M. Fau'cius
a native of Arpinum, of equestrian rank, at Rome. His life would be undeserving record but for its connection with a letter of Cicero's (Fam. 13.11), which incidentally throws light upon the local government and circumstances of the municipium of Arpinum, the birthplace of Marius and Cicero. The Arpinatian community possessed estates in Cisalpine Gaul, the rents of which were their only fund for the repair of their temples and the cost of their sacrifices and festivals. Faucius was one of three commissioners sent to recover the dues of his municipium, which the date of the letter, B. C. 46, renders it not improbable that the civil wars had caused to be withheld. Cicero recommends Faucius and the other commissioners to M. Brutus, who was praetor of Cisalpine Gaul.
It appears from the letter that the only magistracy in Arpinum was an aedileship, and this fact adds to our acquaintance with the internal government of Italy under the dominion of Rome. Thus, Lavinium had a dictator (Cic.
pro Mil 10), Tusculum a dictator (
Liv. 3.18); Corfinium, Duumviri (Caesar,
Caes. Civ. 1.23); Neapolis, Cumae, Larinum, Quatuorviri (
Cic. Att. 10.13,
pro Cluent. 8); Sidicinum and Ferentum a quaestor (
Gel. 10.3). For the Faucia Curia see
Liv. 9.38.
[
W.B.D]
