cincinnatus to inform him of his appointment, finding him ploughing his farm.{{efn|This story is sometimes told of his election as consul.{{sfnp|''NSRW''|1914}}}} He asked them, "Is everything all right?" and they replied that they hoped "it might turn out well for both him and his country", asking that he don his [[senatorial toga]] before hearing the Senate's mandate. He then called out to his wife Racilia, telling her to bring his toga from their cottage.{{sfn|Livy|loc=''History'', III, § 26}} Once he was properly dressed, the delegation hailed him as a dictator and ordered him to come to the city. He crossed the [[Tiber]] in one of the senate's boats and was greeted on his return by his three sons and most of the senators. He was given several [[lictor]]s for protection and enforcement of his orders.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

The next morning, Cincinnatus went to the [[Roman Forum|Forum]] and named Lucius Tarquitius as his [[Magister equitum|master of the horse]].{{sfnp|''AC''|1879}} He then went to the assembly of the people and ordered every man of military age to appear on the [[Campus Martius|Field of Mars]] (''Campus Martius'') by the end of the day{{sfn|Livy|loc=''History'', III, § 27}} with twelve times the normal amount of [[Sudis (stake)|encamping spikes]]. They then marched to the relief of the consul's relieving army. At the [[Battle of Mount Algidus]], they used their spikes to quickly besiege the besieging Aequi. Rather than slaughter them between the two Roman camps, Cincinnatus accepted their pleas for mercy and offered an amnesty provided that three principal offenders were executed, and Gracchus Cloelius and their other leaders be delivered to him in chains. A "[[yoke]]" of three spears was then set up and the Aequi made to pass under it as an act of submission, bowing and admitting their defeat. Cincinnatus then disbanded his army and returned to his farm, abandoning his control a mere fifteen days after it had been granted to him.{{sfn|Livy|loc=''History'', III, §§ 28–29}}