Mae'nius
6. C. MAENIUS P. F. P. N., consul, in B. C. 338, with L. Furius Camillus. [CAMILLUS, No. 4.] The two consuls completed the subjugation of Latium; they were both rewarded with a triumph; and equestrian statues, then a rare distinction, were erected to their honour in the forum. Maenius defeated, on the river Astura, the Latin army, which had advanced to the relief of Antium, and the rostra of some of the ships of the Antiates were applied to ornament the suggestus or stage in the forum from which the orators addressed the people.
In consequence of this victory, Maenius seems to have obtained the surname of
Antiaticus, which, we know from coins, was borne by his descendants. [See below, No. 8.] The statue of Maenius was placed upon a column, which is spoken of by later writers under the name of
Columna Maenia, and which appears to have stood near the end of the forum, on the Capitoline. (
Liv. 8.13;
Flor. 1.11;
Plin. Nat. 34.5. s. 11, 7.60; Cic.
pro Sest. 58; Becker,
Handbuch der Römisch. Altertl. vol. i. p. 322; Osann,
De Columna Maenia, Giessen, 1844.)
In B. C. 320 Maenius was appointed dictator, in order to investigate the plots and conspiracies which many of the Roman nobles were suspected to have formed, in conjunction with the leading men of Capua, which revolted in the following year. Maenius named M. Foslius Flaccinator as the magister equitum, and both magistrates conducted the inquiry with great vigour, and brought to light the intrigues of many of the Roman nobles of high family.
The latter in their turn retorted, by bringing charges against the dictator and the magister equitum; whereupon both Maenius and Foslius resigned their offices, demanded of the consuls a trial, and were most honourably acquitted. (
Liv. 9.26, comp. 34.)
In B. C. 318 Maenius was censor with L. Papirius Crassus.
In his censorship he allowed balconies to be added to the various buildings surrounding the forum, in order that the spectators might obtain more room for beholding the games which were exhibited in the forum; and these balconies were called after him
Maeniana (sc. aedificia). They are frequently mentioned by the ancient writers, and are described at length by Salmasius (
ad Spartian.
Pescenn. 12, p. 676). Comp. Paul. Diac. p. 134, ed. Müller;
Cic. Ac. 4.22, who speaks of the
Maenianorum umbra; Suet. Cal. 18;
Vitr. 5.1;
V. Max. 9.12.7; Pseudo-Ascon.
in Cic. Divin. in Caecil. p. 121, ed. Orelli, who, however, absurdly mixes them up with the Columna Maenia, and with the spendthrift mentioned below [No. 11].
In B. C. 314 Maenius was a second time dictator, and again appointed M. Foslius the magister equitum. (Fasti Capit.)
